Register now to get rid of these ads!

Calif. oldest track Orange Show Speedway has closed

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by toml24, Dec 21, 2011.

  1. toml24
    Joined: Sep 23, 2009
    Posts: 1,620

    toml24
    Member

    Orange Show Speedway, California's oldest continually running track since May 1, 1947 has closed. The National Orange Show management has advised the current Speedway promoters there will be no racing in 2012. This is so sad. The track looks as it did 64 years ago, a relic from the past. The stadium was built for football and track & field meets and they begun racing cars on the running track in 1947. The track was paved over in 1964. Everything has raced there: midgets, sprints, jalopies, supermodifieds, stocks, trucks, dwarfs, and more. The photos are from October 22, 2011, the last night of racing at Orange Show.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Kentuckian
    Joined: Nov 26, 2008
    Posts: 863

    Kentuckian
    Member

    Why is the track closing? Neighbors? Management? Lack of spectators?
     
  3. Sad to see it go,
    Raced Hobby and modified there in the 70's
    Great short track.
     
  4. toml24
    Joined: Sep 23, 2009
    Posts: 1,620

    toml24
    Member

    To be honest I have no idea why Orange Show is closed. I have seen the cryptic message sent to the promoter, and it does not state a reason. I want to keep this thread open so I'm trying to let everyone know without throwing someone under a bus.

     

  5. Sad to see another one go. Im not far from there. I read the press release but unfortunately its very vague.
     
  6. Never been there, but it looks like a really nice facility! It's a shame another passes on, more than likely in the name of "progress"...
     
  7. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    The folks that aren't conservative are convinced there is no interest in Motorsports in California. (none that they deem 'necessary', anyway)

    Simply stated, another 'progressive' move.
     
  8. hotrod40coupe
    Joined: Apr 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,561

    hotrod40coupe
    Member

    Probably the same old story, people build houses close to racetracks and then complain about the noise. It has always amazed me that in the land that is the birth of Hot Rods, the racetracks are disappearing. Might be time to rethink being politically correct.
     
  9. That sucks. You could hear the cars, when they were running at the Orange Show, from my house. It's only 1.1 mile, down the street from me. Bummer
     
  10. That really sucks!
     
  11. Its possible. But most of the property around there is all business with a shopping mall directly across the street. Most of the residential property is roughly within a mile away.
     
  12. Same thing goes for my family's business. We are dairy farmer, people build around us knowing there is a dairy nearby, then later bitch about the sounds, smells and flies. Over the past 50 years they've moved from cypress to chino, then chino to San Jacinto now from Cali to Texas.

    I really hope it's not b/c of complaints alone, that'd be a shame.
     
  13. toml24
    Joined: Sep 23, 2009
    Posts: 1,620

    toml24
    Member

    The final on-track autograph session in the twi-light at Orange Show Speedway. October 22, 2011
     

    Attached Files:

  14. that sucks, what will become of the property?
     
  15. ford6man27
    Joined: Aug 7, 2005
    Posts: 67

    ford6man27
    Member

    Tom,
    I sure hate to hear that it is closing. I have not been to the old track since 1965 but its closing is like losing an old friend. I have lots of memories from back in the jalopy days at Orange Show. By the way, how ya doing?

    Andy
     
  16. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    Geez, just a few posts into this sad news and someone wants to lay blame.
    You're probably dead wrong.
    Someone is probably going to develop the land and make a bundle of money.
    People do have property rights, you know.
    Big developers are hardly "leftys". Quite the OPPOSITE.
    Why don't you let the story unfold before pointing fingers.
    No matter what...the track is closing.
    That's really all that we need to know.
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2011
  17. Its easy to point fingers and lay blame when know one will let enthusiasts know whats going on. Im sure people dont like to be left in the dark.
     
  18. PunkAssGearhead88
    Joined: Jul 9, 2006
    Posts: 1,788

    PunkAssGearhead88
    Member
    from So Cal

    Another peice of San Bernardino's real American history going extinct... To anyone thinking it's due to them wanting to make new development, I think it's safe to say that can't be the case since there are many vacant,cheap, bankrupt homes that they can't even sell in the area.
     
  19. trimph1
    Joined: Dec 5, 2011
    Posts: 247

    trimph1
    Member

    Question...what other tracks are around there?
     
  20. That's not the track that was in umpteen TV series in the 80s, is it?
     
  21. nwbhotrod
    Joined: Oct 13, 2009
    Posts: 1,243

    nwbhotrod
    Member
    from wash state

    Wow i grew up going to that track and haning out on E street in the 1960s
     
  22. metalman
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 3,297

    metalman
    Member

    Thank you, you got that right. Funny how people get about someone else's property when it's not their money on the line.
    Race tracks, drive-in movies, lots of places that we all loved unfortunatly have come to the point the land is worth more then the venue, particularly as towns and citys overtook them. Why should the property owners lose finacally to save them for us. Would any of you if it was your investment?
    It took 5 years + a law suit to turn our family farm into a housing development, neiboring exsisting developments kept blocking it to preserve "their" open space even thou farming was no longer a viable operation. Funny, not one of them was willing to buy it. Sore subject to me.
    I admit I still hate seeing old racetracks like this go away, we've lost a couple around here. I do understand why thou.
     
  23. firingorder1
    Joined: Dec 15, 2006
    Posts: 2,147

    firingorder1
    Member

    You have to understand that San Bernardino really does need another shopping mall.
     
  24. carsluTT
    Joined: Mar 7, 2008
    Posts: 57

    carsluTT
    Member

    sucks to read about any track closing let alone one not far from my home. im remotely new to the area so i never got the chance to see a race there but sucks not to have the opportunity.

    as for needing any more strip malls........ this state would implode without them unfortunately.... :rolleyes:
     
  25. Special Ed
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 7,967

    Special Ed
    Member

    The reasons for closing could be any number of things, or combination of factors. With the place being so old, perhaps it was unable to be underwritten by an insurance carrier any longer, or perhaps maintenence issues prohibited it from continuing operation. We will probably never know the real reason. It seems pretty silly to speculate on it's demise...
     
  26. 29AVEE8
    Joined: Jun 28, 2008
    Posts: 1,384

    29AVEE8
    Member

    Have been to many races at Orange Show over the years dating back to the Sixties. I think you will find the reason for the place closing by looking at the crowds (rather the lack of) in the photos that Tom has posted.

    Back in the sixties both the North and South stands would be nearly full. Last time I went a couple of years ago nobody in the South stand and maybe 1/4 full in the North stand. If people don't come you can't pay to turn the lights on, insurance, purse.....

    Speculation about development seems moot as it is on the National Orange Show Grounds which is either City, County, or State owned/controlled.
     
  27. Exactly.. I couldn't have said it better. Still a shame
     
  28. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    The comedian Gallager had a funny idea about how to solve that problem, sell the land cheap only to the deaf and hearing impaired! Gary
     
  29. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,179

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    until somebody talks to owners we can only guess what happened. years ago Baylands Drag Strip in Fremont, CA was closed down because of land development planned for the area. the actual area where track was is still there and never developed. The Pomona, CA Drag Strip is very close to houses and a neighboring small airport. but, still hold NHRA Drags and more there.
     
  30. snaptwo
    Joined: Apr 25, 2011
    Posts: 696

    snaptwo
    Member

    Another one bites the dust,too bad ! Some of my wifes family raced there back in the 60s,used to make Craig Road Speedway and Mesa Marin too.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.