Ashtabula, OH

[techfx]

My only experience in racing was going here in the mid 80s to mid 90s to watch my family members race. I even raced (against 2 springers) in my uncle's Max JLO 440 in 1994. Someone videotaped it but, I never got to see it. I know I was there way past the "glory days" but, I enjoyed it none the less. Just curious who else here would have been there around that time racing/ watching?

[whipper-ag]

Back in 1974,during Summer Nationals, the whole field to the left of the track was filled w/ cars. The pit area was to the right of the track.

[hydromike]

Oh man, I can just feel the six wheel slide all the way thru turns one and two. Did you ever need to lift off the throttle? Even just a little?

Those two hairpins look like the great equalizers on the track. I'd pay a lot of money to be able to race there. It's only about 3.5 hours from me.

<sigh>
~m

[techfx]

I don't know who runs it now but I remember hearing about Buddy Fischer alot when I was younger. My cousins still race quads there. It would be cool to see a few machines show up for an exhibition race or something.

[whipper-ag]

Last week I sent Bud Fisher a copy of my DVD's and invited him to visit us all at 6x6 world. I understand he is into the quad raceing probably still at this track.Mabe he'll start a 6 wheel class up for all you guy's back east. If he did that would probably force me into a trip back there. That would be worth the 2000 mile trip to race on that track again. It was the BEST track ever!

[hydromike]

At the risk of sounding like a giant buzz-kill, I'll post my thoughts on this with the caveat that there are very few that are as interested as I am in the prospect of racing.

It's tough to get enough people together to actually race. How many people have a machine that they'd be willing to flog out on a race track? I like to think that I know a few people in the hobby, but I think there are less than 10 people (across the U.S., not just within driving distance of Ashtabula) that would be willing to get out and race their machines. I'd love to be proven wrong. I have two machines that are ready to go at a moment's notice. I'll bring them both so I can lend one to someone else to race. An appropriate skills test (to be determined) must be passed before handing over the keys to either the D/stock or the R

If there are enough people to actually have classes in stock/mod categories, it would be amazing. The thing is, even in the stock category, you'd need at least a dozen machines to get a decent race going. Does anybody out there want to match their fine running 297 up against the McKay? Anyone?

I know that winning isn't the point. It'd sort of be like when the guys in their three million dollar 1950s aluminum bodied Ferraris go out and race. No one is trying to really win, they just want the chance to get out and play, and use the machines for what they were built for.

I'll stop there before I bring myself down even further...
~m