History Oklahoma City Fairgrounds Raceway to close

I saw on the news earlier this week that the city is planning on closing down the Fairgrounds Raceway. I barely caught the news blurb but they said something about it costing $400K too upgrade the facility to meet safety and ADA requirements. I remember going as a kid, listening to the open exhaust and seeing the cars come out of the turn leading up to the grandstands. I hate to see it go.

Having experienced how OKC treats everyone who comes to the NSRA mini-nats at the fairgrounds, reinforces my thoughts that if you don't ride a horse the Fairgrounds managment and OKC Police don't want you there.

Hopefully they change their minds

 

That truly sucks. My dad and granddad both won IMCA Stock Car races on that track back in the day.

 

That is sad news, OKC has not been too friendly toward motorsports for a long time. Tulsa was more open to all the types of racing. I do hope the I40 developement and the updates to the river do not affect the drag boat races.

 

Now there's a surpirse.

 

I was hoping someone would come on and tell me I misunderstood the newscaster. I remember talking to an acquaintance who used to race at Taft Stadium before the Fairgrounds race way opened.

Jimmie also drag raced at the track that used to be located on the south end of the Fairgrounds, I think he said it used to be by the raised area where the rail tracks ran. I haven't been out to the Fairgrounds but once in the last 2-3 years and could be foggy about the location.

 

Sad news. I remember going there in the late 80's. Good times.

 

I found the link on KFORs website. http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-statefair-speedway-closes-forever-story,0,353490.story

 

You have the dipshit "yes" voters and the goddamn horse people to thank for the racetrack closing. I intend on "thanking" them everytime I see one. I spent many a night at the track when I was just a tiny a-hole. The dragstrip was out there until a few years ago. now it a parking lot, I think. Oh well, I can't wait to move out this horrible county.

 

I think the NSRA people need to host the Nationals elsewhere. We can spend our money anywhere we want. If the city fathers don't want us,let's go somewhere else.Just my gripe.FALFA

 

I think if all the bastards who run the city would stop stuffing our tax money in their pockets for a couple days 400 thou would be pretty easy to come up with! They sure as hell aint spending it on the roads!!

 

The speedway will most likely be bulldozed to make way for another horse trailer parking lot, just like the 89er stadium.

I personally think we should get the EPA, water and air quality people involved due to the amount of horse ____ dumped at the fairgrounds each year. That would give them something to stay busy with instead of closing the race track....

 

We just passed a 700+ million bond that includes a ton of money for the fair committee but it is all going elsewhere. More enclosed horse barns most likely.

 

I have pushed for years to get NSRA to move the meet to Tulsa. NSRA must get quite a kickback to have the show there every f*cking year. Tulsa has spent millions on the fairgrounds and it is beautiful and have PAVED roads. I know some HAMBERS don't care about NSRA but there are lots of guys who do. I did not attend NSRA last year in OKC and won't this year. Last time I was there I had to drive in on a mud road. Cops hate us. Can't get to your hotel with out driving 8-10 miles out of your way. Not fun. I won't attend ever.
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Like I told the kid,"Your music's not too loud, its just like OKC, it sucks big time.

 

I wish NSRA would move. I don't care where. I am not anti-OKC, but I think other places would accept the mini nats with open arms. They don't have any of these issues in Springfield, which has as many if not more cars and no hassles.

Tulsa would be fine with me but I don't see it as the Utopian society that some do....I lived there, I know better.

 

hell,i'm 30 minutes away frrom okc and i vote tulsa!!!

 

Many many moons ago the conditions down on south Meridian Avenue were pretty wild during the NSRA show. Then the OKC police got involved and now even though most of us NSRA guys are way beyond hell-raising and are tucked into our little motel beds by 9 PM the police still put on a presence on Meridian that would make you think they had Bin Laden cornered.
I believe that the Tulsa fairgrounds are VERY horse friendly so I don't know how they would react to NSRA coming to town.
I don't mean to sound callous but there are ways around ADA requirements, for one if the track was given historic landmark status a lot of exemptions come into play. Don't laugh about a racetrack being historic you wouldn't believe some of the things that are on the historic registry. Might be worth a try.

 

One of the things that hurts existing structures/places is that most municipal codes make you come into compliance with everything if you do any kind of upgrade and the track does need some safety improvements.

 

Oklahoma City's attitude is "If we can't tax you, charge a fee or admission, you are not welcome here!" That was the beauty of the cruise on Meridian - you could go out there and set your lawn chair down and watch the cruising! For FREE! What a friggin' concept! Jump in and drive, if you choose! Plenty of food vendors and restaurants, too! Nowadays, the City crooks in charge of shit (the Fairgrounds Board, the City Council, and the Mayor) are going out of their way to collect as much as they can from anyone that wishes to come visit OKC for whatever, not just car events. People not paying to have fun is not what the City fathers want. That's why two dragstrips have closed of relocated over the years. The National Finals Rodeo moved to Las Vegas, in part, due to the greed of the OKC officials and the Fair Board, since those entities figured the NFR would "never, ever move" from OKC. The City fathers sat there, slack-jawed, when the NFR left! It was a wonderful thing to behold.

And now, they've come right out and admitted what they've been looking to do for over 25 years - close the Fairgrounds Speedway. They are using the excuse of "digging up electrical lines" plus alleged non-compliance with AWDA areas as grounds to forever bulldoze a part of Central Oklahoma history.

Granted, I have not been out there as much as I used to, but the fact they are taking away what is the only reasonably-priced family activity in the City is utter bullshit!

Believe me, I might just run for City Council when my Ward seat comes up! Bunch of fuckin' crooks that run things in this City, and it's about thime they get tossed out the next time they come up for re-election!

 

Agree 100%. Hows it going Patrick?

 

Staying cold! Wish I had some friggin' heat in the shop! Tried to get enthused about working on the wagon, but without heat and 25 degrees, well...!

Back TTT with this thread - gang, if you care about racing at the Fairgrounds at all, PLEASE sign the online petition!

 

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