Who's coming to the Div 7 Opener at Firebird?

[Don Kennedy]

Sundstrom to leave Phoenix for Spokane in April
Raceway Investments LLC, has announced that Chuck Sundstrom has been hired to be the Operations and Facility Director for Spokane County Raceway starting April 15, 2013. He will be working hand in hand with the 12-member board that presently manages the drag strip, road course, and the half-mile super oval track.

Sundstrom has been working at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix, Az., as the Facility Manager for 12 years. Before that he ran his own automotive shop for 21 years. Sundstrom will finish out his duties at Firebird on April 5. That track will close in April, as the lease will not be extended on the Gila River Indian Community property after 30 years. Sundstrom will then head north to Washington State and start work for the Lucas Oil Racing series coming to Spokane May 24-25.

In addition Curtis Orvik, long time oval track racer in the Late Model class and resident of Spokane has also joined Spokane County Raceway as the new Director for the Super Oval Track. [01/03/13]

[Jeff Lee]

Hemmings Motor News today:

From several sources, the word emerged late Thursday that Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, would shut down in April. From sources close to the situation, the real story appears to be more complicated and encouraging than that. The root issue is that longtime Firebird president Charlie Allen could not reach terms for a new lease with the Gila River Indian Community, which owns the land.

Firebird has been the longtime home of the NHRA’s Arizona Nationals, next scheduled for February 24. Word of the possible closure spread fast, and Friday editions of the Arizona Republic reported that top-level NHRA executives were optimistic that racing would continue at Firebird despite the lease impasse with Allen. The newspaper quoted NHRA President Tom Compton as saying, “Based on our discussions with the Gila River Indian Community, we are very optimistic that the venue will be on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule in 2014.”

The Firebird complex also includes a lake for drag boat races and an off-road race course. Performance oil magnate Forrest Lucas, who built the off-road track, was quoted as saying the community would allow him to operate both that track and the lake. Firebird is also home to the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving.

[MattConte]

Jeff,
Do you know much about the future for Speedworld? Last I heard it was on it's way out. Phoenix without a dragstrip. Very Sad.
BTW Jeff. I work up there in Anthem. At the Horizon Irrigation just down the road south from the Wal Mart.
I hope to see you at the races.

[Don Kennedy]

From what i heard is some government official told the decisions maker to make changes to the facility'and the decision maker said he would if he could get a long term lease . Now i heard that the decision maker has 18 months left on the present lease , not sure what is the present situation is now

[RULER]

Is Charlie going to get way with rape on the crew pass again this year, Last year i was told it was $60.00 x 2 and they made you purchase both. If you ran the first one you could not puchase them separately. So to crew for four days was $120.00, that is Bull Sh*&^% Can't the Division office do something about this???

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by RULER

Is Charlie going to get way with rape on the crew pass again this year, Last year i was told it was $60.00 x 2 and they made you purchase both. If you ran the first one you could not puchase them separately. So to crew for four days was $120.00, that is Bull Sh*&^% Can't the Division office do something about this???

No surprises here...
This is how the tracks make money from Divisionals....
NO SPECTATORS.
You've got to bang the racer gate..hard.

[davidhuff]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

No surprises here...
This is how the tracks make money from Divisionals....
NO SPECTATORS.
You've got to bang the racer gate..hard.

No way to run a business=busness closing!

[GarysZ24]

I'll be at the D7 opener(s), and am glad they're just a little over 1mth away!

Jeff, I hope what I saw on our Channel 12 (Cox Cable) News is correct...they said on their nightly news, that the track isn't shutting down in April after-all, and that the only major change is Charlie Allen leaving. They gave this news clip about 25 seconds of coverage, and showed some bracket cars in action during the coverage. They spoke of Tom Compton talking with the Gila River Indian community about keeping the track going...this was on the 10pm NBC news either Thursday Dec.27, 2012, or Jan. 3, 2013.

[John Kelley]

Just try to get a motel room that week !!!!
It's the OPENING OF BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING.........been there done THAT !!
Every room in town will be taken !

[Jeff Lee]

By Michelle Ye Hee Lee The Republic | azcentral.com Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:43 AM

A popular northwest Valley racetrack likely will shut down after years of disputes with state and county regulators, the latest resulting in a cease-and-desist order this month by Maricopa County.

The county issued its order after a hearing officer found several violations of county building codes, including the erection of several structures at the track without proper permits. The county levied a $50,000 fine and a daily non-compliance fine of $750 that was to begin accruing this week.

Meanwhile, the Arizona State Land Department in December canceled the lease allowing Speedworld to operate on state trust land. Cancellation came after the track failed to pay its annual rent and comply with insurance requirements.

“Between the county and the state, yes, this has shut me down — we will be closed,” said Dan Matthews, owner of Speedworld. “I would say we will not last past June.”

Matthews and State Land Department officials declined to comment further, citing pending litigation. Matthews sued the county in August, arguing that it has no regulatory authority over state land or activities there. The next court hearing is scheduled for Feb.1.

A model-airplane airstrip and a paintball park already have closed at the Speedworld property, which is also used for off-road truck, motocross, and slot- and sports-car racing.

Matthews signed a State Land Department lease in 2004 allowing him to operate his racetrack on the 344-acre property. The lease agreement requires Speedworld to be in compliance with “all applicable federal, state, county and municipal laws, rules and regulations.” Failure to obtain or losing applicable governmental approval would constitute a breach of the lease, according to the agreement.

Matthews’ dispute with Maricopa County began in 2006 when he applied for a county permit to install electrical lines. County officials accused him of building beyond the limits of Speedworld’s original county special-use permit. He was required to file for a new permit. In 2009, the county opened a compliance-violation case against Speedworld.

Matthews was fined at a county zoning hearing earlier this month, and ordered to cease operations. The $750 daily fine applies until Speedworld ceases operations or gets a new special-use permit.

Since Matthews took over the Speedworld lease, he built additions and structures without permits, including a racetrack, an observation tower, an off-road racing expansion, a paintball fighter park and a bleacher structure for 5,000 to 7,000 spectators, according to the county zoning hearing officer’s report.

Matthews also did grading and paving work without an engineered drainage plan or permits, according to the report.

The potential closing of Speedworld has been a hot topic in the Valley’s racing community, several motocross racers said during open practice on a recent Sunday afternoon.

“I’ve been hearing it from everyone. Everyone’s pissed off it’s closing,” said Ryan McDanald, who has been riding at Speedworld three times a week for six years with his sister and his friends.

McDanald said Speedworld is his preferred track to ride his motorcycle because of the quality of dirt and lighting that allows users to ride safely at night.

With racetracks closing around the state, alternative locations are limited for motocross riders, said Jay McGuigan, who has been riding at Speedworld about twice a week with his 9-year-old son, who also races.

“We’d have to ride in the desert,” McGuigan said. “We’d have to ride in private property ... We’ll do it and we’ll pay the tickets.”

Surprise City Councilman Skip Hall said some state legislators and the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce met last week to discuss ways to keep Speedworld open.

Speedworld hosts several statewide races a year. Matthews said previously that the racetrack brings in about $1million a year and draws event visitors to Surprise and Wittmann.

Hotels and restaurants are worried about the revenue they would lose without the races, Hall said. Hotel representatives are working on an estimate to quantify the loss in revenue, he said.

“It’s going to have a significant impact on the city of Surprise,” Hall said.