Tucson Raceway has new owners

Stock726 · 08-03-2013, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Wow, lots of changes in Arizona drag racing in the last year!!!

And so far, none are for the better......

HawkBrosMav · 08-05-2013, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stock726

And so far, none are for the better......

The only change we can 100% say is not for the better is Speedworld closing. The rest of the changes can be judged for better or worse in the future. Unless you can point out why any other change is for the worse lets wait to judge, support the remaining two tracks, and be thankful we can race 12 months a year in AZ.

Matt

chris ok · 08-05-2013, 10:10 AM

Tucson is not Speedworld?
Sorry I'm from Long Island where we lost all 3 drag strips and our neighbors and gov't want us all off the Island to be replaced by new and better neighbors. Heck, some of the newbys here have even told me that, lol. really.
Good luck out there, hang in tight. The IHRA people did a wonderful job with PBIR, I have seen the before and after visiting my mom who lives 15 minutes from the track.

Jeff Lee · 08-05-2013, 11:58 AM

Arizona currently has (2) dragstrips.

1) Wild Horse (formerly Firebird), re-opening later this year? It's in the metro-Phoenix area. NHRA track.
2) Tucson - It's in Tucson which is approximately 3 hours or so south of the metro-Phoenix area. IHRA track.

Gone are:

1) Speedworld. Run into the ground by a greedy, self-serving SOB of an owner that never really wanted it. The drag-strip just came with the MX track he wanted. Ran the drag strip to often (sometimes 3x per week) and discovered "all night party madness" was a great profit center that really had nothing to do with drag racing and everything to do with young adults paying to party in the desert with DJ's, drugs, alcohol and of course the ensuing arrests that call attention to the track that you didn't really need.

2) Beeline. It was AHRA. Last race 1979? On Indian land around Mesa, AZ. (Still in metro-Phoenix). Continuous conflict with the track operator and the tribe with the tribe alleging that the operator wasn't paying the contracted percentage of proceeds. On top of that, the operator was hiring Arizona State University athletes as security and there was some issue with that. It was all a big mess and the operation folded. I started racing there at the "Midnight Drags". We'd go cruising Central Avenue Friday (or was it Saturday?) nights and around 11:30 P.M. we'd head over Beeline and race until 3-4 in the morning. Way fun!!!

GarysZ24 · 08-06-2013, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkBrosMav

The only change we can 100% say is not for the better is Speedworld closing. The rest of the changes can be judged for better or worse in the future. Unless you can point out why any other change is for the worse lets wait to judge, support the remaining two tracks, and be thankful we can race 12 months a year in AZ.

Matt

I'm with you on this one Matt, and now it's looking better and better for IHRA to have their own Pro-Am points series for their D7 (which so far doesn't include any tracks where the tow far exceeds 500 miles from Phoenix like NHRA's D7 does)! I'm also glad that since IRG bought SIR, then NHRA won't have a chance to get it back (like they did RMR, in Salt Lake City)! 2014 may very well be a very good year to look forward to for Az., class/sportsman racers (especially those of us with lighter wallets)!!!

After talking with Scooter Peaco yesterday, and Frank Kohutek today, the Pro-Am series for IHRA's D7 is in the works, and I (for one) am excited about the possibility of it!!!

SStockDart · 08-07-2013, 01:17 AM

Gary, this is the response and the note I sent to IHRA

Thanks for your email, Gary. I have passed it along to the CEO and track GM.

Cheers,
______________________________

Aidy Alonzo | Vice President, Marketing & Communications
IRG Sports + Entertainment™
Palm Beach International Raceway™
Memphis International Raceway™
IHRA Motorsports™

Direct: 561.578.5638 | Main: 561.622.1400
17133 Beeline Hwy, Jupiter, FL 33478

AAlonzo@IRGSE.com | www.IRGSE.com

www.RacePBIR.com | www.RaceMIR.com | www.IHRA.com

From: PoisonDartRacing@aol.com [mailto:PoisonDartRacing@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2013 9:41 PM
To: INFO - IRG
Subject: Arizona Racers

Greetings, My name is Gary Hansen, an NHRA racer. We live in the Phoenix Metro area.
I just read that you purchased the track in Tucson.....I think that is great news.

The purpose of my email is to inform you of the Speedworld dragstrip that recently closed in the Phoenix area. Since we live only a few miles from Speedworld, I was obviously disappointed to see it close. It appears to me that their are some political issues that couldn't get worked out, and the prior operator got into a pizzing contest with the county. (that never works out).....I contacted the country in hopes of keeping the track open....The response I got was that it had gone to far and their was no turning back with the current operator.

You now have the Tucson track, and El Paso (290 miles from Tucson)....If......just if, you could acquire the Speedworld track, that would give you access to over 6 million people. Additionally, many of the Southern California racers are only a few hours away.

Best of good fortune with IHRA and the Tucson track.....and maybe you would consider looking into the Speedworld facility.

Sincerely,

Gary Hansen
NHRA Super Stock 4911
NHRA Stock 4911

Jeff Lee · 08-07-2013, 02:39 AM

Gary H.,
If you don't have contact info for Victoria Griffey, I do.
She was track mgr @ speed world for ever. She got out before the poop hit the fan. She was not the problem, did-poop Dan M. was.
Let me know if you need her for anything. She knows the ins and outs of that track and all the legal dealings like no other!

GarysZ24 · 08-07-2013, 11:53 PM

From one Gary H. to another, that was a great message that you sent to IRG, and I think I'll have to call Scooter Peaco to see what he thinks about it too! I'm sure he'll like the idea, and offer his .02 to IRG with regards to that possible addition to IHRA as well.

That would be awesome for IHRA to have Speedworld added on to the other tracks they now have (at least 105 sanctioned, and growing!), and it surely would give the So Cal & Nevada racers who've always come out here for NHRA races something else to spend their class racing funds on (and less of them as well I might add)! I know they're having one of their IHRA races this weekend, so I might not reach him right away, but I know he'll get back in touch with me, and who knows perhaps I could help in the contact between Victoria, and Scooter (or he could have IRG contact her once he gets a contact number or email address, that could reach her)?

After all, how would you guys/gals like knowing that for just $1.00 more than the cost of an NHRA (only) membership (which includes the now even less sportsman covering National Dragster Magazine), you can not only get an IHRA Membership (which includes Drag Review Magazine...which puts more emphasis on us sportsman racers than it does the pros), but you'd also get your competition number (for one class). When this IHRA D7 Pro-Am series gets going (2014?), you guys/gals with deeper wallets/pockets, will only have to shell out $70 bucks for those things while you're paying $125 for the same thing from the Glendora bunch who's ok with our paying for the perks the pros get to enjoy...am I the only one who thinks something is horribly wrong with that picture???

I told Scooter I'd do what I could to get the word out about this, so here I am offering more bang for our class racing dollars...after all, $165 for a grade point, no competition points, no chance at contingency money, when the other guys offer points, contingency postings, and three positions out of each Pro-Am series division to race for the World Championship, for a divisional race cost of $135 per race (Michael Beard correct me on this if I'm wrong, but if I am I know it isn't by much, as this was their entry fee last year).

You critics should ask Mark Faul how he feels about having the IHRA option...he seems to be winning there every year in their series, at various events, and he's a proven NHRA winner too!!!

Stock726 · 08-09-2013, 04:48 PM

Interesting post today from another site:

To clarify things a little. I sent an email out to the Arizona Super Street racers asking if they wanted to race in December. I was told by Bill Schneider at Wild Horse Pass that this was when the drag strip would be finished. He said the facility is having a grand opening on October 12th but that the drag strip would just be used as a straight away for the road course.

I may just join IHRA after all; SIR is a lot closer for me than Vegas.....

08-05-2013, 10:10 AM	#3
chris ok Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Long Island, New york Posts: 592 Likes: 131 Liked 46 Times in 29 Posts	Re: Tucson Raceway has new owners Tucson is not Speedworld? Sorry I'm from Long Island where we lost all 3 drag strips and our neighbors and gov't want us all off the Island to be replaced by new and better neighbors. Heck, some of the newbys here have even told me that, lol. really. Good luck out there, hang in tight. The IHRA people did a wonderful job with PBIR, I have seen the before and after visiting my mom who lives 15 minutes from the track.

08-05-2013, 11:58 AM	#4
Jeff Lee VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Anthem, Arizona Posts: 2,766 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Tucson Raceway has new owners Arizona currently has (2) dragstrips. 1) Wild Horse (formerly Firebird), re-opening later this year? It's in the metro-Phoenix area. NHRA track. 2) Tucson - It's in Tucson which is approximately 3 hours or so south of the metro-Phoenix area. IHRA track. Gone are: 1) Speedworld. Run into the ground by a greedy, self-serving SOB of an owner that never really wanted it. The drag-strip just came with the MX track he wanted. Ran the drag strip to often (sometimes 3x per week) and discovered "all night party madness" was a great profit center that really had nothing to do with drag racing and everything to do with young adults paying to party in the desert with DJ's, drugs, alcohol and of course the ensuing arrests that call attention to the track that you didn't really need. 2) Beeline. It was AHRA. Last race 1979? On Indian land around Mesa, AZ. (Still in metro-Phoenix). Continuous conflict with the track operator and the tribe with the tribe alleging that the operator wasn't paying the contracted percentage of proceeds. On top of that, the operator was hiring Arizona State University athletes as security and there was some issue with that. It was all a big mess and the operation folded. I started racing there at the "Midnight Drags". We'd go cruising Central Avenue Friday (or was it Saturday?) nights and around 11:30 P.M. we'd head over Beeline and race until 3-4 in the morning. Way fun!!! __________________ Jeff Lee 7494 D/S '70 AMX

08-07-2013, 01:17 AM	#6
SStockDart VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Arizona, Texan forever Posts: 1,176 Likes: 879 Liked 574 Times in 212 Posts	Re: Tucson Raceway has new owners Gary, this is the response and the note I sent to IHRA Thanks for your email, Gary. I have passed it along to the CEO and track GM. Cheers, ______________________________ Aidy Alonzo \| Vice President, Marketing & Communications IRG Sports + Entertainment™ Palm Beach International Raceway™ Memphis International Raceway™ IHRA Motorsports™ Direct: 561.578.5638 \| Main: 561.622.1400 17133 Beeline Hwy, Jupiter, FL 33478 AAlonzo@IRGSE.com \| www.IRGSE.com www.RacePBIR.com \| www.RaceMIR.com \| www.IHRA.com From: PoisonDartRacing@aol.com [mailto:PoisonDartRacing@aol.com] Sent: Friday, August 02, 2013 9:41 PM To: INFO - IRG Subject: Arizona Racers Greetings, My name is Gary Hansen, an NHRA racer. We live in the Phoenix Metro area. I just read that you purchased the track in Tucson.....I think that is great news. The purpose of my email is to inform you of the Speedworld dragstrip that recently closed in the Phoenix area. Since we live only a few miles from Speedworld, I was obviously disappointed to see it close. It appears to me that their are some political issues that couldn't get worked out, and the prior operator got into a pizzing contest with the county. (that never works out).....I contacted the country in hopes of keeping the track open....The response I got was that it had gone to far and their was no turning back with the current operator. You now have the Tucson track, and El Paso (290 miles from Tucson)....If......just if, you could acquire the Speedworld track, that would give you access to over 6 million people. Additionally, many of the Southern California racers are only a few hours away. Best of good fortune with IHRA and the Tucson track.....and maybe you would consider looking into the Speedworld facility. Sincerely, Gary Hansen NHRA Super Stock 4911 NHRA Stock 4911 __________________ Gary Hansen - SS/FA 4911, B/SA 4911

08-07-2013, 02:39 AM	#7
Jeff Lee VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Anthem, Arizona Posts: 2,766 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Tucson Raceway has new owners Gary H., If you don't have contact info for Victoria Griffey, I do. She was track mgr @ speed world for ever. She got out before the poop hit the fan. She was not the problem, did-poop Dan M. was. Let me know if you need her for anything. She knows the ins and outs of that track and all the legal dealings like no other! __________________ Jeff Lee 7494 D/S '70 AMX

08-07-2013, 11:53 PM	#8
GarysZ24 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tempe, Az. Posts: 1,270 Likes: 918 Liked 238 Times in 94 Posts	Re: Tucson Raceway has new owners From one Gary H. to another, that was a great message that you sent to IRG, and I think I'll have to call Scooter Peaco to see what he thinks about it too! I'm sure he'll like the idea, and offer his .02 to IRG with regards to that possible addition to IHRA as well. That would be awesome for IHRA to have Speedworld added on to the other tracks they now have (at least 105 sanctioned, and growing!), and it surely would give the So Cal & Nevada racers who've always come out here for NHRA races something else to spend their class racing funds on (and less of them as well I might add)! I know they're having one of their IHRA races this weekend, so I might not reach him right away, but I know he'll get back in touch with me, and who knows perhaps I could help in the contact between Victoria, and Scooter (or he could have IRG contact her once he gets a contact number or email address, that could reach her)? After all, how would you guys/gals like knowing that for just $1.00 more than the cost of an NHRA (only) membership (which includes the now even less sportsman covering National Dragster Magazine), you can not only get an IHRA Membership (which includes Drag Review Magazine...which puts more emphasis on us sportsman racers than it does the pros), but you'd also get your competition number (for one class). When this IHRA D7 Pro-Am series gets going (2014?), you guys/gals with deeper wallets/pockets, will only have to shell out $70 bucks for those things while you're paying $125 for the same thing from the Glendora bunch who's ok with our paying for the perks the pros get to enjoy...am I the only one who thinks something is horribly wrong with that picture??? I told Scooter I'd do what I could to get the word out about this, so here I am offering more bang for our class racing dollars...after all, $165 for a grade point, no competition points, no chance at contingency money, when the other guys offer points, contingency postings, and three positions out of each Pro-Am series division to race for the World Championship, for a divisional race cost of $135 per race (Michael Beard correct me on this if I'm wrong, but if I am I know it isn't by much, as this was their entry fee last year). You critics should ask Mark Faul how he feels about having the IHRA option...he seems to be winning there every year in their series, at various events, and he's a proven NHRA winner too!!! __________________ Gary Hampton '86 Z24,173 V6 CF/S #5824 (#78 in 2021)

08-09-2013, 04:48 PM	#9
Stock726 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 71 Likes: 24 Liked 13 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Tucson Raceway has new owners Interesting post today from another site: To clarify things a little. I sent an email out to the Arizona Super Street racers asking if they wanted to race in December. I was told by Bill Schneider at Wild Horse Pass that this was when the drag strip would be finished. He said the facility is having a grand opening on October 12th but that the drag strip would just be used as a straight away for the road course. I may just join IHRA after all; SIR is a lot closer for me than Vegas.....