Waltrip, Marlin Make Plea To Save Nashville Speedway

[dwc43]

They have been trying to close our race track for some time now and it's supposed to end fall 2010 with no racing on the schedule. At least there is someone still trying to save it. I'm going to try to contact both of these gentleman and offer my help and suggestions as well. I think the historic society could get it registered as a land mark and save it from the city. You can read the story here and at the link provided and you can find other links and search for other stories on this subject at that link as well.

http://www.wsmv.com/sports/21772040/detail.html


Waltrip, Marlin Make Plea To Save Nashville Speedway
Board Ends Relationship With State Fair
Reported By Dennis Ferrier

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The fair board on Tuesday officially pulled out of the state fair business, unanimously voting to not run the fair next summer.

Related: Watch This Story | RAW VIDEO: Waltrip Pleas For Speedway Preservation

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean recently announced he would allow the state fairgrounds to continue operating until December 2010, but without the state fair or a racetrack.

At the same meeting, NASCAR legends Sterling Marlin and Darrell Waltrip implored the board to do everything it can to save the racetrack.

"I have an incredible history with this facility. I started my career here in 1968. I've seen this place go through a lot of changes. One of the things I've learned in my years is that if you don't preserve the past, you don't have much of a future," said Waltrip. "There's no question about it. This could be the finest short-track racing facility in the country."

Waltrip encouraged the board to disregard the mayor’s wishes for redevelopment. Dean said he wants to sell the property for redevelopment.

"What? Condos you can't sell? Strip malls, you can't fill. This community should not allow our mayor to make an ultimatum to this board that he wants it shut down. That's wrong," said Waltrip.

But the board said it isn't bending to the mayor's will and is in total agreement with Dean.

"There's no real reason for us to 'defy' the administration because they agree with us in that we can't find a way to make this thing financially viable," said fair Board Chairman James Weaver.

The board left the option open for someone else to come in and produce the state fair next year. They also said they would entertain a shortened race season, but it would end abruptly on June 30.

It is still unclear if a state fair will be held in 2010 and, if so, at what location.

Previous Stories:

* November 26, 2009: Mayor: Fairgrounds Land Important For Economy
* November 18, 2009: Crafton Wants Brakes On Fairgrounds Closure
* November 17, 2009: Mayor Extends Fairgrounds Closing
* November 12, 2009: Christmas Village In Need Of New Location
* October 28, 2009: Fairgrounds Speedway Could Be Slowing To Halt

[White Aspen R/T]

Any updates?

[dwc43]

Yes, a few weeks ago they had a reading ( you have to have 3 that passes) that said they would move the state fair and tear down the track immediately. It passed. Then on the second reading we raised so much hell that it was dropped.

As it stands now, the state fair and other activities that go on there like the guns shows and flea markets and such will stay there for 2 more years and the track will not be torn down.

Mike Fermosa turned paperwork into the fair board the very next day requesting a lease to operate the track.

At the reading it did not say the track could or could not be operated. So, that means it's up the fair board to determine if they will lease it out and allow racing to continue this year and next year.

Fermosa has run the track in the past, so it wont be nothing new to the local drivers.

That's about all the info I have on it at this time. I'll see if I can find some media on it to post that might explain it better than I did and may have something to add to it.

But for now, whether we get to race or not, the track will stand for 2 more years.

[White Aspen R/T]

Yes, a few weeks ago they had a reading ( you have to have 3 that passes) that said they would move the state fair and tear down the track immediately. It passed. Then on the second reading we raised so much hell that it was dropped.

As it stands now, the state fair and other activities that go on there like the guns shows and flea markets and such will stay there for 2 more years and the track will not be torn down.

Mike Fermosa turned paperwork into the fair board the very next day requesting a lease to operate the track.

At the reading it did not say the track could or could not be operated. So, that means it's up the fair board to determine if they will lease it out and allow racing to continue this year and next year.

Fermosa has run the track in the past, so it wont be nothing new to the local drivers.

That's about all the info I have on it at this time. I'll see if I can find some media on it to post that might explain it better than I did and may have something to add to it.

But for now, whether we get to race or not, the track will stand for 2 more years.Nope you said it so well...lots of them closed down around here...main reason is the noise...people are building and selling homes close to the tracks and the people complain about the noise and crowds...I say they should not allow houses to be built within 10 miles iof any race track

[mousehousemoparman]

The problem you stated is a problem in a lot of areas. Contractors build homes near a lot of business' that were in rural areas that have run problem free for years. People buy the homes then complain about those same businesses because they don't make good neighbors. This has played out all over the country and impacted race tracks and slavage yard very hard, but has also impacted entertainment and tourist attractions as well. Old Town in Kissimmee, Fl. has had residential encroachment and has had to change the way that they do the weekend cruises and the music entertainment. Even Disney has had complaints about the fireworks and noise. People need to do homework on the neighborhood before moving into a home. If you don't like aspects of that neighborhood then don't move there. These businesses that have been in place for years still have a right to operate too.

[dwc43]

Well. it's not far from the State Capital. But it's been that way for over 100 years. IT started out as a dirt surfaced horse race track. Then it went dirt track racing at some point and then sometime in the 60's it was paved. Made the best short track racing around. It's kinda like the old Bristol track. Coming out of two there is a bump that has always been there. If you don't hit it right, you are going to scrape the back stretch wall when it forces you to the outside. lol.

Anyway, no real growth in that area for a long time. They claim they can't make money off of it. Bull hockey I say. How does Bill Goodman have a gun show almost every month if he aint making money. For about ten moths out of they year there is a flea market. If they aint making money how could they keep that up. They have run the race track for years. How I say if they aint making money. If the promoters are making money, then so is the fair board since they get to charge the promoters.

It's politics. Mayor Karl Dean just does not like it. He's already got them building this huge convention center that no one wants. It's well proven by big states like Texas and others that convention centers DO NOT MAKE MONEY. They loose it.

Dean wants to put a park in there and business offices and hotels.

One of you mentioned the noise. Well, we are only allowed so many races a year on Saturday night. All we wont on Friday and we tried that when the Motorplex ran it. It did not work due to people work schedules and things like that. We can't run in September at all cause of the State Fair being there for at least two weeks out of that month. We even went to the point to put race mufflers on the cars in all the classes.

We were allowed a certain Schoenfeld race muffler. We have to have two pipes into one with a 3in. exit behind the seat. That's the rules. I'm running G.N. Sportsman Division. WE run a pretty restricted package, but we run the 5/8 mile track. The next class is Super Trucks cause they have a king cab type window added to the body and the Modifieds.

Cause of the restricted package I went with two mufflers right at the header exit and run my 2 1/2 inch pipe back and into a 3 in exit behind the seat. It's not anywhere as loud as the old dirt track cars I used to run. They had 1 5/8 18 inch zoomie headers and that's it. They were pretty loud, but had a lot of torque off the corners.

So you see, we have bent over backwards trying to be nice to our neighbors. I say it's all politics and I'll leave it at that.

[White Aspen R/T]

Yep I forgot about politics....noise and political factors close down the tracks....the political thing is about lining their pockets with wads of cash...

[dwc43]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igglEngf0xI



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB_f7G51M84



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gePg1KYFC1Q



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOk7BFuDcA4

[dwc43]

Here's a little update. There will be at least 7 races this year. I think they said 3 day races and 4 night races. There is two promoters trying to get the lease from the fair board, but it nothing has been signed yet. I know one will be Formosa. He has run the track for many years in the past.