End of the line for Sacramento Raceway (1 Viewer)

[TSK]

Sorry Guy's but Sacramento was never my favorite place to race. Every time I raced there they had a major crash or the fields would catch fire. there were funny times there also, Mike Kuhl blowing up all the out house's with M-80s, also the time I chased my good buddy John Shoemaker around the pit area with mike Kuhl's 12 gage shot gun when John burned me down on the starting line. But I am sorry to see any track close.
RIP-John Shoemaker
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer (RET.)

Am I the only wondering about Larry’s post here?
He said he chased John Shoemaker with a shotgun. Then, a bit later he says “RIP -John Shoemaker.”
I mean, I’ve heard of drivers being killers on the tree but, dang.

 

[LAZYC]

Am I the only wondering about Larry’s post here?
He said he chased John Shoemaker with a shotgun. Then, a bit later he says “RIP -John Shoemaker.”
I mean, I’ve heard of drivers being killers on the tree but, dang.

John Shoemaker was killed in his nostalgia Top Fuel car a few years ago at Bakersfield, at the CHRR? hence the RIP..

 

[sutton]

The night I chased John at Sacramento with a shot gun was because of a staging issue. no the gun was empty but it got John's attention. then the owner of the car told John YOU really screwed up. an told John we have to race next at Irwindale and Larry is the starter. well they went to Irwindale the next week and set low ET on the first run, Cloy Fitzgerald came to me an asked if Johns car was to low, I said no comment. Cloy brought the car to the line to check. John was pissed at me thinking I said something, I told John I said nothing, but the car will brake the beam at the plate behind the roll bar. they rolled the car through the lights and it broke the beams at the plate behind the roll bar, the car was to low. months later John came to me an apologized. from that day forward we were best of friend's. I even later helped him at times on his car.
"NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY"
Larry Sutton---Lions, Irwindale, OCIR, ETC.=Starter

 

[sutton]

John Shoemaker was killed in his nostalgia Top Fuel car a few years ago at Bakersfield, at the CHRR? hence the RIP..

John on his final run in a race car he had a massive heart attack on the run. I saw the pictures of him in the finish line lights and his head was over to the left. the autopsy stated so.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter

 

[Cliff]

When John ran the alky dragster, I talked to him once at Firebird. Told him I remembered the Stammerjohn & Shoemaker AA/FD (front engine) from early 1970's "before back motor cars". He was suprised I remembered. His front motor car back then was around 220" wheelbase, kinda long for the time. When he ran the alky car, he would always hold a small American flag on the back up. RIP John.

 

[the guy]

The killer of race tracks all over the country is conservative capitalism. Try and name one track liberals did away with. If you can, I will name you a dozen killed by capitalists. Running a race track that doesn't have much ROI on expensive real estate is a pretty liberal idea.

Sounds like you need to hang out with Frank Bradley my friend...hes the only other socialist I know of in drag racing..pm me for his info...you guys probably already know each other from the most recent Newsome gathering...last time I checked, capitialism has brought more people out of poverty in the past 100 years than any other time in recorded history...either way, sad day for Nor Cal drag racing and kudos to Dave Smith and his family for keeping Sacramento Raceway alive as long as they have...lots of great memories there, even a few motocross trophies still sitting on my shelf

 

[DG]

I don't ever want this site to turn into a political "Pissing Contest", but Capitalism, per say, is not the "problem".

Unfettered Corporate Greed and the massive lobbing and "buying'" of Congressmen [both sides of the aisles!] for their agendas IS the "PROBLEM"

"Profits Over People" has replaced the "One Person , One Vote" original intent in politics for supporting the American voters wishes.

Just how much profit is enough?

 

[Mike]

Dave, the market decides how much profit is enough. We wont even bother with our 2 parties as its not worth our time

 

[Jim]

Dave, the market decides how much profit is enough. We wont even bother with our 2 parties as its not worth our time

Yes. And the market has decided that the land many dragstrips sit on is worth more than the drag strip business.

 

[Luke Nieuwhof]

To state the obvious, many areas where drag strips are located have reached a tipping point where the value of the land (once placed into an investment) exceeds what they can make running events, without the risk.
I do think Mark has a point. Whenever we lose a drag strip from a blue state it seems people can't wait to bring up politics, but encroachment of development is by far the biggest race track killer - and that seems to be a trend no matter what color your state or county is.

 

[Cliff]

Wild Horse is like that. Better use for the track, like a casino which brings in $$$$ for the tribe. Hope they clean the lake & keep it. Still have a faint hope the track stays for another few years, altho am amazed it lasted as long as it did.

 

[Mike]

Luke, the state has nothing to do with it(well, kinda it does). Dave Smith has owned SAC for a long time and we like to the financial rewards for his efforts

 

[Jim]

Luke, the state has nothing to do with it(well, kinda it does). Dave Smith has owned SAC for a long time and we like to the financial rewards for his efforts

It surprises me at times that so many racers and fans think a drag strip owner should do what they want and not what's best for the owner and their family.

 

[Luke Nieuwhof]

Luke, the state has nothing to do with it(well, kinda it does). Dave Smith has owned SAC for a long time and we like to the financial rewards for his efforts

That was exactly my point.

 

[Randy]

Heard that Sac County will not issue use permit when original owner sells. Rumor I heard is Copart woll operate a yard there

i too am disappointed. Sac is 2 hrs from home, Redding 3 1/2. Redding is becoming a nice facility thou

The Sacramento Board of Supervisors has two Democrats, two Republicans, and one who declines to state any political party affiliation. Seems as though it's not about one party or the other.

If it is true that the county will not issue a permit to continue as a race facility when sold then Dave has no other alternative than to take his property and convert it to something that will provide for his family.

He fought the fight, from an article a couple years ago:

Sacramento Raceway Park fighting to stay open​

by: Melanie Townsend
Posted: Mar 1, 2021 / 05:36 PM PST
Updated: Mar 1, 2021 / 05:36 PM PST

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — Even with an outdoor racetrack, a new 9 p.m. curfew and compliance with California’s COVID-19 guidelines, the Smith family, who has owned and operated Sacramento Raceway Park for more than five decades, is fighting the county to keep it open.

“They’ve done everything they can possibly try to do to shut us down,” said Allie Crump, representative and granddaughter of the owner of SRP.

Crump explained Sacramento County’s ongoing feud with their attraction off Excelsior Road is nothing new — it actually goes back to the 1970s when Dave Smith was denied a NASCAR track.
“Ever since then, they haven’t really been on board with having a raceway in Sacramento,” Crump said. “Obviously, the May Third housing development over there is a big part; we get a lot of noise complaints, so we’ve drastically cut down the amount of noise we allow, the time we can run.”

Crump added that recently, the county has reprimanded them for hazmat issues, zoning issues and insurance.

In 2019, Smith told the Elk Grove Citizen mounting pressure from the county forced him to put the nearly 200-acre property up for sale.

It is currently listed for $11 million in preparation for a future 1,300-acre housing development and commercial space called Jackson Township, which will include more than 6,000 housing units, along with offices, schools, parks and a new fire station.

“It’s going to be a shame when we do go away for the community because the closest raceways are up in Redding, Sonoma or Bakersfield,” Crump explained.

Despite knowing things look bleak for SRP’s future, Crump hopes the county can see the value this family establishment brings to fans and drag racers.

“It keeps a lot of people off of street racing,” she said. “This creates a safe space where everything is controlled; we got proper safety and medical resources on staff.”

More than 9,500 people agree and support SRP’s efforts through an ongoing online petition sent to county leaders to save the longstanding business.

“It renews our fight so we can keep going and keep it open for them,” Crump told FOX40.

Crump added they hope to register SRP as a historical site.

FOX40 reached out to the county’s Board of Supervisors for comment on the petition and potential closure of SRP but did not hear back.

Sacramento Raceway Park fighting to stay open

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — Even with an outdoor racetrack, a new 9 p.m. curfew and compliance with California’s COVID-19 guidelines, the Smith family, who has owned and operated Sacramento R…

fox40.com

 

[sammi]

How many of you supporters of closing dragstrips for homes, warehouses and Amazon parking lots now get to figure out what to do with a race car that loses its resale value or has to now make a 4 hour hard drive to a worn out quarter mile track. 1/8 mile with a tricky shutdown is all we got now. Thankfully the folks that run the place are very hardworking and friendly.

 

[Mike]

Mark, I'm curious, what 1/4 mile track are you reffering to?

Luke, states that dont have very friendly business policies make it very tough to operate

 

[TSK]

Just how much profit is enough?

That’s not for me, or anybody else, to decide.
The only people who can make that decision are those running the business.
It’s nobody else’s business how much profit is made, as long as it’s done legally.
Lane change, is it just me, or have these stories about drag strips closing been occurring more frequently the past five or so years?
There’s only so much land available; it’s a limited commodity.
Because of that, land prices will continue to do nothing but increase. And I figure more stories of tracks closing will continue.

 

[5150 mechanic]

Thanos was right, but seriously maybe cut our trade deal with China and start using some of our own oil? I guess going back to grassroots isn't a bad thing. How many would rather go down to your local speed shop or down to Super Shops. Or call up summit or even send in your order form for parts. It's our own damn fault.

 

[Nitro Bass!]

You know, many of these older tracks were built back in the glory days, most likely 50-60 years ago. Those tracks, were built out in the middle of nowhere, like the original Tucson Dragway and Beeline Dragway in Phoenix. Those tracks were miles away from homes and businesses and did not present a problem for neighbors, nor was the land worth that much far away from town. Poof, many years later, those towns became cities and grew to where the dragstrip is. Now you have pissed off neighbors because of the noise, and the land value has skyrocketed because it's not miles away from the city any longer, the city is right there. Sadly, there is not much you can do about that, as progress and growth can't be stopped. You also can understand if a racetrack owner who has put their heart and soul, as well as their money into their racetrack all of a sudden get's a life changing offer, how can they refuse? It sucks, but understandable from a purely business perspective. Maybe the key is to build racetracks way farther out of town that it becomes many years before the city swallows the tracks up, or find another way to monatize the land that the track is on so it generates other revenue to help keep it open so the owner doesn't have to sell. Just thinking outloud, but the farther away the track is from civilization, the longer period of time we have the track I'm guessing......