The Hoosier Race Report: We Hoosiers Are Spoiled Rotten

By Danny Burton

Danny Burton’s Hoosier Race Report appears courtesy of OpenWheelRacers.com

A few years ago while on vacation, my wife visited a local casino and I had some free time on my hands. I’d heard of a race track not far from town and drove out to investigate. I had figured that the place might be deserted but was surprised to see a man there working on something. We talked for awhile and he mentioned that there would be racing at the track that very evening and the next night as well. I said that I’d be there, no problem at all.

The track itself was a 3/8 mile, very high banked, red clay oval, rather similar in shape to our own Paragon Speedway. The red clay reminded me of home, namely Bloomington, which is like a home away from home. The track itself was simply beautiful, with that red clay and those high banks. The man with whom I conversed, apparently the promoter, said that sprint cars had visited a few years before and could lap the track at close to 12 seconds. I could see why.

I’d better mention that the track sits in a comparatively tiny valley, surrounded on all sides by mountains. Should one be hardy enough to climb, off and above turn two was a steep hill, offering a breathtaking view of the track and the mountains. Somewhere here at home I have some pictures. Lord knows that I need to check those out.

I’ve described to some extent the good news. Sad to say, here comes the bad.

The facilities, concessions, parking, rest rooms, pit area, PA system, were of 1950’s vintage, to be blunt. On the first of two nights racing, my wife accompanied me and we were a bit nervous about what we would eat. But I do recall a bag of popcorn being shared at least.

We found a place to park far enough away from the track. I could just see a flying car going into the parking lot, landing on what was then a fairly new car. The rest rooms, as I barely recall, were, uh, primitive.

The pit area was in the middle of the track, which is a plus. But I could only imagine how much fun it would be to get out of there when the rain arrived. The PA system worked well enough, with the PA guy standing in a booth across from the track. (The bleachers, which were somewhat suspect in and of themselves, were on the backstretch.) The announcer was not a lot of help, as I recall. I can handle the southern accents; remember I grew up with that, so I don’t have that all too common Yankee prejudice against that drawl. But it wasn’t how the gentleman said it; instead it was what he said, or didn’t say. We were doing good to learn anything about any of the drivers. I did buy a t-shirt with the track’s name on it and still wear it, especially to sprint car races, to my friends’ chagrin or delight.

My wife and I were both surprised that the crowd was so small. We guessed that maybe it was because the first night was the preliminaries to the big show the following night. But when I went back the next night, alone, the crowd wasn’t much better. To myself I said, “oh-oh, Dan. This ain’t good.”

I recall the feature event, which featured the fastest class, the dirt late models which I enjoy from time to time. It was a shambles. But you never know. Guys can have bad nights. The feature was dragged on and on by a plethora of yellow flags, most all for minor spins. That was the last race I ever saw there.

Since then I’ve gone back, only to find the place deserted. The last time drove the little back road to the track, it was not only deserted, a sign said that the track was closed. A search online for the track offers nothing. Perhaps the track has gone away and that is always sad.

We are planning another visit soon to the same area in question, the lovely and timeless beauty of the western North Carolina mountains. Once again I’ll drop off my bride to gamble away our retirement money (or double it, huh?). And once again I’ll make the short drive out of town to the former race track. I’m sure that the same sign is there and that the buildings remaining show a bit more age. If I can I’ll try and find an opening and walk up to the entrance to the track and gaze upon a wasted treasure. Certainly I’ll feel a bit melancholy that yet another race track has gone away and for no good reason. And I’ll be reminded, once again, that we here in Indiana are greatly spoiled.

Fortunately, Indiana is a fairly small state in size, if not population. For me, Angola is probably the track that is farthest away from me and that would be about a four hour drive, even farther than Eldora, which is closer to three. But here is where I sit less than two hours from places where promoters, competitors, and fans alike show their mutual admiration and appreciation for each other.

When a track shuts down, as Terre Haute’s did last year, we tend to take notice, to say the least. Fan pressure was a huge factor in the blessed resurrection of a Hoosier treasure that did not deserve to fade away and now won’t. Of course now those same fans now have the ball in their court, as it were, and promoters at Terre Haute are depending on race fans to flock back to the Action Track in 2008.

We are not afraid to give second or even third chances to promoters who are trying their hardest to provide a good program for racers and fans. The smart promoters will get it right at some point and their ingenuity will be rewarded in many ways, most certainly at the ticket window. As well they should be. Fans don’t mind lining the pockets of a promoter who treats them right. Racers don’t mind either. That same promoter will do the same for those who put it on the line each time the pit gate opens. That same promoter will not be overly beholden to the infamous back gate income that all too many depend upon.

More than once I’ve either talked with or read about a friend who goes on and on about how good we have it here in Indiana as race fans. The friend could be from anywhere in our great nation, but he or she will most always point out how good, clean, efficient, and/or timely our Hoosier race meetings are. It makes me pleased to have been born and raised a Hoosier.

So from Bloomington to Lawrenceburg to Haubstadt to Gas City to Winchester to Salem to Kokomo to several others I could name, to me this has been, is, and hopefully will still be the place to be on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night.

Maybe we Hoosiers need to step out of state to find out just how true that is, every once in awhile.

Trying to choose between Britney or Paris as I head off to another Indiana race track, I’m…

Danny Burton

Visit OpenWheelRacers.com for all of the latest open wheel racing news, results, and information.