Div 7 ?'s

[Geerhead55]

Whats happening to Firebird??
Danny Durham

[Chris1529]

Isn't RMR one of the tracks IHRA let anyone come to without purchasing an IHRA membership?

[HR9121]

Hopefully IHRA will do something positive out if this and bring another big race to the east coast where they actually have some racers. Division 7 guys will get another track since it seems they have some closing or pressure on them to close. It could be a win for everyone involved if the IHRA will bring a race back here.

[Pat Cook]

Jeff, I thought Speedworld had settled their problems with P&Z?....

[Jeff Lee]

I spoke to my old roommate Brian tonight. His wife was the track manager (I think that was her title) for many years until recently. Brian informed me it does look like the County & SpeedWorld have made up with the track paying some permit fees and some fines. Thank goodness! I started racing at Beeline Drag-way and it closed soon after and have raced at SpeedWorld off and on since about 1979.Mike Donnelley, the manager in the late '70's when I started racing there, gave Brian and I the track for a day with full use of the timers. Brian had a '70 Challenger R/T SE 383 and I had my '71 Challenger 340. I did more than Brian as his was stock. Changed jets, cross jetted, timing, dwell, launch & shift RPM's, spacers, if it was something I could change, I took a stab at it! At the end of the day I was about two tenths quicker. Can't replace a learning experience like that and it was on the house!

As far as Firebird, Brian didn't have anything other than what's on the street. He thought the land purchase was somewhere between Firebird and Casa Grande which would make more sense as the land values are much lower than closer into the Valley here.
I know this, I sure wouldn't want to but heads with an Indian tribe over something like a land lease! There were some non-Indians in the northeastern portion of Arizona that had cabins with 99 year leases on tribal land and when the were up, the tribe said "see ya!" Apparently some of the lamps fell on the ground on more than one cabin as the people moved out.... and the fire department was too far away...

[GarysZ24]

I heard the same rumor about Charlie (already owning) some land north of Casa Grande, where supposedly the new track would be built, but it wouldn't be open until 2015? As for RMR in SLC, I spoke with Ron Craft today and he's saying that this weekend next year will be when the race will be held...stay tuned....

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Geerhead55

Whats happening to Firebird??
Danny Durham

Rumor has it that the tribe is not renewing the land lease after 2013 so they can ad onto their casino or hotels. Those casino and hotels along a major interstate seem to be a license to print money.
There is also a rumor that Charlie Allen has purchased some lane in the SE Valley of the greater Phoenix area. Of course if it were to open in 2014 or so, I would think it would have met P&Z approval and the project should be shovel ready now.

Speedworld has been butting heads with the County over extended land use beyond their original agreement with the County and that has lead to grading & drainage issues of the MX track added to the troubles. I think this is one of those "you can't fight city hall" issues and the management of Speed World fought hard; probably too hard.

Finally getting my AMX back together and we're loosing two tracks in AZ.