I Think IHRA Can Take Mansfield Off The Track Listing (1 Viewer)

[Triple Nickel II]

Mansfield Motorsports Park lost its 2009 Nascar Truck race today to Iowa Speedway when it was announced on Nascar.com that MMP had an "inability to meet the requirements necessary to remain a NASCAR-sanctioned facility."

NASCAR.COM - Iowa Speedway to host Truck Series race in 2009 - Dec 17, 2008

Shortly after the Nascar announcement "Breaking News" began to be posted on the local newspaper's website of the loss of the event. Later, the Mansfield News Journal updated their story with a new title of "Mansfield Motorsports Park closes".

The 3rd revision of the article included the following:


“As of right now, we will not be staying open. We have no events planned,” track owner Mike Dzurilla said. “I dealt with the unfortunate task of telling my remaining employees that, by Christmas, they would be unemployed.

“Unfortunately, this has been in the works for quite some time. I tried to pull a rabbit out of the hat, but my last option ran out (Tuesday) night.”

When asked if he would sell the track, Dzurilla was noncommittal.

“I’m not sure who would be in a position to buy it,” he said.


<b>Breaking news:</b> Mansfield Motorsports Park closes | mansfieldnewsjournal.com | Mansfield News Journal

Back in August, 2006 the IHRA and Dzurilla announced a multi-year agreement to host the World Finals at the "state of the art" track that would be built adjacent to the oval track. In the more than 27 months that have passed since the announcement only 8 days of dirt work were completed. The Ohio EPA stopped the project in January, 2007 and no further construction related to the drag strip was ever undertaken in spite of continuing promises to the contrary.

 

[FABMAN]

Wayne, I was just reading my latest Hot Rod Mag about Mopar Reunion at Quaker State Raceway in Salem, Ohio and was curious if this track is as nice as it looks in the pictures. Is this track close to Mansfield area and is it sanction by any organization. I figured you were from Salem area by your avatar.

 

[Triple Nickel II]

For 52 years, drag racers have been faced with the anomaly of having an Ohio drag strip in West Salem and another drag strip in Salem. Dragway 42 is the West Salem track while Quaker City is the Salem track. Both tracks are IHRA sanctioned.

Quaker City is a bit of a strange bird.

First, the track itself is quite unique with a HUGE uphill approach to the starting line. You will begin your burnout part way up the hill, without being able to see the starting line or the vehicles in front of you.

Once you get past that situation, you will find that Quaker City's track is level, until you reach about the 900' mark when you begin driving uphill again. Every car is effected differently, but visitors are at a disadvantage to the locals when it comes to brakelight racing when your car is already slowing.

The ownership and management of the track has been its own soap opera the past few years, going through a full facility auction 2 years ago, the closing of the track, the sale of the track, the fall-through of the sale, manager changes in mid-year, pro-rated purses with no guarantees, etc.

Mix that with the track deciding not to field a team for the IHRA Junior Nationals, then the track not fielding a team for the IHRA Bracket Team Finals and you can understand how some racers are confused by exactly what is going on at the facility.

The track hosted an IHRA Pro-Am event in 2008, but that event has moved to another track for 2009. Who knows which one of the issues listed above, or something else caused this move.

I know some people have complained about track prep in the past seasons, but that could be tied to the "we are closed", no "we are open" situation plus different people being involved with the decision making.

 

[FABMAN]

Sorry the tracks having problems,Like they say beauty is only skin deep. We are looking at similar issues in Kansas City, KCIR was purchased by a developer and has guaranteed the city it would closed in 5 years to build sports park for baseball, football, and soccer. So depending on NHRA and filling National events will determine if Heartland Park makes it. Wayne, thanks for the chat and keep us informed on whats happening in Ohio.

 

[jackass]

Everyone i know in NASCAR land said last year that Mansfield was gone... lowest crowd attendance on the Truck series.. even thought it completely sold out every event...... The nail in the coffin came when Rusty Wallace begun lobbying for the IOWA track he is part of to get some kind of date... easiest date to get is a truck race.. and the IOWA Speedway packs them in even for Indy cars.. and its in the middle of a corn field...


What ever happened to the Pittsburg track that was up grading for the IHRA to come to town?....

And how far is the Texas track close to being done now?.. last pics showed it needed a bunch more work....it is closer than the Mansfield strip ever was..but still....????

Billy

 

[Triple Nickel II]

What ever happened to the Pittsburg track that was up grading for the IHRA to come to town?....

Good question. The original reason given for the early running of the 2008 IHRA Div 3 Bracket Team Finals was to give the track some time before winter hit to level off the hill behind the existing starting line so the entire race surface could extended by moving back the starting line. I'm surprised there hasn't been any photos of that work, if it is still being done.

And how far is the Texas track close to being done now?.. last pics showed it needed a bunch more work....it is closer than the Mansfield strip ever was..but still....????

I'm unsure how old this photo is, but at least racers will be competing on concrete that has had time to cure.

 

[jackass]

Wayne.. bout a month ago some more upto date photos were shown on the IHRA web site... alot more work was done that that photo shows.. but still lot of the walls and shutdown was no where near complete..

see here.... NitroJam.com

lot of rumros that they are having issues for the completion.. hope fully they cna get things wrapped up before the season starts... maybe some testing for cars to make sure there are no issues on the new concrete.... IHRA events in the past in Texas have had some issues.. its time for one to go off right for the compeditors at least.....lol



Billy

 

[Super Mod]

What ever happened to the Pittsburg track that was up grading for the IHRA to come to town?...

Billy

If you check the IHRA 2009 schedule, the Sportsman Nationals in August at Pittsburgh Raceway Park is shown as an eighth mile event. This may be that track's future.

 

[jackass]

If you check the IHRA 2009 schedule, the Sportsman Nationals in August at Pittsburgh Raceway Park is shown as an eighth mile event. This may be that track's future.

Hate to hear that... last bit of news was the work to make it into a 1/4th mile strip.. must have just been rumors... that sucks...

 

[Super Mod]

Hate to hear that... last bit of news was the work to make it into a 1/4th mile strip.. must have just been rumors... that sucks...

It is a 1/4 now. Not enough shutoff to handle the really fast cars by today's safety standards.