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Oregon Searches For Number 10
This is the 25th anniversary of a big moment for a group of racers in Oregon. We lost the race track in Klamath Falls 25 years ago. What's amazing is how many racers still call Klamath Falls home. This stretches beyond one division. Frankly, there are enough racers there with race cars to support a race track in the Klamath Falls area. It's a sad state of affairs that they have no race track. These racers load up and head to Yreka and Medford when they want to race, and sometimes they tow further than that.
Clipping from 1993.
Klamath Falls had more than one race track in it's past. They raced in that area for decades. Then, the earthquake hit in September of 1993. The grandstands were damaged beyond repair. Money was offered to replace the grandstands, but the owners opted instead to leave. The race track itself still sits there. Just like that, racing ended. In a cruel twist of irony, a new track popped up within close range to the Klamath Falls racers.
Clippings from Worden Speedway.
It was built in Warden, Oregon. The owner at the time was promising big things to come. It opened to a limited schedule in 2001. Champions we're crowned in 2002 and 2003. The track didn't last much longer than that. Sadly, the race track still sits there with the grandstands, unused for over 15 years. The current owner, longtime Motorcycle and Sprint Car competitor Carl Tresser, has no intentions of reopening the place or allowing somebody else to do so.
You wouldn't think the state of Oregon had a rich history of racing. It sometimes feels like a racing waste land in Oregon. To those who have grown up in the state, you might be used to it. Coming from a state such as California, where there is an abundance of race tracks, it can be difficult. Currently, Oregon has nine race tracks offering oval track racing during the spring and summer months. This is the lowest point for the state in many years.
The Holy Grail of race tracks is Cottage Grove Speedway, formerly known as Riverside Speedway. At one of its darker times, in the early 1980s, the track was on the endangered list. Though the track has been around since the 1950s, at that time Medford Raceway and Willamette Speedway were probably the most popular tracks in the state. Klamath Falls was still going strong, as was another track that has long since been closed in Portland. Portland itself has a long history of racing, though oval track racing hasn't happened there in years.
A clipping from Eugene Speedway.
The man who helped put Cottage Grove Speedway back on the map was promoter Mike McCann, who currently runs Southern Oregon Speedway. McCann has promoted several other venues. Here's a brief sampling of the McCann history. When a group of Destruction Derby and Street Stock racers wanted to get things going in Banks, Oregon, it was Mike McCann who helped put Sunset Speedway on the map with some of the most successful seasons in that track's history. McCann also went to a little place called Madras Speedway and helped the racers put a race track together that has been running weekly shows ever since the mid-1980s. McCann also helped establish the Roseburg Indoor Kart show.
Here's a little bit of history people may have forgotten, and it's not that old. Back in the 1990's, McCann had a rather interesting proposal. Roseburg Speedway was still doing okay, and Mike inquired about putting dirt on the race track. Another hopeful promoter, Darrell Cooper, had the same idea and a slightly more appealing offer. The Douglas County Fair Board went with Cooper. Sadly, it lasted one year. Douglas County Speedway continues it's racing tradition as a pavement track promoted by the PRA. The history stretches back many decades to another track in Roseburg that also had a rather interesting history. You can still see the remnants of that track. Sadly, though they raced there for years, it's remembered for the car crashing into the grandstands and killing some spectators.
Medford Raceway had a lengthy history, and there were actually multiple tracks in the area through the years. Before that, there was a track in Ashland that ran for over a decade from the 1940s into the early 1960s. At the end, the Medford track was just struggling to stay alive for the last couple of seasons. Medford Raceway didn't quite make it to the scheduled end of the 1989 season.
Racing in Medford appeared to be dead. What is interesting is that the sometimes bad guy of promoting, Dennis Huth, looked at building a track near where Southern Oregon Speedway sits. The county rejected his plan, and the Medford area went without a race track for seven years.
From 1995 as Southern Oregon Speedway was being built.
The man who was on the fast track to building Southern Oregon Speedway, Darrell Cooper, saw greener pastures in Roseburg and went to put dirt on that track. The hero of Medford was John Skinner. The Skinner family had sponsored big races at the old track, and Southern Oregon Speedway in White City was open for business in 1996. Those first ten years were golden with huge car counts and big attendance. Racing continues to this day with McCann as promoter.
In addition to Southern Oregon Speedway, Cottage Grove Speedway, Douglas County Speedway, Willamette Speedway, Sunset Speedway and Madras Speedway, you have three other venues still running oval track racing during the spring and summer months. River City Speedway in St Helens, Hermiston Speedway and Coos Bay Speedway are still alive and well. Coos Bay Speedway was purchased by Chuck Prather over a decade ago, and Prather put dirt on the longtime pavement track. Currently, Drake Nelson is promoting and has secured the NASCAR sanctioning. They are the only NASCAR sanctioned dirt track on the West Coast.
Jerry Schram is the man in Oregon. At one time, he had one track in Washington in addition to Cottage Grove, Willamette and Sunset Speedways. He was very close to getting the deal at Southern Oregon Speedway before Chuck Prather came in at the 11th hour and secured a two year run at the place. Schram has put the tracks up for sale, but the price for these venues is well over the cost that any sensible investor would be willing to pony up. There are some concerns about the state of Cottage Grove Speedway and how long it will last. There are also concerns about Sunset Speedway and the encroaching properties that surround it.
So, the magic number in Oregon right now is 9. Who will be Number 10? Will there be a Number 10? Of course, the most likely Number 10, or at least the one that has the best potential to get started quicker, is Worden Speedway. You already have a built-in car count in neighboring Klamath Falls, and this is a loyal group of racers that has already demonstrated their ability to support other tracks. Because of the current state of the ownership, opening Worden is unlikely to happen at this time.
Who was the last Number 10? We can take a look at the tracks as they began to fall by the wayside in the 1990s. Klamath Falls was done by 1993. It was only 3 years later when another pavement track, Eugene Speedway, ended. This venue had been around for 40 years, and in fact, there was another oval track in Eugene during that time. When McCann and Prather teamed up, it was decided to put a dirt track in the center of the three-eighth mile paved oval. It was operational until it was bulldozed prior to McCann and Prather walking away. That was in 1996.
A newspaper article online about the closing out Elgin Speedway is HERE
A newspaper article online about the closing out Elgin Speedway is HERE
La Grande Speedway is probably the most obscure. The fact is, Eastern Oregon has had a somewhat interesting and lengthy racing history. Businesses were built on the site of La Grand Speedway, but a new track popped up at the Elgin Stampede Rodeo Grounds. It was Elgin Outlaw Speedway.
A couple of clipping from Clatsop Speedway
In Northwest Oregon, there was Clatsop Speedway, which was operational for 15 years before closing its gates in 1997. Portland Speedway was still hanging in there at the time, but early in the next decade, they ran their final season in 2001. At the time, there was still a Number 10, and a Number 11 was fighting to come into existence. Elgin Outlaw Speedway continued to run on perhaps the smallest configuration, a tight one-fifth mile, a little smaller than Sunset Speedway. Baker City had racing on and off for many years, and Pleasant Valley Speedway ran a few seasons in the early 2000s.
There were high hopes in Baker City of making something happen, and there was a grand design in the works for a Motorsports Complex. Sadly, it was closed by the time Elgin Outlaw Speedway came to an end. There was a man with a ranch not far from Elgin Speedway who won the rights to build an oval track on his property. However, nothing ever came of that. A small but dedicated group of racers had their own association, and things seemed okay between them and the rodeo people.
Unfortunately, when the rodeo people wanted to claim the property on which the race track sat, Elgin Outlaw Speedway ran its final season in 2007. Nothing has been built on the property since. This also ended the Eastern Oregon dirt racing effort, at least for now.
Unfortunately, when the rodeo people wanted to claim the property on which the race track sat, Elgin Outlaw Speedway ran its final season in 2007. Nothing has been built on the property since. This also ended the Eastern Oregon dirt racing effort, at least for now.
The closing of Portland Speedway made the cover of Racing Wheels.
This begs the question, when and where will the 10th race track of Oregon come into being? Will there be a tenth track? Because of the concern of the closure of Sunset Speedway one day, people might be wise to begin seeking out a new location in that area. There may be one right underneath their noses. A few Fairgrounds locations are very willing to entertain putting an oval track on the facility. Fairgrounds are not taking in a bunch of money these days, and race tracks have long been one of the best ways for them to bring in new revenue.
The last new outdoor oval track came in an unlikely location and for an obscure form of racing. In the mountain town of Oakridge, there was an old mill. The town is approaching 4,000 people. It's not a bad place, and they have a lake resort and a little concert venue there. Tourists do go there during the spring and summer months. After the second of two Lawn Mower racing tracks was closed, the fireworks organization lobbied to cut the Lawn Mower track in at the old mill in 2014. In 2015, they began racing.
Just how badly did they want this track? Put it this way, the rent was $10 a month, and the tourism group came up with $10,000 to help get the venue started. It's a tight one-eighth mile oval, a paperclip in width. Unfortunately, they made it two seasons before the track went belly-up. They had put in bleachers, and there was certainly space to expand the track to a nice one-fifth mile oval. Lawn Mower racing alone was not enough to keep Old Mill Speedway alive. Interestingly enough, there were persistent rumors at the end of 2016 that suggested a Hornet division would be added in 2017.
The state of Oregon racing is not something to brag about these days. Things haven't been going so well since the 1990s, and the 1980s were an even better decade. At the moment, you have the owner of three tracks entertaining the possibility of selling them all and walking away. Two of those tracks face threats to their very existence, though it has been established in recent years that the strongest racing program in Oregon happens at Cottage Grove Speedway with Willamette Speedway a close second.
Car counts can be a bit tough to build up. Half of the car base in Coos Bay is in the ocean, meaning they are happy to get what they get. Medford racing is not as strong as it once was, and certainly we are a good 10 years removed from the glory days of Southern Oregon Speedway. Roseburg and St Helens are both association run and have their good moments and bad moments. Sunset Speedway is a shadow of what it once was, while Madras also takes what they can get and keeps things alive. Hermiston Speedway seems to be on a year-to-year basis, though there is a desire to keep that racing tradition alive.
Given the state of Oregon racing, you might ask why entertain adding a tenth track now? Car count has certainly seen its better days. On the other hand, the bar is set low. Racing fans aren't as demanding for the huge fields as they once were, and somebody with the right plan and enough cars could step right in. But where would that location be? The two prime locations are in the north east and the south east. It's a bit surprising that the Elgin Outlaws were unable to find a place to continue given the fact that for over 20 years between that location and the La Grande location, they had kept racing alive. Surely someplace could have been found?
The obvious choice is the Klamath Falls area. There are over 20 race cars known and still active in the area, not counting cars that are probably still parked in yards with tarps thrown over them. It seems a bit unfair that these loyal racers don't have a venue closer to home on which to entertain the fans. It's not like Klamath Falls hasn't had a great tradition of racing through the years.
At one time, their top stars were known to come down to California and leave with the winner's trophy from time to time. A shrewd investor might seize on the opportunity to bring racing back to the area, knowing they've already got a good base of drivers from which to draw from.
At first glance, you might look at the state of Oregon racing and think there's not much there. But it only takes a little bit of digging to find otherwise. From the days when legendary Willamette promoter Clair Arnold was proudly boasting the best Stock Car program in a state that had strong offerings coming from Medford and Cottage Grove. To the NASCAR program taking place in Portland. To the amazing show happening at Sunset Speedway in the late 1990s and into the next decade. To the forgotten but still meaningful shows that took place at venues such as Claudio Speedway and old Roseburg Speedway
A clipping from the bad crash at the old Roseburg Speedway.
The Salem area has had a few outdoor racing efforts. Currently they are known for a rather successful Indoor Racing program during the winter months, but they had a paved race track at the fairgrounds that lasted for over 25 years from the 1940s into the 1970s. There was also another track called Hollywood Bowl that ran from 1946 to 1953. A little further south in Albany, they had a track there for nearly a decade from the mid-1960s into the 1970s.
A few other areas have had brief runs with racing. There was the old Siletz Valley Speedway that ran from 1975 to 1977. There was a track in Pilot Rock called Rocket Speedway that ran for a few years in the 1950s. Another track in Foley Lake ran for a few years in the 1950s. Unlike Rocket Speedway, it was a dirt track. There was also a track that ran in the 1950s call Norway Speedway. Legend has it that there was a steep fall off of one of the turns and a few of those old Hardtops crashed down there and still remain there to this day. When you look into the history, you realize that there is a proud tradition of Oregon racing.
It also serves as a reminder to those who still love racing. Support what you've got. You're really lucky to have the choices that are still there. If you can race or go spectate, you should do it while you have a chance. You never know if you might lose another choice. And if, by chance, a new option emerges one day, don't let the opportunity pass you by. It's been said that some of the best memories we have to look back upon were made at the race track.
Coos Bay, Oregon...September 29...Dave May scored the victory in the 25 lap Interstate Sprint Car Series season finale at Coos Bay Speedway Saturday night. May is a two-time Coos Bay Speedway champion, and he started his evening off by winning his heat race. He drew the pole position for the Main Event. However, he had to contend with pressure late in the race by Kinzer Cox, who finished a very close second. Shane Forte finished third, but Tyler Thompson wrapped up the series championship with a fourth place finish. Camden Robustelli rounded out the Top 5, followed by Cooper Desbiens, Brett McGhie, Tyrrell Mead, Scott Fox and Ian Bandy. There were four 10 lap heat races, and wins went to Kyler Barraza, RC Levin, Donovan Prather and May. Truman Winningham scored the win in the 12 lap B Main, followed by Hedge Carter, Bandy and Brett Hulsey.
Tom Williams won his first NASCAR Sportsman Late Model 20 lap Main Event of the season. Williams started in the third row and moved up to battle polesitter Wayne Butler and Doug Coffman for the victory. Butler settled for second, followed by Coffman, Eric Lindquist, Trophy Dash winner Braden Fugate and Toby McIntyre. Butler won the eight lap heat race.
Steve Dubisar won his eighth 20 lap Street Stock Main Event of the season. Dubisar swept the action with wins in the eight lap heat race and five lap Trophy Dash. In the Main Event, Dubisar won ahead of track champion Ken Fox and Daniel Land.
Sam Talon won the 20 Mini Outlaw Main Event. This was the 12th victory of the season for the track champion. He was followed by Tom Siewell and John Henry. Henry won both the five lap Trophy Dash and ten lap heat race. Carl Johnson was a Main Event scratch after running the Trophy Dash.
Late Model star Tom Elam won the 20 lap Hornets Main Event. Elam took the wheel of the #0 car normally driven by Jeremy Mayfield and outran Casey Scott in good battle for the victory. Chuck Peck finish third, followed by Hannah Robison, Leroy Rockwell, Dusty Shingleton, Dyllan Siewell, Kris Parker, Mayfield and Alyssa Johnson. Robison won the five lap Trophy Dash, and heat race wins were recorded by Siewell, Elam and Peyton Reigard.
The season on the oval track comes to a close next Saturday night with the annual Lucas Oil Open Show, presented by the Prather family. The Super Late Models will pay $2,000 to win thanks to increased sponsorship. Also on the card will be a $500 to win Street Stock show, Sportsman Late Models, Hornets and Mini Outlaws. For further information, go to www.coosbayspeedway.us.
Coos Bay, Oregon...The 2018 season at Coos Bay Speedway will come to a close with a special event planned for the oval track. It's the annual Lucas Oil Open Show, presented by the Prather family. The Super Late Models will take center stage with a $2,000 to win race. Also on the card will be the Street Stocks, Sportsman Late Models, Mini Outlaws and Hornets.
Coos Bay Speedway this Saturday night will be the final opportunity for Oregon's Late Model stars to do battle for supremacy. The $2,000 prize money would seem to be a nice enticement to get some top drivers to come to town. Last season, Rob Mayea won the big money ahead of Jim Whistler and Joey Tanner. Tanner scored a feature win earlier this year at the Tidal Wave 50 and is anticipated for the big show.
Last season, Brody Montgomery began running some Super Late Model shows while still making his successful run for the Sportsman Late Model Championship. He ran the Lucas Oil Open Show and finished a respectable fifth behind Trent Elliott. Tom Elam has been enjoying his time running Late Models at Coos Bay this year and figures to be another track regular to challenge for the win. Other local area competitors to keep an eye on include Thor Kristensen, Wayne Butler and Deven Brown.
The $500 prize being offered for the Street Stock winner should entice a few drivers to come in from out of town. In fact, there's rumors that sponsorship could push the winner's totals even higher by the time race day comes around. Last season, Kyle Yeack scored the win in a close battle with Kevin Roberts. Local competitors Daniel Land, Steve Dubisar and Ken Fox rounded out the Top 5 in that show, and all three drivers are anticipated for this race. Fox won nine Main Events this year to wrap up the championship, and Dubisar is a seven-time winner and perhaps the hottest driver going into this race.
Wayne Butler was the winner of the Sportsman Late Model portion of this program last season and this year's division point runner-up. His win last year came ahead of Willamette Speedway competitor Tom Yeack and this year's champion, Dyllan Siewell. Other drivers to keep an eye on in the quest for the winner's prize include Tom Williams, Charlie Withers and Braden Fugate.
The Mini Outlaw race champion last season was Ken Fox in a close battle with track champion Sam Talon. Talon likely enters this race as the driver to beat as he won the championship in rather dominant fashion. Other drivers to watch for this week include Thomas Siewell, Jason Kellam, Carl Johnson and Gene Gattenby.
When the Hornet division was offered an opportunity to run for the extra money last year, it was Braden Fugate scoring the win in the special race in a close battle with 2017 champion Ryan Siewell and Hannah Robison. Fugate has won several times this year, but he is also since moved up to the Sportsman Late Model division. The Hornet division has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent races, and other drivers to watch for in the race for the money include new champion Tyler Tullos, April Warmack, Dusty Shingleton, Chuck Peck, Peyton Reigard and Jeremy Mayfield.
The racing season is almost over at the Coos Bay oval, and this is the last chance to check out a show until next year. The money should draw some competitors from out of town as Coos Bay will be the only dirt oval operating in Oregon this weekend..For further information, go to www.coosbayspeedway.us.
May Wins Interstate Sprint Cat Finale
At Coos Bay Speedway
Coos Bay, Oregon...September 29...Dave May scored the victory in the 25 lap Interstate Sprint Car Series season finale at Coos Bay Speedway Saturday night. May is a two-time Coos Bay Speedway champion, and he started his evening off by winning his heat race. He drew the pole position for the Main Event. However, he had to contend with pressure late in the race by Kinzer Cox, who finished a very close second. Shane Forte finished third, but Tyler Thompson wrapped up the series championship with a fourth place finish. Camden Robustelli rounded out the Top 5, followed by Cooper Desbiens, Brett McGhie, Tyrrell Mead, Scott Fox and Ian Bandy. There were four 10 lap heat races, and wins went to Kyler Barraza, RC Levin, Donovan Prather and May. Truman Winningham scored the win in the 12 lap B Main, followed by Hedge Carter, Bandy and Brett Hulsey.
Tom Williams won his first NASCAR Sportsman Late Model 20 lap Main Event of the season. Williams started in the third row and moved up to battle polesitter Wayne Butler and Doug Coffman for the victory. Butler settled for second, followed by Coffman, Eric Lindquist, Trophy Dash winner Braden Fugate and Toby McIntyre. Butler won the eight lap heat race.
Steve Dubisar won his eighth 20 lap Street Stock Main Event of the season. Dubisar swept the action with wins in the eight lap heat race and five lap Trophy Dash. In the Main Event, Dubisar won ahead of track champion Ken Fox and Daniel Land.
Sam Talon won the 20 Mini Outlaw Main Event. This was the 12th victory of the season for the track champion. He was followed by Tom Siewell and John Henry. Henry won both the five lap Trophy Dash and ten lap heat race. Carl Johnson was a Main Event scratch after running the Trophy Dash.
Late Model star Tom Elam won the 20 lap Hornets Main Event. Elam took the wheel of the #0 car normally driven by Jeremy Mayfield and outran Casey Scott in good battle for the victory. Chuck Peck finish third, followed by Hannah Robison, Leroy Rockwell, Dusty Shingleton, Dyllan Siewell, Kris Parker, Mayfield and Alyssa Johnson. Robison won the five lap Trophy Dash, and heat race wins were recorded by Siewell, Elam and Peyton Reigard.
The season on the oval track comes to a close next Saturday night with the annual Lucas Oil Open Show, presented by the Prather family. The Super Late Models will pay $2,000 to win thanks to increased sponsorship. Also on the card will be a $500 to win Street Stock show, Sportsman Late Models, Hornets and Mini Outlaws. For further information, go to www.coosbayspeedway.us.
Lucas Oil Open Show Wraps Up Coos Bay Speedway Season
Coos Bay, Oregon...The 2018 season at Coos Bay Speedway will come to a close with a special event planned for the oval track. It's the annual Lucas Oil Open Show, presented by the Prather family. The Super Late Models will take center stage with a $2,000 to win race. Also on the card will be the Street Stocks, Sportsman Late Models, Mini Outlaws and Hornets.
Coos Bay Speedway this Saturday night will be the final opportunity for Oregon's Late Model stars to do battle for supremacy. The $2,000 prize money would seem to be a nice enticement to get some top drivers to come to town. Last season, Rob Mayea won the big money ahead of Jim Whistler and Joey Tanner. Tanner scored a feature win earlier this year at the Tidal Wave 50 and is anticipated for the big show.
Last season, Brody Montgomery began running some Super Late Model shows while still making his successful run for the Sportsman Late Model Championship. He ran the Lucas Oil Open Show and finished a respectable fifth behind Trent Elliott. Tom Elam has been enjoying his time running Late Models at Coos Bay this year and figures to be another track regular to challenge for the win. Other local area competitors to keep an eye on include Thor Kristensen, Wayne Butler and Deven Brown.
The $500 prize being offered for the Street Stock winner should entice a few drivers to come in from out of town. In fact, there's rumors that sponsorship could push the winner's totals even higher by the time race day comes around. Last season, Kyle Yeack scored the win in a close battle with Kevin Roberts. Local competitors Daniel Land, Steve Dubisar and Ken Fox rounded out the Top 5 in that show, and all three drivers are anticipated for this race. Fox won nine Main Events this year to wrap up the championship, and Dubisar is a seven-time winner and perhaps the hottest driver going into this race.
Wayne Butler was the winner of the Sportsman Late Model portion of this program last season and this year's division point runner-up. His win last year came ahead of Willamette Speedway competitor Tom Yeack and this year's champion, Dyllan Siewell. Other drivers to keep an eye on in the quest for the winner's prize include Tom Williams, Charlie Withers and Braden Fugate.
The Mini Outlaw race champion last season was Ken Fox in a close battle with track champion Sam Talon. Talon likely enters this race as the driver to beat as he won the championship in rather dominant fashion. Other drivers to watch for this week include Thomas Siewell, Jason Kellam, Carl Johnson and Gene Gattenby.
When the Hornet division was offered an opportunity to run for the extra money last year, it was Braden Fugate scoring the win in the special race in a close battle with 2017 champion Ryan Siewell and Hannah Robison. Fugate has won several times this year, but he is also since moved up to the Sportsman Late Model division. The Hornet division has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent races, and other drivers to watch for in the race for the money include new champion Tyler Tullos, April Warmack, Dusty Shingleton, Chuck Peck, Peyton Reigard and Jeremy Mayfield.
The racing season is almost over at the Coos Bay oval, and this is the last chance to check out a show until next year. The money should draw some competitors from out of town as Coos Bay will be the only dirt oval operating in Oregon this weekend..For further information, go to www.coosbayspeedway.us.
The Editor's Viewpoint
As a race fan, there's one thing that annoys the hell out of me. I hate seeing a race track get closed and the property just sit there being unused for years afterwards. I've witnessed this in multiple locations back in California. I walked the famed Vallejo Speedway 15 years after its closure, and yes, it still could have been used then in 1993. Ironically, that was the year that Klamath Falls had their last race. Two other California venues, Pearsonville Speedway and Rocky Hill Speedway in Porterville, could both be having races today, though there would be a lot of work to get them up and running.
But this article is about Oregon race tracks. I sometimes get very fascinated with some of the obscure tracks. In Eastern Oregon, Elgin Outlaw Speedway is one of those tracks. I've been trying to find anything on the actual racing program they had, but only a couple of articles have been revealed so far about the struggles to keep the place open. I didn't know the name Baker City when I spoke to my friend Lance Cline in a visit to Antioch Speedway back in 2006, but Lance was moving up there. This was the track he was actually talking about, a place that was struggling with a small car count.
The other thing that has fascinated me is Klamath Falls. It really does bother me that there's no track there and that they are further taunted by the fact that Worden Speedway sits there unused. It just doesn't seem right to me. In my research to uncover history at Southern Oregon Speedway, I found some articles from Worden in 2002. I've had a more difficult time finding stuff from Klamath Falls Speedway during its last couple of years. I probably need to dig deeper into the 1980s to find stuff.
The Klamath Falls location sits there unused. No grandstands or any of that, but you can clearly see the race track. What a waste. Worden needs some elbow grease, but the stands and the track are there. About two months ago, Mike McCann and I walked Eugene Speedway. Again, the only thing remaining there is the track itself, but you can see the moss growing on the race track. The more I walked and looked around, the more it disappointed me that they could have racing there to this day.
The story is a disappointing one. By the time McCann came to Eugene Speedway, he had success turning around the racing program at Cottage Grove. He also helped get Madras Speedway opened. He was teaming with Chuck Prather for this location, and they had big plans. In short order, Mike cut is a really nice clay oval track in the infield of the big pavement track, and he also had a Kart track out there on the property. At one time, he ran dirt racing on one night and pavement on the other. The numbers supported the dirt effort.
By all accounts, this was a successful endeavor. Interest seemed to be waning just a little bit at the facility that was approaching 40 years old upon Mike's arrival. The dirt track was just the shot in the arm the place needed. What happened there was a tragedy. A local idiot was not happy that he couldn't be heard when he protested one of the businesses being built near his home. Feeling impotent in his complaining to the city, he made the race track his focus with BS arguments about it being too loud and whatnot. Ultimately, he got his wish. Mike could see that it was going to become more of a pain in the rear end to run that track and jump through the county's hoops, so he bulldozed the dirt track. He and Chuck took what was theirs and left. Nobody ever attempted to open that track after that, and now it's a wetlands. Sorry, but Oregon has plenty of places for the birds to land, and the birds would still hang around at that location during the winter anyway.
Really, many of the things that came to my attention in California regarding Oregon racing were centered around what Mike was doing. We knew down in Antioch about Cottage Grove Speedway, called Riverside Speedway at the time. We also knew about what he was doing at Sunset Speedway. I knew about Portland because they were part of the NASCAR family, and Medford was our sister track in the 1980s. It's been an educational process for everything else, but I like knowing the history of the places I write about.
In doing my research on past champions and all of that at Southern Oregon Speedway, I once had a guy tell me that nobody gives a damn that Frank Word the III won eight Pro Stock championships in nine years. My first answer was, well I do. Secondly, Frank, I'm sure, inspired others to go racing based on what he was doing on that race track. Just like Jimmy Walker, Bruce Rayburn, Dane Smith, Harold Hardesty... You get the picture. History matters!
Seems to me that the more stories I hear about Claire Arnold at Willamette Speedway, the more I'm very much fascinated by this guy. I put him in the same crop of old-school promoters such as California Legends like Bob Barkhimer, John Soares, Bert Moreland, Doug Fort, John Padjen JC Agajanian and so on. He was a very interesting character, but you can't argue the success of his Stock Car program. This may very well have been the best Stock Car program on the West Coast, bar none. Though news of how great that show was didn't hit my area back in the 1980's, the numbers don't lie. Into the 1990s, it was golden.
NASCAR at one time had a presence in Oregon. You had the track in Coos Bay, when it was paved. They even had some Winston West races there. Portland and Medford were a part of it. At one point, I believe Eugene was also part of the NASCAR family, and perhaps Roseburg. I may not be right about that. Gradually, NASCAR shifted its priorities to what you see on TV, and suddenly the Saturday night race tracks didn't matter anymore. What's interesting is they still have a nice little short track racing package, and Coos Bay Speedway is a part of it. They joined NASCAR last year.
Chuck Prather is an interesting character. He did get the Orville The Daredevil Clown Award at WARPA in 2016 for his body of work as a promoter. Chuck did a lot to turn around the racing program in Marysville, California. I didn't know the extent of that until recently after a conversation with Mike McCann. Chuck and Mike were partners at Eugene during a successful four year run, and he was also the man who bought Coos Bay.
Though some people have their opinions, I respect the man. Somebody has to go out there and risk the money, and even if Coos Bay isn't a prime location to get huge car counts, the show goes on in part because he never gave up on it in the decade-plus that he promoted it. He's still there as Drake Nelson is in the process of buying the place.
Eastern Oregon seems to be a bit of a wasteland for racing. You have Hermiston, which has been chugging along for years now. I am a little bit baffled why a racing program of some sort on the dirt hasn't survived. There were tracks in La Grande and neighboring Elgin, and the run for both of them combined a little over 20 years. Baker City gave it a go too.
Now, the Elgin Outlaws were an association run deal. I don't think that the racing program that they had at the Elgin Stampede was all that big, maybe 20 or 30 cars. I haven't found the numbers, but it was an association run deal. As long as the bills got paid, things went on. They had a nice little track cut out there that didn't interfere with the rodeo. Problem was, the rodeo people wanted the property. In the paper, it presented an amicable parting of the ways, but I have to wonder about that. The other thing was, the rodeo people wanted that property. To my knowledge, it hasn't been used since, over a decade later. Why do people have to be that way?
I have been told by Mike, who has always got his eyes on different tracks and things you wouldn't think he was looking at, that the fairgrounds at various places are interested in racing. In fact, he told me of locations in Oregon that would put a track in tomorrow if somebody came in there to be the promoter. The venue's names escape me, but they are out there.
Of course, opening a racing program in 2018 is problematic. Where are you going to get your cars? Oregon has some tracks doing better than others. You can look at the numbers at Roseburg, Coos Bay, St. Helens and Madras and understand that they are damn lucky to have racing at all. Cars aren't overflowing in Oregon. People look at Cottage Grove and hold it as the standard, which it is. But, not everybody has what they have.
In Cottage Grove, you've had a pretty solid situation there since Mike McCann ran the place and won Promoter Of The Year honors back in the 1980s. Mike introduced Sprint Car racing as a regular part of the program. He walked away on a high note, and though the promoting duties have changed hands a couple of times, it's still a solid show. The only concern I would have about the whole place is an attempt to shut it down. Believe It or not, despite strong car count and fan support, there is a threat over that place. All it will take is the right elected official with a grudge against the track, and we could be saying goodbye to a great venue. Don't believe it will happen? Don't kid yourself.
They don't race in Klamath Falls. They have racers in Klamath Falls, and lots of them, but they don't race there. This bothers me. I don't understand how you can have the state willing to grant you money to repair your grandstands after the earthquake, and you walk away instead. The place was doomed to extinction, and that never should have happened. The racers there are a hardy bunch. We don't have a track in our hometown? Fine, I guess we're going to Yreka, Medford or wherever we can find the races.
I suppose somebody could build a dirt track on that property. But, we're talking major expenses. There aren't any building blocks there now. You have to move the earth, you have to put in the fencing and the walls, the lighting, the grandstands, the concession stands, the press box... You get the picture.
Do you have a million dollars to spend on a race track, knowing you're probably not going to have the biggest car count or the biggest attendance, at least to start? Maybe a racing enthusiast with money to spend does, but how many people with that kind of money are big racing enthusiasts? Still, a person trying to build a race track on that location has my support. I would certainly offer what ever support I could give them within my ability.
The last part is just me thinking out loud, but this is my point of view. I am being sincere. We need to find a way to get Worden Speedway up and running again. When the guy came in and built the place, he talked of big plans for things that were going to be there. I think it was Uncle Rich who went out there when the place was being built, and the guy spoke of World of Outlaw races and "pie in the sky" dreams. Really not realistic when Oregon already had venues in Cottage Grove, Willamette and Medford that have hosted races. Get your feet wet first. Establish something.
I know they ran a regular Pro Stock show in 2002 and 2003. My records show Bobby Flowers holding off Scott Flowers for the 2002 championship. Jeff Skalinsky was the top Mini Stock racer. They also had Enduros that season, and I understand during the two-year run they did have visits from the Dwarf Cars and Modifieds. I don't believe they ran in 2004, though somebody could correct me on that.
Carl Tresser owns the place now. He's an interesting guy and was one of the leaders in the carbureted Sprint Car movement that was happening in Northern California and Southern Oregon back around 1993. In fact, I spoke with him multiple times on the phone and even helped him type up the Southern Oregon Sprint Car Association with a few articles. Carl is also a Motorcycle enthusiast, so he enjoys riding on the old track from time to time. I heard rumors that he would entertain selling the place. I've heard people say that he is not interested in letting somebody else run the track.
It's disappointing on several levels. For one, a race track sits dormant because of his stance against having any racing shows. There should be racing happening. Secondly, the place will continue to fall into decay while it sits there awaiting repairs. If one were to want to sell a race track, it stands to reason that if it was at least somewhat in racing shape, they could find a buyer. Signing a three or five year agreement with a group to run that track wouldn't hurt.
I don't say this to knock Carl, because I know he has things that he's going through in his life. He is a good man. What I would like to figure out is a way that something could happen at this venue again. If there's a way, I'd like to find it. I believe Worden Speedway could be the 10th track I speculate on in the above article. How can this happen? I think the real question becomes, what is it the racers want in the Klamath Falls area?
They have already formed a racing association to protect their interest when it comes to the Pro Stock division. They go through the process of electing board members and doing the things that need to happen to ensure that drivers are interested in racing with them each season. They are now in their seventh season and have demonstrated their ability to maintain a racing organization. What is it they want? Are they okay with traveling a couple hours down the road or whatever it is to go racing, rather than closer to home?
The other thing is, you don't just have Pro Stock drivers in Klamath Falls. There are several drivers in the IMCA Modified and the Mini Stock divisions with cars. There are probably a few Streets Stocks as well. You have the basis to begin a racing program right now. It would be my guess that you could have a dozen Pro Stock cars, a half a dozen Mini Stocks and at least four IMCA Modifieds ready for a race at Worden Speedway, and it could go from there.
The reason I look at the Pro Stock Association is because they are the ones who are organized. They are the ones who know they have so many cars anytime a race is booked for them. Plus, it was several of these drivers who were supporting Worden Speedway back in 2002 and 2003. A movement to secure a deal to open that race track begins with them, in my opinion. The trick is, what sort of proposal could be drafted that would interest Carl? That, I don't know, but I think something could be proposed.
What I do know is I am 100% in support of making something happen at Worden Speedway again. I am to the point where I would offer whatever skill set I have to help them out. Just my basic racing knowledge, my journalistic effort, my ability to help draft sponsorship proposals and all of that. I would love to see this happen. I think if there's a place a new racing program could get off the ground, it's Worden Speedway.
You can never really tell. I just know that Oregon has watched some tracks go away that were supported. No more Portland Speedway. No more Clatsop Speedway after its 15-year run. No racing in the La Grande area after probably 20-plus seasons. No racing in Eugene. No racing in Klamath Falls. When does it end, and when do we put another track back into existence? If not in Worden, where is the location?
I love engaging in speculative promoting. The hypothetical, what if we put a track here? I've spoken with Mike about the Old Mill race track in Oakridge that had Lawn Mower racing for two years. It's mentioned in the above column, but they had a really nice deal to get that thing going. The town was looking for something that could entertain tourists and visitors, and this should have been a hit. It's a nice little town.
Actually, the property is big enough for a one-fifth mile track to be cut there. You could still do Lawn Mowers, but you could add a Hornet division, Micro Sprints, Dwarf Cars and who knows what else. Would this town be receptive to something like this, or are they soured by what happened with the Lawn Mower racing?
Anyway, it's just frustrating sometimes. Coming from California, it just seems like there aren't enough people who are really into the sport and want to see it thrive in Oregon. And I heard all of this nonsense when I was in California about how Indiana and other places back east were so much better. But California isn't as shabby as some people are making it out to be. There are still many race tracks there that are doing okay. Oregon has room for a couple more tracks. Whether that will happen is anybody's guess.
This is just my 2 cents on this subject. You may see it differently. Above all, I continue to do what I can to support racing with my writing, and Coos Bay Speedway, Southern Oregon Speedway, Siskiyou Motor Speedway and The Outlaw Pro Stock Association will continue to be among the things featured on this blog. It's possible we may add another track this season. Until next time...
Silver Dollar Speedway Unofficial Race Results September 29, 2018
26th Fall Nationals Night #1
360 Sprints
A Main
Shane Golobic
Tanner Thorson
Dominic Scelzi
Sean Becker
Brad Furr
Mitchell Faccinto
Geoff Ensign
Kalib Henry
D.J. Netto
Michael Kofoid
Justin Sanders
Willie Croft
Scott Bogucki
Matt Peterson
Kyle Hirst
Ryan Robinson
Kyle Offill
Mason Moore
Lucas Ashe
Colby Johnson
D.J. Freitas
Tanner Carrick
Andy Forsberg
Michael Ing
B Main
Kyle Offill
Geoff Ensign
Lucas Ashe
Scott Bogucki
Cody Lamar
Heath Hall
Eric Humphries
Dustin Freitas
Seth Nunes
Brent Bjork
Koen Shaw
Chris Schmelzle
Stephen Ingraham
Shawn Conde
Chase Johnson
Kyler Shaw
Northwest Focus Midgets
A Main
Chance Crum
Ross Rankine
Tristin Thomas
Jonathan Jorgenson
Nick Evans
Matt Loving
Shane Smith
Alden Ostrom
Hannah Lindquist
Evan Margenson
Nik Larson
Zach Keefe
Chris Bullock
Greg Thornhill
Sawyer Lind
AJ Fugitt
Guy Tow Sr
Keoni Texeira
Adam Teves
Colton Heath
B Main
Nick Evans
Chris Bullock
Zach Keefe
Adam Teves
Jimmy May
Jesse Conway
Renee Angel
Breanna Brostrom
Ray Stebbins
Brian Hayes
Silver Dollar Speedway Unofficial Race Results September 29, 2018
26th Fall Nationals Night #2
360 Sprints
A Main
Kyle Hirst
Dominic Scelzi
Justyn Cox
Andy Forsberg
Tanner Thorson
Willie Croft
Michael Kofoid
Tony Gualda
Brad Furr
Ryan Robinson
Colby Johnson
Kyle Offill
Michael Ing
Shane Golobic
Sean Becker
D.J. Freitas
Geoff Ensign
Justin Sanders
D.J. Netto
Tanner Carrick
Matt Peterson
Cody Lamar
Lucas Ashe
Mitchell Faccinto
B Main
Dominic Scelzi
Michael Kofoid
Geoff Ensign
Matt Peterson
Mason Moore
Kalib Henry
Scott Bogucki
Casey McClain
Dustin Freitas
Shane Hopkins
Chris Schmelzle
Justin Henry
Kyler Shaw
Greg DeCaires V
Kevin Lovell
Tyler Brown
Stephen Ingraham
Ryan Souza
Northwest Focus Midgets
A Main
Jonathan Jorgenson
Chance Crum
Evan Margenson
Ross Rankine
Nick Evans
Nik Larson
Alden Ostrom
Colton Heath
Shane Smith
Tristin Thomas
Zach Keefe
Chris Bullock
Adam Teves
Keoni Texeira
Garrett Thomas
Hannah Lindquist
Matt Loving
Mallorie McGahan
Greg Thornhill
AJ Fugitt
B Main
Nick Evans
Garrett Thomas
Mallorie McGahan
Adam Teves
Jimmy May
Jesse Conway
Renee Angel
Sawyer Lind
Breanna Brostrom
Ray Stebbins
Brian Hayes
Guy Tow Sr
Katie Jackson
Lakeport Speedway Unofficial Race Results September 29, 2018
Bombers
Lauren Snider
Trevor Abella
Evan Smith
Bo Robertson
Andy Norton
Raymond Taylor Jr
Jimbo Kollenborn
Jubal Koss
Roy Ingalls Jr
Pro 4 Modifieds
Chris Straka
Andy Leuzinger
Ron Portlock
Mike Peterson
Marty Lewis
Wade Eldredge
BCRA Midgets
Jesse Love IV
Chad Nicols
Mark Maliepaard
Maria Cofer
Mikey Snider
Jammers
Dennis Anderson
Brandi Robertson
Christian Sanchez
Kylei Keown
Gene Odell Sr
Bandoleros
Charles French
Landon Snider
TJ Sorrels
Silver Dollar Speedway Unofficial Race Results September 29, 2018
26th Fall Nationals Night #1
360 Sprints
A Main
Shane Golobic
Tanner Thorson
Dominic Scelzi
Sean Becker
Brad Furr
Mitchell Faccinto
Geoff Ensign
Kalib Henry
D.J. Netto
Michael Kofoid
Justin Sanders
Willie Croft
Scott Bogucki
Matt Peterson
Kyle Hirst
Ryan Robinson
Kyle Offill
Mason Moore
Lucas Ashe
Colby Johnson
D.J. Freitas
Tanner Carrick
Andy Forsberg
Michael Ing
B Main
Kyle Offill
Geoff Ensign
Lucas Ashe
Scott Bogucki
Cody Lamar
Heath Hall
Eric Humphries
Dustin Freitas
Seth Nunes
Brent Bjork
Koen Shaw
Chris Schmelzle
Stephen Ingraham
Shawn Conde
Chase Johnson
Kyler Shaw
Northwest Focus Midgets
A Main
Chance Crum
Ross Rankine
Tristin Thomas
Jonathan Jorgenson
Nick Evans
Matt Loving
Shane Smith
Alden Ostrom
Hannah Lindquist
Evan Margenson
Nik Larson
Zach Keefe
Chris Bullock
Greg Thornhill
Sawyer Lind
AJ Fugitt
Guy Tow Sr
Keoni Texeira
Adam Teves
Colton Heath
B Main
Nick Evans
Chris Bullock
Zach Keefe
Adam Teves
Jimmy May
Jesse Conway
Renee Angel
Breanna Brostrom
Ray Stebbins
Brian Hayes
Silver Dollar Speedway Unofficial Race Results September 29, 2018
26th Fall Nationals Night #2
360 Sprints
A Main
Kyle Hirst
Dominic Scelzi
Justyn Cox
Andy Forsberg
Tanner Thorson
Willie Croft
Michael Kofoid
Tony Gualda
Brad Furr
Ryan Robinson
Colby Johnson
Kyle Offill
Michael Ing
Shane Golobic
Sean Becker
D.J. Freitas
Geoff Ensign
Justin Sanders
D.J. Netto
Tanner Carrick
Matt Peterson
Cody Lamar
Lucas Ashe
Mitchell Faccinto
B Main
Dominic Scelzi
Michael Kofoid
Geoff Ensign
Matt Peterson
Mason Moore
Kalib Henry
Scott Bogucki
Casey McClain
Dustin Freitas
Shane Hopkins
Chris Schmelzle
Justin Henry
Kyler Shaw
Greg DeCaires V
Kevin Lovell
Tyler Brown
Stephen Ingraham
Ryan Souza
Northwest Focus Midgets
A Main
Jonathan Jorgenson
Chance Crum
Evan Margenson
Ross Rankine
Nick Evans
Nik Larson
Alden Ostrom
Colton Heath
Shane Smith
Tristin Thomas
Zach Keefe
Chris Bullock
Adam Teves
Keoni Texeira
Garrett Thomas
Hannah Lindquist
Matt Loving
Mallorie McGahan
Greg Thornhill
AJ Fugitt
B Main
Nick Evans
Garrett Thomas
Mallorie McGahan
Adam Teves
Jimmy May
Jesse Conway
Renee Angel
Sawyer Lind
Breanna Brostrom
Ray Stebbins
Brian Hayes
Guy Tow Sr
Katie Jackson
Lakeport Speedway Unofficial Race Results September 29, 2018
Bombers
Lauren Snider
Trevor Abella
Evan Smith
Bo Robertson
Andy Norton
Raymond Taylor Jr
Jimbo Kollenborn
Jubal Koss
Roy Ingalls Jr
Pro 4 Modifieds
Chris Straka
Andy Leuzinger
Ron Portlock
Mike Peterson
Marty Lewis
Wade Eldredge
BCRA Midgets
Jesse Love IV
Chad Nicols
Mark Maliepaard
Maria Cofer
Mikey Snider
Jammers
Dennis Anderson
Brandi Robertson
Christian Sanchez
Kylei Keown
Gene Odell Sr
Bandoleros
Charles French
Landon Snider
TJ Sorrels
