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BigDog

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Posted: Jan. 31 2013,10:47 am

Post # 1

For most of you, you may not know this facility. If you are in to the short coars off road racing you may have seen it on Speed talevising races. In years past it was refered to as Phoenix Racway park. Some folk know it as Mel larsons raceway. Here is amessage I saw this morning regarding it. There has been a battle between the owner/operators and the county to close it down. I don't know the legal side of it but is sounds like the county has a thorn up their butt over some dirt that was moved with out a permit. Instead of working with the facility their pushing to close it. If thats done, and Firebird closes as rumored, there will be no dragstrip close. Tucsons strip is on the east side and is about a 3-4 hour tow from phoenix. Speedworld not only have a dragstrip, but has the mentiond off raod coars, motocross, RC air field and RC track.

This was posted on the American Racecar Facebook Page:

As I was afraid of, the NHRA National Open event scheduled for this weekend has been blocked by a bad turn of events in the situation regarding Speedworld DragStrip and the county and state governmental agencies and will not be run. I was very hopeful that they would be running this event this weekend as that would show promise for our own February 9th race to be given the green light as well.

With this unfavorable outcome of this weekend's program, the likelihood of the February 9th Full Power Challenge being permitted to run looks grim.

Also, the Rally At The Capital To Save Speedworld has been set to take place on the Saturday of February 9th at 10:00 AM. Running our DRAGCAR event would be in conflict with this call to display our support for the facility and would only serve to divide us in the supporting of our race park and reduce the numbers of those taking part of this exhibition of togetherness, therefore DRAGCAR will not be pushing for Speedworld to expend any efforts to honor this particular race date for us, even if there was much hope for that possibility.

It's amazing, the conflicting messages which are coming from all different directions. Last year the County said that they had no intentions of shutting down Speedworld and could not do so if they did want to, while those at the State level are currently returning Emails which express an intent to work with all involved to actually rectify the situation with the goal being to allow Speedworld to continue to operate. Yet, the actions of the past weeks up to this weekend appear to contradict those statements.

Well, Garlits ran for political office one time! And after that, he vowed, "Never again!" It's too bad we don't have some Garlits' up there to do for us what our forefathers seemingly intended our governments to do for US (the people), without the self serving agendas so prevalent in the governmental branches.

Everyone is encouraged to take part in this show of support for our race park.

Edited by BigDog on Jan. 31 2013,10:51 am

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jordy

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Posted: Jan. 31 2013,9:51 pm

Post # 2

It wasn't a matter of "pushing some dirt around" but rather years of development over the whole facility, including the dirt track the trucks are racing on, a sand drag area, the R/C landing strip, and on and on and on, all done on county lease land, and all done without permit or inspection. Rather than play the "mea culpa" and see what it would take to get the county on board, the "screw you, you're trying to shut me down for not doing anything wrong" card is being played... hasn't gone over well with the county as you might imagine... They have him dead to rights on all the improvements. :guns

There is talk of him looking at other properties, one being off of the 101 and 10 where the Fear Farm is, but I don't see that happening for a few reasons... the biggest being the proximity to town... remember Manzanita Speedway? Houses built up, restrictions began, and it went away and is now an equipment parking lot...

As to Firebird, the only thing going away there, at least that I've heard of, is the lake and the dragstrip. There has been no mention of the dirt track or Bondurant's operation. I see it as an opportunity to get rid of the current promoter and get a new one (read LUCAS) in to invest some much needed capital and upgrades to the shithole it has become. They just got done building a new outlet mall over by the casino, so I don't see them going store front... it's also reservation, so they're not going to develop it and have lakefront property. :break

I know some people who know some people in the track development area at Lucas, and they're holding their cards close to their chests at this point... I'm also involved in another property North of town that has incredible ingress/egress, enough room to fit any of the current offroad series tracks, ie Speedworld, Firebird, Elsinore, Glen Helen, and backs up to hundreds of thousands of acres of trails and forest service land... working on getting something going there that will fill the one known void... goodbye Speedworld and good riddence. :beer

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,4:52 am

Post # 3

Supposedly Charlie has a place lined up further towards Casa Grande for the lake and drag strip, supposed to open 2015 according to rumors anyhow.. :rolleyes

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,10:33 am

Post # 4

Thanks Jordy for more info on that. I have heard the same on the drag strip but not on the lake going away. I also heard that Bonderaunt has already signed a lease to keep the road cours. Will see how long they stay with all the housing and so on being built closer to the facility if thats the case. On Speedworld, I heard if they totaly shut down they won't be relocationg. I sure hope something is setup wheather in the same location or somewhere els if Speedworld is closed down.

Art, I have heard the same rumor. Both happening and no way going to happen.

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jordy

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,10:54 am

Post # 5

There are certainly lots of rumors out there... All the dirt track stuff I'm getting from people inside Lucas Oil, but who knows.

I'm still thinking that the Indians are tired of Charlie and are playing the shut down thing to get him out of there and then let Lucas come in and clean that place up. It gets worse and worse every year and needs a complete makeover. I don't know that Charlie ever had the means, and certainly not the desire, to invest a bunch of money into improving the place. I just don't see the lake being anything but what it is, same thing with the drag strip. It brings money to the tribe and there is already a bunch of other attractions on the West side of the road, being the casino, resort, golf courses, Rawhide, etc... why get rid of a revenue generating entity. My money is on Lucas doing the Extreme Track Makeover Edition. :jumpie

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,12:04 pm

Post # 6

I heard roughly the same thing on Charley and LUCAS coming in. I know the last time I was at Firebird, Nov 2011, the place was looking quite rough. Could be that new managment coming in will be good for the whole thing. I have to agree, The indians aren't going to toss a money maker down the drain. Time will tell what will pan out. Them Indians are investing a crap load into that area right now.

I hear rumor that Charley had something to do with IHBA??

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,1:05 pm

Post # 7

I believe you're correct with the IHBA, which is apparently now done, as of November of last year... I went to Lucas' site and they have the current calendar with the Spring opener and World Finals in Chandler... don't know of any other lakes in Chandler that would be able to handle the drag boats... It even has the Havasu races on there, so it's not last years calendar...

http://www.lucasoildragboats.com/schedules/event-schedule

On the asphalt side of things, they've only got the one race in March at Firebird... will have to keep an eye on it, but I don't forsee it going anywhere...

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BigDog

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,1:33 pm

Post # 8

Tempe Town Lake would be fun to see them bad boys make a pass on. :laugh

To bad it can't handle it.

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,2:32 pm

Post # 9

Quote (BigDog @ Feb. 01 2013,1:33 pm)

Tempe Town Lake would be fun to see them bad boys make a pass on. Â :laugh

Â To bad it can't handle it.

Rocket98 from the Hotboat days was trying to get something put together for races on the lake, including roundy-rounds... they weren't opposed to it, but the $$$'s started adding up very quickly going out, and the part about trying to capture revenue, ie admission, etc. and make any money back was unreal... The lake would more than handle it as it is a couple miles long and all kinds of wide... I seem to recall they wanted a huge nut for insurance and it was going to be about a million dollar outlay to get the first boat wet... :stupid

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BigDog

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Posted: Feb. 01 2013,7:08 pm

Post # 10

I would think that the bridges would hamper getting a straight shot and safety concerns. Thats what I was thinking by not handling the big guns.

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Posted: Feb. 02 2013,4:45 am

Post # 11

Quote (BigDog @ Feb. 01 2013,11:33 am)

Art, I have heard the same rumor. Both happening and no way going to happen.

Yeah I heard the same more than once, we'll believe it when it happens. :rolleyes

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Posted: Feb. 02 2013,4:50 am

Post # 12

Quote (jordy @ Feb. 01 2013,11:54 am)

I'm still thinking that the Indians are tired of Charlie and are playing the shut down thing to get him out of there and then let Lucas come in and clean that place up. Â

Everybody gets tired of him, that goes back to the 80's when he had the County. :rolleyes

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Posted: Feb. 02 2013,11:51 am

Post # 13

Quote (BigDog @ Feb. 01 2013,7:08 pm)

I would think that the bridges would hamper getting a straight shot and safety concerns. Thats what I was thinking by not handling the big guns.

I pulled it up on Google Earth and you've got 4,400' between Mill Ave and Scottsdale Rd bridges... The island at Firebird is only 3,400' long... a majority of the fuelers don't make a full pass anyway... ha ha ha! :rotflmao

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Posted: Feb. 03 2013,11:27 am

Post # 14

We reserved our rooms for the LODBR in May but I thought I saw they were tentatively scheduled * as are the Finals and a Divisional event :stupid

Moving them closer to Casa Grande would not bother me at all and getting it off the Res would be a big improvement :good

To bad about Speedworld, but ya break the rules and get caught ya gota face the music :beat

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Posted: Feb. 03 2013,10:35 pm

Post # 15

Quote (jordy @ Feb. 02 2013,11:51 am)

Quote (BigDog @ Feb. 01 2013,7:08 pm)

I would think that the bridges would hamper getting a straight shot and safety concerns. Thats what I was thinking by not handling the big guns.

I pulled it up on Google Earth and you've got 4,400' between Mill Ave and Scottsdale Rd bridges... Â The island at Firebird is only 3,400' long... Â a majority of the fuelers don't make a full pass anyway... ha ha ha! Â :rotflmao

Seems like there is enough room then.... I know they do a Christmas thing there every year with some high HP boats....at a crawl....

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Posted: Feb. 04 2013,5:35 am

Post # 16

Quote (AZKC @ Feb. 03 2013,12:27 pm)

We reserved our rooms for the LODBR in May but I thought I saw they were tentatively scheduled * as are the Finals and a Divisional event Â :stupid

Moving them closer to Casa Grande would not bother me at all and getting it off the Res would be a big improvement :good

To bad about Speedworld, but ya break the rules and get caught ya gota face the music Â :beat

Biggest improvement would be if Charlie would fade a way.. :beat

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BigDog

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Posted: Feb. 04 2013,8:05 am

Post # 17

Quote (jordy @ Feb. 02 2013,11:51 am)

Quote (BigDog @ Feb. 01 2013,7:08 pm)

I would think that the bridges would hamper getting a straight shot and safety concerns. Thats what I was thinking by not handling the big guns.

SO True!! I drove by Tempe Town lake Saterday. Doesn't seem to have that much room between the bridges. Still say lets have a couple make a pass.

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Posted: Feb. 05 2013,5:26 am

Post # 18

Quote (BigDog @ Feb. 04 2013,9:05 am)

Quote (jordy @ Feb. 02 2013,11:51 am)

Quote (BigDog @ Feb. 01 2013,7:08 pm)

I would think that the bridges would hamper getting a straight shot and safety concerns. Thats what I was thinking by not handling the big guns.

SO True!! Â I drove by Tempe Town lake Saterday. Doesn't seem to have that much room between the bridges. Still say lets have a couple make a pass. Â

When they built that lake there was a stipulation that there would never be any power boats on the lake, so for anything to happen there it would take a whole $hit load of money to buy an exception.. :rolleyes

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Posted: Feb. 05 2013,12:42 pm

Post # 19

Quote (GoFastRacer @ Feb. 05 2013,5:26 am)

They've had wakeboard boats on it a few different times that I know of... money makes lots of "nevers" go right the hell away. :beer

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Posted: Feb. 05 2013,9:18 pm

Post # 20

They also have the Christmas parade of boats, but they all go at No Wake speeds.... :cry

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Posted: Feb. 06 2013,5:19 am

Post # 21

Quote (jordy @ Feb. 05 2013,1:42 pm)

Quote (GoFastRacer @ Feb. 05 2013,5:26 am)

They've had wakeboard boats on it a few different times that I know of... money makes lots of "nevers" go right the hell away. Â :beer

Yep, it's all about the money!!!.. :beat

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Posted: Feb. 06 2013,5:21 am

Post # 22

Quote (Fragile Magic @ Feb. 05 2013,10:18 pm)

They also have the Christmas parade of boats, but they all go at No Wake speeds.... :cry

Yeah, special event probably made money off it, no recreational boating though and racing forget about it. :banghead

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Posted: Feb. 06 2013,8:16 am

Post # 23

Change of locatione for the Rally Saturday:

19th ave and Jefferson. North East Corner
10 am

Supposed to be a press conference. No mention on when that will be.

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Posted: Feb. 07 2013,4:49 am

Post # 24

That should be interesting..

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