The State of OUR sport; Past, Present, and Future

A continuing series of interviews through the eyes of YOU, our Teams, Promoters, Tracks, Sanctioning Bodies, and Fans...

Madera Speedway.

The War for Madera Begins (AKA Andy Goes Off...the Edge)

You guys are testing me aren’t you? I’ve finally figured it out. This is some sort of bizarre test to see how much I can take. Saugus, El Cajon, Mesa, Champion, Stockton, The Elite Divisions, probably a bunch I’m forgetting in my agitated state,

And now Madera.

This is not even mentioning the hundreds of Racers who have left the sport as a result. And of course, all those we’ll never know about (the kids) because they didn’t have a place to experience this sport at a young age. (as I did when my Dad took me to Saugus as a 8 year old).

You’ve now pushed me to the brink...

DISCLAIMER: Same drill as last weeks rant. Yup, written with big time 4 letter words, edited down to PG, please expand back out to the intended words on your end if you like. However, none of this is going to be entertaining this time. Sarcasm is at an all time high.

I have many items to cover.

1. Madera
2. A few comments on the final Tour Championship race.
3. My personal farewell to the Southwest and Northwest Tours.

And to you people that didn’t show up for the Final Tour Championship Race, the ones that didn’t send the Tour off  with the respect it absolutely deserved, I’m getting to you later in this article, but for now I say……….THANKS! You did your part to prove Nascar correct. Really good work.  

By far THE most important thing we have on our plate, a crisis in...

Madera

Last week I drew a line in the sand. The last racetrack I was willing to allow US to lose, the last I would attend a funeral of...................Stockton. A mere five days later it seems the Madera Fair Board didn’t understand this clearly, and elected to cross my line. Apparently they thought the “Loose Cannon”  two hundred and fifty miles South of their border wouldn’t be a factor. Guess they don’t know me very well.

THIS IS IT. This is WAR.

The wrath of Fan Andy is coming to a fair grounds near you,……. the Madera Fair Grounds to start. At this point, I just don’t care what it costs me............Thousands if that’s what it takes. That’s what this means to me and for goodness SAKE, I hope “US”. If we allow Madera to fall with zero fight, all those other fair boards will take note. Just lease out the land, and they don’t have to figure out how to make our racetracks profitable. And I always thought the fair grounds were "for the people", not business? Wrong again.

It appears our government has decided that the fair grounds can and should lease their land to balance the budget, no matter what the cost in facilities to the “people”. This is an election year gang, WE MUST send a message. We can’t allow this track to be closed for 07. The fair board wants a “cooling off” time, and to shut it down for all of next year. I have no doubt what their plan is. They’re thinking that over the long 2007 season that we/us will “give up the fight” and “wear us down”.

Based on what I’ve seen lately, it’s probably a pretty good plan.

I don’t need to be a psychic to predict Madera will not reopen if we allow it to be closed for racing in 2007.

To All Our Other Fairground Tracks!

After speaking with Dave Galleano (Save our Speedway campaign at Madera) for over an hour tonight, this is what I learned. (this is as I understand it, PLEASE email Dave for more info)

This is a Pilot or Test Program going on in California........so far. If you’re a fairgrounds racetrack, you’re in big time danger if you’re not a solid profit center for your fairgrounds. I’m guessing on financial level close to that of a Blue or Orange colored home improvement store. That puts every one of our fairgrounds tracks into the line of fire.

I understand that the State Fairgrounds are funded entirely by horse race wagering (in Ca anyway).  Horse racing, which is also interestingly on a big decline, is putting pressure on the situation. So wherever you’re fairgrounds track is, you could potentially be next. Beyond that, trust me all the other States will be watching us to see how things transpire.

Madera is a track that was built by Racers for Racers. I don’t mean they paid for it to be built, I mean the Madera Speedway Racers built this speedway themselves all those years ago. Grandstands, fencing, all of it. Working weekends and nights, whatever time they could offer, this speedway was created by US. That has an extra special meaning to me, and I hope all of you out there. 

Close Madera to Build What?

Ahh yes, that "Blue Colored" (I won’t even dignify them with saying their name) home improvement store that supposedly "loves racing" is at the center of it. Why do they need to crush our little race track? Oh probably because the Orange Colored home improvement store is across the street and they want to do battle. DO WE FREAKING NEED ANOTHER?????? REALLY.

Funny, I just don’t remember the public outcry for another home improvement store !!!

This is it for Me Gang...

I say it again, THIS IS IT FOR ME GANG. If I don’t see a MASSIVE...........UNDERSTAND MASSIVE war put on by US.......our promoters, sanctioning bodies, racers, crew people, owners, suppliers, sponsors, officials, and fans, I’m gone. I’m not joking around, I’m gone. I'm going back to baseball or something boring like that where I expect these kinds of let downs. You won’t see me again in your grandstands and in your pits. Some of you would enjoy that I assume.

Can we PLEASE put the freakin’ racing politics aside along enough to do me this ONE favor.

Now all I’m asking for here is ACTION, for an honest to goodness EFFORT where we draw a line in the sand literally across our Sport. I don’t care what division of cars, boats, motorcycles, or airplanes you run. Stockcars, Sprints, Mods, SCCA, Sports Car, NHRA, this is all up to US.

Did I hear you say..."You don’t give a damn about fan Andy?" 

Based on what I’ve seen recently, yup I’m not surprised. Well fine by me, Cya. I’m not gonna sit by and watch them go one by one. I’m not...it kills me.

I guess no one really cares about this being a fan participation sport any more. This is also why you’ll continue to see these losses until this problem comes home to roost at YOUR racetrack.

Les Kynett’s predictions for us are alarmingly right on track.

On the way up to the Tour race I stopped by Mesa Marin to watch the dozers doing their work to my "home". (surprised to see them running on a Saturday morning) All that’s left is a bunch of dirt piles and concrete blocks getting crushed to bits.

Fan Freakin Tastic. I stop by regularly on purpose, gets me angry.

To drive the point home properly here, I need to paste a few pictures in. Sorry Janet I know you really don’t want to see these, but everyone else needs to.

Looking from Turn 2 toward the grandstands. This one is a few months old, much less here now.

Main Entrance as of last Saturday morning.

Real freakin’ nice isn’t it!

That’s what your racetrack can look like in the not too distant future if you don’t elect to ACT right now and take a STAND. I hope that is plenty of motivation, it certainly is for me.

Yes, if you elect to just sit back on this and do nothing, and create more pictures like the ones above, I’ll finish out what I said I would do, (3 more interviews) and that will be it. After that, I’m done, I’m outta here.

...GONE.

Outside of some of my true friends around this sport, (you know who you are from Twin Falls to El Cajon) the rest I’ll see at a Dodger game or something.

And let me just say, I end up now getting some "behind the scenes" stuff that I wouldn’t normally have received. Honestly, I’m sorry I’ve been “enlightened” to this BS. I’ve received more than one email in particular that disturbs me. (like I’m not disturbed enough already)

If there’s any truth to the rumor about "ONE OF US", one of our supposed "racing family" being involved in manipulating the Madera Fair Board or government officials into making this decision...well, I really hope you’re FREAKING HAPPY.  Thanks so much.

And while I’m on the subject of "racing family", can we drop whatever BS we have going on in the Red Trailer for now? We have a crisis. You know what I’m talking about, one racing family member bashing the hell out of another...Okay!!!

I don’t have the time to keep an eye on the pre-school antics any more (I've been trying to give Janet a hand keeping it to at least the Junior High level)

I’ve gone from defender of the Trailer to "thumbs down". Whatever Janet and Charly decide to do is fine by me.

Madera is WAYYY more important, so let’s treat it that way. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO STAND.

The Plan for Action

First off, I’ve put a petition at the bottom of this article. Please circulate it throughout your pits and grandstands, wherever you are out there,...THIS WEEKEND. If your track is done for the year, PLEASE pick up the phone and get some of your local “racing family” signing it, and please give them a copy to pass on to even more.   

Next, let me appeal to the high buck people. I’m talking to the following...

Promoters, Track Owners, West Teams, Touring Teams, SLM and LM. I know what your spending budgets are per week, so I don’t want to hear you can’t afford it.

I’m asking, no, I’m TELLING you, to take one fourth of a weeks budget and get it to the proper person at the Save Our Speedway group at Madera. I believe your local racetracks future also hangs in the balance somewhere not far down the line. Certainly this is "big time" for all of the Touring divisions out there as well.

Ok, now, low buck guys, fans, etc. Donate what you can and send some emails.  

We are trying to accomplish only two things here.

1. Reverse the Fair Board’s decision to close Madera for racing in 2007.
   
   
2. Decrease the size of the project by a small percentage, enough to continue the track operations. We are NOT asking them to stop the major project at all, this is an important distinction.

Now, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE and I don’t care what State you’re in, what kind of car you race, it’s time to respond. If you do nothing else, PLEASE, PLEASE do this.

Now is the Time to Send the Message

And make so much noise no other fair board would consider going this route. I know how many “hits” Racing West receives, in the millions, so I expect big numbers.

Here’s the coordinating person in the “Save our Speedway” effort. Please drop him an email, he will have all the info for you. I better hear about his Inbox being completely overloaded.

Davegalleano@aol.com

Also Sign the Save Madera Speedway Online Petition

Stop right here, and click on the link.

(Just click on the freaking link!! and get this started PLEASE!!!)

Here’s some more info from Dave at the SOS committee…..

http://www.racingwest.com/bb/message.php?board=7&thread=55560

We’ll have a pre-written letter for you soon, (you can just sign and send it)  plus all the names phone numbers, emails, and faxes for the involved people.

I’m asking you to do all THREE forms of communication here. “Shock and Awe” is what I’m looking for.

Dave has informed me this evening (the 26th) that the SOS website is now partially active.

http://sos.californiacarracing.com/

(it’s obviously a “work in progress”, more will be coming, please keep checking back in at the site)

Ok, we know what we have to do, NOW DO IT, and I mean MASSIVE EFFORT.  

This is a WAR for our Lifestyle.

(credit to Darrell LaMoure again for the "lifestyle" quote) 

The Final Tour Championship Race

First off...

To all of you folks I appealed to last week; to those that DIDN’T show up to be a part of the FINAL TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP RACE ever; you win that battle, really good job.

(way less than 1,000 fans showing up)

And YES, it is MUCH more than "just another race".

On the way up, I stopped at Madera to see what help I could offer. I left the gates dropping off my first donation to the "Save Our Speedway" fund. Madera really needed my support and I wanted to stay, but I have this “thing” about "doing what I said I was gonna do" and continued my trip on up. I also wanted nothing more than to witness my "friends" at Nascar to be proven wrong with a huge crowd (similar to Stockton), sending the Tour off into the sunset with the respect it so deserved. Instead you proved “them” right, Thanks People.

I’ll blame myself here too, I didn’t get anyone to come with me who wanted to do the overnight trip. I FAILED US. But, before you email me, I’ve brought out around 12 new people this season to Irwindale and Orange Show, how many have you?

There will be plenty of coverage of the race itself, so I won't spend much of our time on that right here. But...........WOW, what a race. ONE POINT decided the championship, and it went right down to the final lap “as it should be”. Awesome. The stands should have been PACKED. I spoke with person after person last night all shaking their heads in disbelief.

A perfect night, none of the wind I heard so much about through the years, T shirt weather right up until midnight. When I saw the 6pm “crowd” I wanted to throw something in disgust from one side of the grand stands to the other, kicking each empty row as I went. I was NOT real happy.

(yes it appears have a "bit" of a temper when it comes to this)

Passive/aggressive I believe is the term. (kinda like this article)

I chatted with one of Eddy’s crew guys (sorry I’m so forgetful with names) and he was amazed that I seem to show up at most every Tour event. I was thinking to myself "Why should that be special"???

I gotta open the vault into the   "I remember when"   Archives here for a sec.

“I remember when” we had dozens if not well over a hundred motorhomes behind turn 2 at Mesa year after year. There was a whole caravan of hundreds if not thousands of fans that followed the Tour from track to track. Where is everyone???? How did we lose that????  I guess no one really cares about anything any more.

From hundreds down to Andy and maybe a few others......? Disgraceful.

In the End  

The Tour goes out to me as the finest division in all of racing. It was fantastic then, and even better now. 

(and absolutely no offense to ALL of my friends in all the other great divisions, including some that I sponsor)

To the ones that did come to the Tour race, thanks for the enthusiasm you did show. Though they didn’t hear the cheering in Daytona Beach, they did hear em across the track. That’s all I really cared about. I Thank You.

In closing...

To Everyone on all the Elite Tours from Coast to Coast

I’m asking you to Pick Your Series for 2007.

Be it West, East, ASA/SRL, Speed Truck, Modified, SLM, even a Hobby Stock, it doesn’t matter. Keep the Tour’s Spirit alive wherever you end up.

Just keep “doin’ what you’re doin”.  Do that for Fan Andy.

To every driver, team member, sponsor, promoter, and especially the Nascar officials who’ve participated in this cool division for the past 20 or so years, a sincere...

Thank You!!!

Thank you for Racing all these Years.

I won’t forget them.

Andy Daddario
Saugus, Ca.

comments about this article can be sent to andydadd [at] yahoo [dot] com 

Sign the Save Madera Speedway Online Petition