Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Yesterday at Route 66 some 20+ people lost there jobs, including the track manager. Rumor around here is that there will only be a National event in 2009. No brackets or Division race. I can not confirm on the racing,
but yes I can confirm on the firings......

What is going on here!!!!!

Will update as i get more info

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

That sucks.

short version

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Hopefully it's the DIRT and the OVAL tracks that are affected. Lee were the people fired or just laid-off for the winter?

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

24 People were FIRED from the Drag Strip.
I just heard from another person and he was told by a higher up that we will only have a National event and nothing else.

We are playing it by ear around here...... so we will see.:confused:

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Anybody know if Chris McMahan was one of the layoffs?


Bret Velde

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Yes Chris was let go a long with 23 other people.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Guess that's what happens when you get a bunch of lawyers that own a race track.............

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

If that's true, then this circumstance inhales wind sharply!
Billy Baer
3391 S/C-Q/R

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Some time ago a friend of mine told me that the dragstrip at Joliet was just foot in the door for the NASCAR track and that they now consider it just a parking lot for them. Perhaps he was right?

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I wonder were they would put the other Div. race then? St louis,Edgewater,DaGrove,Salam oh, Wait we used to run those now what?
Boo Boo

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I am going to play the wait and see game.

I keep hearing the worst.. but hope for the best.

I am in no hurry to find my next car right now.

I heard some other stuff today and once i can confirm it i will post it.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

If you want to live close to Drag Racing....you want to live in the Maple Grove, Atco, Englishtown, Cecil County Area of Div 1......the furthest race is 7 hours to Virginia. 6 Divisionals and 3 National events.....most races are within 3 hours

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Maybe in Martin, MI??
http://www.dragracingonline.com/agen...0-x_10-61.html
:D

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Sure, rub it in!

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

or just move to Nashville Tn.
Indy 295 miles
Memphis 198
Atlanta 280
Bristol 280
Bowling Green for a added div race 65 miles

:-) jim

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Yes, I am one of these lucky people that live in this area (closest is Maple Grove which is about 45 min and farthest is E-Town at a whopping 2 hours) and believe me we would have either parked the cars or bracket raced locally if we weren't. The funny thing is we could put $100 of diesel in the motorhome in 2007 and make it to the track and back. This year we had to pay $200 but since we were splitting it this year with the stacker, it was actually a wash. You get comfortable with the nice quick drives and if it isn't within 2 hours, we're not interested although we are possibly thinking Concord next year depending on diesel prices.

Kelli
1236 S/ST
1836 S/G

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Exactly guys,rub it in. If I were to run all 6 Division 5 races starting from 20 miles north of Denver,round trip would be...........7766 miles!!!! If you remove the race closest to me,Bandimere,that still makes it 7686 miles,with an average round trip of 1537 miles for the remaining 5 races. That doesn`t include leaving the track for anything,so some races add another 50 miles per trip. You racers back east have it good,thats for sure!

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Welcome to southern california, coming to your track soon!! when NHRA got in a pissing contest with local "Property owners" (city of LaVerne, I believe is where the track is actually located), the city held them to thier stated lease of 2 national events a year. that left the rest of us out in the cold, NHRA didn't give a hoot about it and now we race in the parking lots of 2 nascar tracks Irwindale 1/8 mile and Fontana.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

As far as I can remember Route 66 was never a crowd getter. NHRA first had 2 national events there when they first built the track but never drew a crowd and NHRA knocked them down to 1 National event and that still dose not draw that many people. When you look at the finals of the race on TV the starting line is like 60% full of people. Sometimes tracks just can't survive in certain area's. I can see us reading about Route 66 in about 10 years as one of those Ghost Tracks that just never made it.

You know that we are spoiled in D-1 when we have to complain about driving 3 1/2 hour to go to Numidia for a National Open or MASGA race or 6 hours to VA for the D-1 race. Some people their closest track is 3 to 4 hours away from there house. As much as I hate New Jersey and all the taxes it is great to be a racer in this area.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Travel time in Div 6. 5 divisional races and 1 National event 3796 miles round trip.. If I add the 6th div race in 5718 miles ..

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I would hate to see Martin go NHRA. It's my favorite place on the IHRA tour. It's a great place!! Not enough room there for an NHRA national anyways. As far as Grand Bend....I don't know about that. The place needs a lot of upgrades, starting with the timing system.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

You know, regarding the spectators, I disagree with some of your observations.

Up until a couple of years ago I was one of those spectators. I would stay in Chi-town with my hunting partner and attend all days of both national events. I waited in lines for an hour or more just to get in and if I was not sitting on the road before they opened I would have to park about the 1000ft mark on the spectator side. Walking around to the the pits were always jammed with people and forget the midway. One night they ran late to near midnight and I was 2 hours just trying to get back up to I-80, got into Chi-town after 3:00AM.

The last couple of years I have been helping a friend with his comp car and have used the racer side. If things have changed, I hate to see it. I personally think that it is one of the best facilities I have ever been to and was quite proud of it until this has happened.

I hope things can get better or get back on keel.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

What about the Fastest Streetcar Series.?????

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I am afraid Gateway is going to do the same thing.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Lee, any new info on the situation at 66?

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

was told to keep checking Rt 66 website, they are to post some info in the next couple of days or so....

sorry that is all i have right now.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I heard that IHRA was going to cut one of their National events in Michigan and Milan Dragway is one of the possibilities. I'm not sure how big of a crowd Martin gets for their national event but I went to Milan and it wasn't full. Possibility Milan will go NHRA????

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Their web site is showing a Div 3 race for 12 --14 of June! ( Don't know how being they fired 24 people)

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I would like that. Milan going NHRA and geting a division race!
BB

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

They have not posted the sched yet.
It does say on the website they will run the Nationals on June 4-7 and the Div the next weekend. We do not know about bracket series or Top Sportsman.

We are all waiting to see the sched.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I've been wondering, which came first......

Route 66,
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/...c64687.jpg?v=0












........................or Steak N Shake?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/...4f2e21.jpg?v=0


-steve

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Very good Steve.... :D

Hey it is time for another real racing hero song........

Come on Steve!!!!

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

Martin draws a record crowd for the past 2 or 3 years at there national event. They said this was the biggest this year but it sure didn't look like it to me. Sportsman car counts seem to be dropping.When Force came up and tested then went to Charlotte NC and annouced on espn that he went to a nice safe track at Martin to test that should be a wake up call to nhra to look at Martin.

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

I'm with Barney B

Would love to see Milan go NHRA and get a divisional ,,,, I've always done good there and it is
only a couple hours tow for most Notheren Ohioians ,,,,, Now that was with a small block 9.90 @ 150 ,,,
How is Shutdown for High MPH big blocks ,,,, I will be the first to tell you that with the "Big Block " , the end of the track comes up awful fast :)

Martin would be O.K. also but ,, didn't the owners secure some of their fiance from IHRA and have commitments ????


Colorful Racer

Re: Big Shake up at Route 66
 

As of last weekend the midewst super comp series was still being told their races were going to be held as scheduled.