Last Hurrah

[Sturat77]

According to Race City's web site, Rome has shut down the track for the 2008 season, effective today.  Control of the track returns to Art McKenzie and time will tell whether he continues on with the operation of Race City in any way, shape or form.

Think about it.. we just may have participated in the last ever race event at that facility!  Pretty sad I must say.  However, it was a fantastic race weekend and if it is the end of that era, I will have excellent memories of it!

Keep your eyes peeled for a suitable piece of asphalt to play on folks, it look like we may need it sooner than we had hoped for.

Sturat 77

[Domo]

I think we really need to push to use the runway at cfb Nameo.

[WMS]

I was at Race City Tuesday night and who wondered down to say hi but Art himself.  He said Rome is done but no question he will be continuing as a rental only facility next year.  They won't organize any races so drag and oval guys might be in trouble.  Thanks to ARCA having the guts to take over organizing roadracing a few years ago I guess we should have one more year of racing at RCS.

Shannon Wall
#54 Mustang

[10cc]

I'm even building a brand new CC car.......

Keep the faith

B

[Blair Robertshaw]

So if a person wanted to rent the track next year who does one call to try and arrange that with please?

[Domo]

So there is a slim chance of arca renting again next year? If the track condition is ok.

[lotiguy]

So if a person wanted to rent the track next year who does one call to try and arrange that with please?

Hey Blair, did you take up off-roading?Your gonna need a big 4x4 to run that track next year.LOL LOL

[Blair Robertshaw]

No flatspot, not off roading but I really want to try those skinny trailering tires! They give me about 4" of clearence.

[MGAdams]

I haven't said anything about the demise of Race City ... but a few old veterans on another forum gave me a kick in the pants that it is up to us as the racers that will suffer the most to do something about it. I know there are petitions, and a bit of complaining to the City Council and there may have been letter or two in the newspapers. But that just isn't enough. Art McKenzie is still in a battle with the City about lease arrangements and sub-lease agreements with Karters the City appears to have lost. The 500% increase in taxes is disgusting ... and if it was another recreational facilities such as Burns Stadium baseball park, Calgary Olympic Park, The Soccer Dome or your favorite golf course, you wouldn't sit in your race car and make vroom vroom noises ... you would complain madly.

Being from out of province, we have no choices but to travel to a track to participate. We do our part to support the track and the City. Our economic impact on the races and the City of Calgary is not recorded, but if you take just the number of competitors each year and multiply that by just the value of a tank of fuel in the tow vehicle plus meals for crew, the impact is substantial.  I couldn't even hazard a guess over the many years I went to Race City the money I dropped in Calgary related to my racing needs, not to mention hotels. I know this is just a fart in a windstorm but as bean-counters like to say, it is the multiplier effect that adds up. Unfortunately, there seems to be no recognition of this at City Hall.  So if we the racing community don?t tell them, how will they know? 

This is the forum for the Western Canada Motorsport Association and it appears the membership is just too apathetic to appreciate the impact this will have on your racing passion. Good show if ARCA can continue to hold road racing on a rental basis ... but it must be getting tough when they hear more and more complaints about track, paddock, conditions ... that they have no control over.

I finally said my piece ... did my bit ... your turn.

Mike Adams
(first road race at Race City Speedway)

[vintagebmw]

Well put Mike.

The reality is that the city in general is appathetic (at the best of times) but especially towards motorsports.

Edmonton has always been more supportive and I think the focus should be on getting the castrol raceway paved. I remember seeing aerial shots and the track is there....sans a few million in ashphalt.

The road racing community should get behind this and focus on getting this paved. It is our only shot at a track in 2010. Assuming Race City operates for one more year.

Anthony