View allAll Photos Tagged backstretch
Juan Montoya and Denny Hamlin battle for the lead down the backstretch. Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth give chase.
Racing down the backstretch on the white flag lap, these cars would finish in this order -- Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Juan Montoya, Kasey Kahne, Paul Menard, A. J. Allmendinger and Brian Vickers.
Driving into the Ascot Industrial Park along Ascot Parkway, and looking toward where the backstretch of the former track would have been located (southern section of the oval).
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Originally known as Northampton Park, Ascot Park was built in 1923 on 68 acres of farmland near Cuyahoga Falls, OH along what is present-day State Route 8. It took its current name in 1938.
As a 3/4 mile oval, Ascot Park billed itself as the "Biggest Little Racetrack in America," and was home to an annual two-mile race known as the Ascot Gold Cup, first run in 1941. For a while, the Gold Cup ranked as the oldest continuously run stakes race in Ohio. The 1951 winner, Chiffon, won the race while pregnant. The 1967 winner, Loyal Son, was buried near the 4 1/2 furlong chute at the track (whether he is still there is unknown).
Ascot Park is also known for being the track at which Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Maple won his first race (on Swami in 1966). Over his career, Eddie rode such famous horses as Alydar, Conquistador Cielo, Cox's Ridge, Creme Fraiche, Devil's Bag, Foolish Pleasure, Forty Niner, Riva Ridge, Slew o' Gold, Swale, and Temperence Hill. He also rode Secretariat in his final race, when Secretariat's regular jockey (Ron Turcotte) was serving out a suspension.
Horace Adams bought Ascot Park in 1954, pledging to make it the "Little Saratoga of the West." But the cold weather spring meets hurt the open-air track. The record attendance for the track was 12,525, achieved on opening day in 1955.
Ascot Park was sold to Edward Debartolo (who controlled Thistledown, Randall Park, and Cranwood Park) in 1968. Racing at the location was officially over. Over time, the site disintegrated to the point of becoming a fire hazard. Northampton firefighters burned it to the ground in 1976 as part of a training exercise. Today, the track property is part of a 200-acre industrial park which technically falls within the city limits of Akron, OH.
The information above comes from a great 2009 Akron Beacon Journal article on the track, written by Mark J. Price (www.ohio.com/news/ascot-park-1.154828). The article contains links to 3 photos of the track.
Some additional old photos of the track: bit.ly/IGgUJb
Postcard of the track: bit.ly/IGgz9j
Mapquest satellite view of the former track property: mapq.st/IAYJae
Aurora Downs opened in 1922, shortly after Aurora Driving Park closed. It operated until 1976, then had a brief but unsuccessful life as Fox Fields, which closed down in 1981. The track site is now known as the Tollway Park of Commerce, which is located west of Route 31 (Lincoln Hwy) and north of Airport Road. It is just south of the Valley Green Golf Course.
Aurora Downs was part of the Central States Fair and Exposition Park, which boasted the "world's largest swimming pool."
The track began its life as a one mile oval that could host both Thoroughbred and harness races, but ended its life as a half mile oval for harness racing only. Perhaps it's greatest claim to fame is hosting the Illinois Derby from 1932 to 1938.
The mural seen in two of these photos is on the side of a building near the fire station in North Aurora. The commerce park entrance lies in the former parking area behind the grandstand. The two lakes are in the barn area, near the top of the stretch. The industrial buildings lie near the front stretch and in the infield area. There is an infield area that is still not developed, seen in one of these photos as an empty field. Unfortunately, I did not get any photos of the parking lot that sits where the grandstand used to be, as i didn't find an aerial view of the track until I had already returned from my trip. (Aerial view URL: hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html)
I took several photos at the golf course, from a position in the far NE corner of the course. You can see a couple of the industrial park buildings at the back of the course, representing the backstretch of the Aurora Downs track.
Chris Carr Gets His First Podium of the Year with a 3rd @ Springfield.
D&D Performance Enterprises Builds Performance Exhaust Systems – We test our products out on the race track with Chris Carr Racing. Get a performance Hop Up for your bike @ www.danddexhaust.com.
The AMA Pro Grand National Twins Championship is officially under way with the running of the opening round, the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association's Springfield Mile. With the laps running down Carr and Smith were running wheel to wheel with Mees, Kopp, Cummings, Memphis Shades' JR Schnabel, McCoy and Zanotti Racing's Jethro Halbert in tow. On the last re-start Coolbeth joined a lead pack that included Smith, Blue Springs Harley-Davidson/Screamin' Eagle rider Jared Mees, Latus Harley-Davidson/Screamin’ Eagle rider Joe Kopp, Chris Carr Racing/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr and Nick Cummings. Smith gambled by taking a low line on the backstretch of the last lap to draft past the pack, and carried his lead out of the fourth turn with enough momentum to hold off Coolbeth. Carr finished third, followed by Mees, Cummings and Kopp.
RESULTS FOR THE D&D Racers @ the 2009 SPRINGFIELD MILE & TT
Springfield TT
Pro singles:
D&D equipped Corby Scherb #32n Took 1st in Heat 1 and 3rd in the Main Event
Expert singles:
D&D Sponsored Chris Carr #4 Took 3rd in Heat 2 and 4th in the Main Event
D&D Sponsored Nick Cummings #22 Took 10th in Heat 3, 3rd in Semi #2, and 14th in the Main.
Springfield Mile
Pro singles:
D&D equipped Corby Scherb #32n Took 4th in heat 1, and 8th in the main
Grand National Twins:
D&D sponsored Chris Carr #4 Took 3rd in heat 2, and 3rd in the Main.
D&D sponsored Nick Cummings #22 Took fast qualifier, 1st in heat 1 and 5th in the Main.
Overall it was a great showing for D&D and all the riders. Speed is scheduled to air the mile on June 13th.
(may have to double check that).
AMA Pro Grand National Twins Championship
1. Bryan Smith, Flushing, Mich.; 2. Kenneth Coolbeth Jr., Morris, Conn.; 3. Chris Carr, Fleetwood, Pa., 4. Jared Mees, Clio, Mich.; 5. Nicholas Cummings, Mount Morris, Mich.; 6. Joe Kopp, Mica, Wash.; 7. Jethro Halbert, San Jose, Calif.; 8. Willie McCoy, Keller, Texas; 9. Matthew Weidman, Westerlo, N.Y.; 10. Bryan Bigelow, Omer, Mich.; 11. Don Taylor, Welland, Ontario, Canada; 12. Brandon Robinson, Oxford, Pa.; 13. Logan Myers, Wheeler, Mich.; 14. Larry Pegram, Hebron, Ohio; 15. Glen Schnabel Jr., Campbellsport, Wis.; 16. Shaun Russell, Westville; 17. Jacob Johnson, Franklinville, N.J.; 18. Sammy Halbert, Graham, Wash.; 19. Steven Bonsey, Salinas, Calif.
AMA Pro Singles Championship
1. Michael Toon, Blue Springs, Mo.; 2. James Rispoli, Attica, N.Y.; 3. Shayna Texter, Willow Street, Pa.; 4. J. Beach, Philpot, Ky.; 5. Brad Baker, Chehalis, Wash.; 6. Jeffrey Carver, Alton; 7. John Long, Coatesville, Pa.; 8. Corby Scherb, Decatur, Texas; 9. Tony Davila, Pleasanton, Calif.; 10. Corey Crawford, Elba, N.Y.; 11. Stephen Vanderkurr, Davison, Mich.; 12. Michael LaBelle, Welland, Ontario, Canada; 13. S. Tapp, Philpot, Ky.; 14. Colton Chebultz, Manhattan,
We got an inside look at what racing’s all about, from the morning to the afternoon! We joined host Laurie Lane for an insider’s tour of the backstretch, starting gate, and jockey’s room. We learned all about the life of the Thoroughbred racehorse including training programs and equipment, feed programs and a variety of other topics.
We were very lucky to see the Budweiser Clydesdales in the stables at Monmouth Park Rack Track.
Despite the date on the sign, this company was not actually present at the racetrack site in 1895. It is the first building on the left when you first enter the industrial park. This sign is located at approximately the southeast curve of the former racetrack oval (i.e., entering the final turn from the backstretch).
-----------------------------------
Originally known as Northampton Park, Ascot Park was built in 1923 on 68 acres of farmland near Cuyahoga Falls, OH along what is present-day State Route 8. It took its current name in 1938.
As a 3/4 mile oval, Ascot Park billed itself as the "Biggest Little Racetrack in America," and was home to an annual two-mile race known as the Ascot Gold Cup, first run in 1941. For a while, the Gold Cup ranked as the oldest continuously run stakes race in Ohio. The 1951 winner, Chiffon, won the race while pregnant. The 1967 winner, Loyal Son, was buried near the 4 1/2 furlong chute at the track (whether he is still there is unknown).
Ascot Park is also known for being the track at which Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Maple won his first race (on Swami in 1966). Over his career, Eddie rode such famous horses as Alydar, Conquistador Cielo, Cox's Ridge, Creme Fraiche, Devil's Bag, Foolish Pleasure, Forty Niner, Riva Ridge, Slew o' Gold, Swale, and Temperence Hill. He also rode Secretariat in his final race, when Secretariat's regular jockey (Ron Turcotte) was serving out a suspension.
Horace Adams bought Ascot Park in 1954, pledging to make it the "Little Saratoga of the West." But the cold weather spring meets hurt the open-air track. The record attendance for the track was 12,525, achieved on opening day in 1955.
Ascot Park was sold to Edward Debartolo (who controlled Thistledown, Randall Park, and Cranwood Park) in 1968. Racing at the location was officially over. Over time, the site disintegrated to the point of becoming a fire hazard. Northampton firefighters burned it to the ground in 1976 as part of a training exercise. Today, the track property is part of a 200-acre industrial park which technically falls within the city limits of Akron, OH.
The information above comes from a great 2009 Akron Beacon Journal article on the track, written by Mark J. Price (www.ohio.com/news/ascot-park-1.154828). The article contains links to 3 photos of the track.
Some additional old photos of the track: bit.ly/IGgUJb
Postcard of the track: bit.ly/IGgz9j
Mapquest satellite view of the former track property: mapq.st/IAYJae
Chris Carr Gets His First Podium of the Year with a 3rd @ Springfield.
D&D Performance Enterprises Builds Performance Exhaust Systems – We test our products out on the race track with Chris Carr Racing. Get a performance Hop Up for your bike @ www.danddexhaust.com.
The AMA Pro Grand National Twins Championship is officially under way with the running of the opening round, the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association's Springfield Mile. With the laps running down Carr and Smith were running wheel to wheel with Mees, Kopp, Cummings, Memphis Shades' JR Schnabel, McCoy and Zanotti Racing's Jethro Halbert in tow. On the last re-start Coolbeth joined a lead pack that included Smith, Blue Springs Harley-Davidson/Screamin' Eagle rider Jared Mees, Latus Harley-Davidson/Screamin’ Eagle rider Joe Kopp, Chris Carr Racing/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr and Nick Cummings. Smith gambled by taking a low line on the backstretch of the last lap to draft past the pack, and carried his lead out of the fourth turn with enough momentum to hold off Coolbeth. Carr finished third, followed by Mees, Cummings and Kopp.
RESULTS FOR THE D&D Racers @ the 2009 SPRINGFIELD MILE & TT
Springfield TT
Pro singles:
D&D equipped Corby Scherb #32n Took 1st in Heat 1 and 3rd in the Main Event
Expert singles:
D&D Sponsored Chris Carr #4 Took 3rd in Heat 2 and 4th in the Main Event
D&D Sponsored Nick Cummings #22 Took 10th in Heat 3, 3rd in Semi #2, and 14th in the Main.
Springfield Mile
Pro singles:
D&D equipped Corby Scherb #32n Took 4th in heat 1, and 8th in the main
Grand National Twins:
D&D sponsored Chris Carr #4 Took 3rd in heat 2, and 3rd in the Main.
D&D sponsored Nick Cummings #22 Took fast qualifier, 1st in heat 1 and 5th in the Main.
Overall it was a great showing for D&D and all the riders. Speed is scheduled to air the mile on June 13th.
(may have to double check that).
AMA Pro Grand National Twins Championship
1. Bryan Smith, Flushing, Mich.; 2. Kenneth Coolbeth Jr., Morris, Conn.; 3. Chris Carr, Fleetwood, Pa., 4. Jared Mees, Clio, Mich.; 5. Nicholas Cummings, Mount Morris, Mich.; 6. Joe Kopp, Mica, Wash.; 7. Jethro Halbert, San Jose, Calif.; 8. Willie McCoy, Keller, Texas; 9. Matthew Weidman, Westerlo, N.Y.; 10. Bryan Bigelow, Omer, Mich.; 11. Don Taylor, Welland, Ontario, Canada; 12. Brandon Robinson, Oxford, Pa.; 13. Logan Myers, Wheeler, Mich.; 14. Larry Pegram, Hebron, Ohio; 15. Glen Schnabel Jr., Campbellsport, Wis.; 16. Shaun Russell, Westville; 17. Jacob Johnson, Franklinville, N.J.; 18. Sammy Halbert, Graham, Wash.; 19. Steven Bonsey, Salinas, Calif.
AMA Pro Singles Championship
1. Michael Toon, Blue Springs, Mo.; 2. James Rispoli, Attica, N.Y.; 3. Shayna Texter, Willow Street, Pa.; 4. J. Beach, Philpot, Ky.; 5. Brad Baker, Chehalis, Wash.; 6. Jeffrey Carver, Alton; 7. John Long, Coatesville, Pa.; 8. Corby Scherb, Decatur, Texas; 9. Tony Davila, Pleasanton, Calif.; 10. Corey Crawford, Elba, N.Y.; 11. Stephen Vanderkurr, Davison, Mich.; 12. Michael LaBelle, Welland, Ontario, Canada; 13. S. Tapp, Philpot, Ky.; 14. Colton Chebultz, Manhattan,
Clint Bowyer exiting turn 2 onto the backstretch during Friday's practice session. Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL. February 2016.
Drivers look for favorite lines and space to overtake going into turn #7 at the Indianapolis Speedway infield course. Hulman Blvd serves as the backstretch for the course and its length allows cars to reach 200+mph prior to slowing for this 90 degree turn.
On June 6, 2012, Hofstra University’s Axinn Library hosted the exhibit,“PRIDE - Celebrating the Art of the Backstretch Workers of Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack,” a joint effort between the Library’s Special Collections department and the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.), a non-profit dedicated to meeting the health and social needs of the almost 3,000 workers of the major horse racing tracks in New York State.
The room was packed as the event kicked off with opening remarks from Geri Solomon, Assistant Dean of Special Collections and Hofstra University Archivist, and Bronwyn Hannon, Acquisitions Curator. The administrators spoke about the diverse collection of Hispanic and Latino materials at Hofstra and the advantages of the partnership between B.E.S.T and the university.
Paul Ruchames, Executive Director of B.E.S.T., and Stella Cardenas, Community Outreach Director, then highlighted the work of B.E.S.T., the workers it represents and the art they created. An award and tribute ceremony recognizing all the artists, including the budding artists of Anna’s House, the daycare facility for racetrack workers’ families, ended the opening ceremony.
The three-hour event, which featured music from Grammy-nominated flautist Jay Rodriguez, welcomed more than 90 guests. The evening was enjoyed by all, and organizers hope that their exciting partnership will bring an annual exhibit to Hofstra.
"The Heart of Racing" team GT Daytona #27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 accelerates down the infield backstretch as nighttime approaches.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis
Indianapolis, colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most-populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion County in 2020 was 977,642. The "balance" population, which excludes semi-autonomous municipalities in Marion County, was 887,642. It is the 15th most populous city in the U.S., the third-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, Illinois and Columbus, Ohio, and the fourth-most populous state capital after Phoenix, Arizona; Austin, Texas; and Columbus. The Indianapolis metropolitan area is the 33rd most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., with 2,048,703 residents. Its combined statistical area ranks 28th, with a population of 2,431,361. Indianapolis covers 368 square miles (950 km2), making it the 16th largest city by land area in the U.S.
Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Delaware relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's. In 1821, Indianapolis was founded as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government. The city was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on a 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) grid next to the White River. Completion of the National and Michigan roads and arrival of rail later solidified the city's position as a manufacturing and transportation hub. Two of the city's nicknames reflect its historical ties to transportation—the "Crossroads of America" and "Railroad City". Since the 1970 city-county consolidation, known as Unigov, local government administration operates under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor.
Indianapolis anchors the 29th largest economic region in the U.S., based primarily on the sectors of finance and insurance, manufacturing, professional and business services, education and health care, government, and wholesale trade. The city has notable niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing. The city is home to three Fortune 500 companies, two major league sports clubs, four university campuses, and several museums, including the world's largest children's museum. However, the city is perhaps best known for annually hosting the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500. Among the city's historic sites and districts, Indianapolis is home to the largest collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war casualties in the U.S. outside of Washington, D.C.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis_Motor_Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana (an enclave suburb of Indianapolis) in the United States. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and formerly the home of the United States Grand Prix. It is the largest sports venue in the world. It is located on the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road, approximately six miles (10 km) west of Downtown Indianapolis.
Constructed in 1909, it is the second purpose-built, banked oval racing circuit after Brooklands and the first to be called a 'speedway'. It is the third-oldest permanent automobile race track in the world, behind Brooklands and the Milwaukee Mile. With a permanent seating capacity of 257,325, it is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world.
Considered relatively flat by American standards, the track is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) rectangular oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since its construction. It has two 5⁄8-mile-long (1,000 m) straightaways, four geometrically identical 1⁄4-mile (400 m) turns, connected by two 1⁄8-mile (200 m) short straightaways, termed "short chutes", between turns 1 and 2, and between turns 3 and 4.
A modern, FIA Grade One infield road course was completed in 2000, incorporating part of the oval, including the main stretch and the southeast turn, measuring 2.605 miles (4.192 km). In 2008, and again in 2014, the road course layout was modified to accommodate motorcycle racing, as well as to improve competition. Altogether, the current grounds have expanded from an original 320 acres (1.3 km2) on which the speedway was first built to cover an area of over 559 acres (2.3 km2). Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, it is the only such site to be affiliated with automotive racing history.
In addition to the Indianapolis 500, the speedway also hosts NASCAR's Verizon 200 and Pennzoil 150. From 2000 to 2007, the speedway hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix, and from 2008 to 2015 the Moto GP.
On the grounds of the speedway is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which opened in 1956, and houses the Hall of Fame. The museum moved into its current building located in the infield in 1976. Also on the grounds is the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort, which originally opened as the Speedway Golf Course in 1929. The golf course has 14 holes outside the track, along the backstretch, and four holes in the infield. The site is among the most visited attractions in Indianapolis, with 1 million guests annually. The speedway has served as the venue for the opening ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games. The track is nicknamed "The Brickyard" (see below), and the garage area is known as Gasoline Alley.
On November 4, 2019, Hulman & Company announced the sale of its company, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IndyCar Series and associated enterprises to Penske Corporation, owned by Roger Penske.
Post Order:
Pure Fantasy (#1)
Dr: Larry Lake
Tr: Rick Baker
Cr Shanghai (#2)
Dr: Eric Carlson
Tr: John Kina
Gotapikapoketortwo (#3)
Dr: Craig Wolfe
Tr: Erik Jaeck Jr
Bucks Special Kell (#4)
Dr: Joe Casagranda
Tr: Nicole Norris
Rip Daddy (#5)
Dr: Peter Otten
Tr: Jim Jackson
Teddy Kgb (#6)
Dr: Kody Massey
Tr: Ken Massey
Day Money (#7)
Dr: Jeff Sweeney
Tr: Willard Osgood
Mike And Jim (#8)
Dr: Ronnie Wrenn Jr
Tr: Toby Carver
Nowthat'saplanman (#9)
Dr: Lindsay Moen
Tr: Dirk Sisung
Piston Poppers Motorcycle Club TT race 100514. 450cc Sportsman B “Main”, first lap, on the backstretch. Driven by the spirit of competition, fueled by 100% high octane racing fuel with maybe a splash of steroids. This is the heart of AMA motorcycle racing, lest anyone forget.
“Adobe CC” "NIK Color Efex Pro 4" “Topaz Impression”
© 2014 Doug Miller Photography - www.dougmillerphotos.com
Speed Vision of MD - www.svomd.com
To view the many images from this event, visit the Speed Vision of MD website - www.svomd.com
"Like" us on Facebook @ Speed Vision of MD
Follow us on Twitter @SpeedVisionofMD
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis
Indianapolis, colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most-populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion County in 2020 was 977,642. The "balance" population, which excludes semi-autonomous municipalities in Marion County, was 887,642. It is the 15th most populous city in the U.S., the third-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, Illinois and Columbus, Ohio, and the fourth-most populous state capital after Phoenix, Arizona; Austin, Texas; and Columbus. The Indianapolis metropolitan area is the 33rd most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., with 2,048,703 residents. Its combined statistical area ranks 28th, with a population of 2,431,361. Indianapolis covers 368 square miles (950 km2), making it the 16th largest city by land area in the U.S.
Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Delaware relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's. In 1821, Indianapolis was founded as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government. The city was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on a 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) grid next to the White River. Completion of the National and Michigan roads and arrival of rail later solidified the city's position as a manufacturing and transportation hub. Two of the city's nicknames reflect its historical ties to transportation—the "Crossroads of America" and "Railroad City". Since the 1970 city-county consolidation, known as Unigov, local government administration operates under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor.
Indianapolis anchors the 29th largest economic region in the U.S., based primarily on the sectors of finance and insurance, manufacturing, professional and business services, education and health care, government, and wholesale trade. The city has notable niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing. The city is home to three Fortune 500 companies, two major league sports clubs, four university campuses, and several museums, including the world's largest children's museum. However, the city is perhaps best known for annually hosting the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500. Among the city's historic sites and districts, Indianapolis is home to the largest collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war casualties in the U.S. outside of Washington, D.C.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis_Motor_Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana (an enclave suburb of Indianapolis) in the United States. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and formerly the home of the United States Grand Prix. It is the largest sports venue in the world. It is located on the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road, approximately six miles (10 km) west of Downtown Indianapolis.
Constructed in 1909, it is the second purpose-built, banked oval racing circuit after Brooklands and the first to be called a 'speedway'. It is the third-oldest permanent automobile race track in the world, behind Brooklands and the Milwaukee Mile. With a permanent seating capacity of 257,325, it is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world.
Considered relatively flat by American standards, the track is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) rectangular oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since its construction. It has two 5⁄8-mile-long (1,000 m) straightaways, four geometrically identical 1⁄4-mile (400 m) turns, connected by two 1⁄8-mile (200 m) short straightaways, termed "short chutes", between turns 1 and 2, and between turns 3 and 4.
A modern, FIA Grade One infield road course was completed in 2000, incorporating part of the oval, including the main stretch and the southeast turn, measuring 2.605 miles (4.192 km). In 2008, and again in 2014, the road course layout was modified to accommodate motorcycle racing, as well as to improve competition. Altogether, the current grounds have expanded from an original 320 acres (1.3 km2) on which the speedway was first built to cover an area of over 559 acres (2.3 km2). Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, it is the only such site to be affiliated with automotive racing history.
In addition to the Indianapolis 500, the speedway also hosts NASCAR's Verizon 200 and Pennzoil 150. From 2000 to 2007, the speedway hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix, and from 2008 to 2015 the Moto GP.
On the grounds of the speedway is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which opened in 1956, and houses the Hall of Fame. The museum moved into its current building located in the infield in 1976. Also on the grounds is the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort, which originally opened as the Speedway Golf Course in 1929. The golf course has 14 holes outside the track, along the backstretch, and four holes in the infield. The site is among the most visited attractions in Indianapolis, with 1 million guests annually. The speedway has served as the venue for the opening ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games. The track is nicknamed "The Brickyard" (see below), and the garage area is known as Gasoline Alley.
On November 4, 2019, Hulman & Company announced the sale of its company, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IndyCar Series and associated enterprises to Penske Corporation, owned by Roger Penske.
Just after the completion of the final national anthem. I uploaded this image to Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:LakeGenevaRaceway_Turns3and4.jpg
From poster at HAMB - Old Age but Great Memory' "Not only is the old grandstand haunting but the entire oval is still intact. Slowly walking around the track sends chills up your back thinking of the drivers who ran this place. Trees surround the track and a simple miscue by those early day drivers would have the car wrapped around the trees and the waters of Sugar Creek are very close to the backstretch. At one of the early Jungle Park reunions, it might have been the very first one, I asked legendary driver Joie Ray what he thought of racing at Jungle Park and he said 'it scared me to death' After you visit this historic old race track you will have a whole new appreciation of what the early days were like."
www.speedwayandroadracehistory.com/jungle-park-speedway.html
Walking south on Fowler Ave to approach the intersection of Fowler and Morris Park Ave. The Rite Aid store is to my right. The racetrack grandstand would be located where you see the brown building on the left, and extending to the south past the white house on the other side of the street.
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Morris Park Racecourse (located in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx) operated from 1889 to 1904. It was the brain child of John Morris and Leonard Jerome. Both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes were run here in 1890, with the latter race remaining at the track until it closed in 1904. Other races with a history at Morris Park include the Champagne Stakes (1890 to 1904), and the Metropolitan Handicap (now known as the Met Mile but originally run at 1 1/8 miles) (1891 to 1904). A more detailed history of the track can be found on Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Park_Racecourse).
The Morris Park track was located on land that is now bounded by Sackett and Pierce Avenues to the south, the Pelham Parkway to the north, Bronxdale Road to the west, and Williamsbridge Road to the east. You can see the track layout on a USGS map from 1900 (docs.unh.edu/NY/harl00se.jpg).
An entire book has been written on the history of the track: DiBrino, Nicholas (1977). The History of the Morris Park Racecourse and the Morris Family. Bronx: Bronx County Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-941980-27-2.
The track configuration was interesting in that the north end was on a hill, forcing horses to run uphill in the backstretch and downhill in the homestretch. Another long straight course, called the Eclipse course, ran diagonally across the infield of the main track, intersecting with it at the finish line. A six furlong race run on the Eclipse course from 1890 to 1896 was known as the "Toboggan Slide;" it continues today as the Toboggan Handicap at Aqueduct Race Track. Due to the downhill configuration, races run on this course were quite fast; a course record was set by August Belmont's filly, Fides, in the first running of the Toboggan Slide.
You can view several photos of the Morris Park track on the Brooklyn Backstretch blog site (bit.ly/hwt46s).
You can also see the layout of the track superimposed over planned roads on Sheets 17 and 18 of the Planning Grid of the Office of the Topographical Bureau of the Bronx (New York Public Library Digital Gallery), circa 1900: bit.ly/I74Qp6 and bit.ly/HOE6my.
In another lifetime, I might have had many horses--just like I do dogs and boats now. But a man cannot serve two masters, and boats and horses both demand full-time attention, and boats got a hold of me first.
And both require thoughtful, meaningful names. One of the true creative joys and challenges of each is finding that "perfect" name, (which, of course, does not exist).
Last night, a friend was expounding on the wonderfulness of her kayak, and I asked, "what the name of your kayak?" She's a librarian, and she fairly spat, "I don't give names to kayaks or cars," and then proceeded in an explanation that resulted in her naming the kayak "Mango"--without any prompting from me.
Now, horses' names seem to operate from a different set of rules and superstitions. I have some notions about the rules of boatnaming (a topic for a later discussion, right KeyLimeSteve?), but look over a racing form sometime, and the unique names are a guilty pleasure. Clearly, I'm not the first to notice this, and this observation has resulted in one of my all-time favorite songs: "The Race is On" by George Jones--
I feel tears welling up cold and deep inside
Like my heart's sprung a big break
And a stab of loneliness sharp and painful
That I may never shake
You might say that I was taking it hard
Oh she wrote me off with a call
But don't you wager that I'll hide the sorrow
When I may break right down and bawl
Well the race is on and here comes the Pride of the Backstretch
Heartaches are going to the inside
My Tears are holding back
They're trying not to fall
My Heart's out of the Running
True Love's scratched for Another's Sake
The race is on and it looks like Heartaches
And the winner's-- Loses All!
One day I ventured in love never once suspecting
What the final result would be
How I lived in fear of waking up each morning
And thinking that you're gone from me
There's ache and pain in my heart
For today was the one that I hated to face
Somebody new came up to win her
I came out in second place.
Please enjoy this wonderful version performed by my ukelele friends Bosko and Honey, as they visit with the Virginia's wonderful UkeJill, on their ukelele safari--you won't be disappointed!
Matt Kenseth (left) battles Kurt Busch for the lead down the back straightaway as the laps wind down in the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Juan Montoya follows close behind.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytona_Beach,_Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. It lies approximately 51 miles (82.1 km) northeast of Orlando, 86 miles (138.4 km) southeast of Jacksonville, and 265 miles (426.5 km) northwest of Miami. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, it had a population of 61,005. It is a principal city of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan area, which was home to 600,756 people as of 2013. Daytona Beach is also a principal city of the Fun Coast region of Florida.
The city is historically known for its beach, where the hard-packed sand allows motorized vehicles to drive on the beach in restricted areas. This hard-packed sand made Daytona Beach a mecca for motorsports, and the old Daytona Beach Road Course hosted races for over 50 years. This was replaced in 1959 by Daytona International Speedway. The city is also the headquarters for NASCAR.
Daytona Beach hosts large groups of out-of-towners during the year, who visit the city for various events, notably Speedweeks in early February when over 200,000 NASCAR fans come to attend the season-opening Daytona 500. Other events include the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 race in July, Bike Week in early March, Biketoberfest in late October, and the 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race in January.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytona_International_Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, IMSA, SCCA, and Motocross. The track features multiple layouts including the primary 2.5-mile (4.0 km) high-speed tri-oval, a 3.56-mile (5.73 km) sports car course, a 2.95-mile (4.75 km) motorcycle course, and a 1,320-foot (400 m) karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's 180-acre (73 ha) infield includes the 29-acre (12 ha) Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The track was built in 1959 by NASCAR founder William "Bill" France, Sr. to host racing that was held at the former Daytona Beach Road Course. His banked design permitted higher speeds and gave fans a better view of the cars. Lights were installed around the track in 1998, and today it is the third-largest single lit outdoor sports facility. The speedway has been renovated four times, with the infield renovated in 2004 and the track repaved in 1978 and 2010. The track is 50 miles north of Orlando.
On January 22, 2013, the fourth speedway renovation was unveiled. On July 5, 2013, ground was broken on "Daytona Rising" to remove backstretch seating and completely redevelop the frontstretch seating. The renovation was by design-builder Barton Malow Company in partnership with Rossetti Architects. The project was completed in January 2016, and cost US $400 million. It emphasized improved fan experience with five expanded and redesigned fan entrances (called "injectors"), as well as wider and more comfortable seats, and more restrooms and concession stands. After the renovations were complete, the track's grandstands had 101,000 permanent seats with the ability to increase permanent seating to 125,000. The project was finished before the start of Speedweek in 2016.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis
Indianapolis, colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most-populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion County in 2020 was 977,642. The "balance" population, which excludes semi-autonomous municipalities in Marion County, was 887,642. It is the 15th most populous city in the U.S., the third-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, Illinois and Columbus, Ohio, and the fourth-most populous state capital after Phoenix, Arizona; Austin, Texas; and Columbus. The Indianapolis metropolitan area is the 33rd most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., with 2,048,703 residents. Its combined statistical area ranks 28th, with a population of 2,431,361. Indianapolis covers 368 square miles (950 km2), making it the 16th largest city by land area in the U.S.
Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Delaware relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's. In 1821, Indianapolis was founded as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government. The city was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on a 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) grid next to the White River. Completion of the National and Michigan roads and arrival of rail later solidified the city's position as a manufacturing and transportation hub. Two of the city's nicknames reflect its historical ties to transportation—the "Crossroads of America" and "Railroad City". Since the 1970 city-county consolidation, known as Unigov, local government administration operates under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor.
Indianapolis anchors the 29th largest economic region in the U.S., based primarily on the sectors of finance and insurance, manufacturing, professional and business services, education and health care, government, and wholesale trade. The city has notable niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing. The city is home to three Fortune 500 companies, two major league sports clubs, four university campuses, and several museums, including the world's largest children's museum. However, the city is perhaps best known for annually hosting the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500. Among the city's historic sites and districts, Indianapolis is home to the largest collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war casualties in the U.S. outside of Washington, D.C.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis_Motor_Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana (an enclave suburb of Indianapolis) in the United States. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and formerly the home of the United States Grand Prix. It is the largest sports venue in the world. It is located on the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road, approximately six miles (10 km) west of Downtown Indianapolis.
Constructed in 1909, it is the second purpose-built, banked oval racing circuit after Brooklands and the first to be called a 'speedway'. It is the third-oldest permanent automobile race track in the world, behind Brooklands and the Milwaukee Mile. With a permanent seating capacity of 257,325, it is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world.
Considered relatively flat by American standards, the track is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) rectangular oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since its construction. It has two 5⁄8-mile-long (1,000 m) straightaways, four geometrically identical 1⁄4-mile (400 m) turns, connected by two 1⁄8-mile (200 m) short straightaways, termed "short chutes", between turns 1 and 2, and between turns 3 and 4.
A modern, FIA Grade One infield road course was completed in 2000, incorporating part of the oval, including the main stretch and the southeast turn, measuring 2.605 miles (4.192 km). In 2008, and again in 2014, the road course layout was modified to accommodate motorcycle racing, as well as to improve competition. Altogether, the current grounds have expanded from an original 320 acres (1.3 km2) on which the speedway was first built to cover an area of over 559 acres (2.3 km2). Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, it is the only such site to be affiliated with automotive racing history.
In addition to the Indianapolis 500, the speedway also hosts NASCAR's Verizon 200 and Pennzoil 150. From 2000 to 2007, the speedway hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix, and from 2008 to 2015 the Moto GP.
On the grounds of the speedway is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which opened in 1956, and houses the Hall of Fame. The museum moved into its current building located in the infield in 1976. Also on the grounds is the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort, which originally opened as the Speedway Golf Course in 1929. The golf course has 14 holes outside the track, along the backstretch, and four holes in the infield. The site is among the most visited attractions in Indianapolis, with 1 million guests annually. The speedway has served as the venue for the opening ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games. The track is nicknamed "The Brickyard" (see below), and the garage area is known as Gasoline Alley.
On November 4, 2019, Hulman & Company announced the sale of its company, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IndyCar Series and associated enterprises to Penske Corporation, owned by Roger Penske.
HAPPY VALLEY RACE TRACK
Fodor's Review:
Hong Kong punters are the world's most avid horse-racing fans, and the track in Happy Valley—opened in 1845, soon after the British first arrived in the territory—is one of their headquarters (the other being the newer, larger track in Sha Tin, in the New Territories). Races alternate between the tracks but are generally held in Happy Valley on Wednesday night or weekends from September through June.
The joy of the Happy Valley track, even for those who aren't into horses, is that it's smack in the middle of the city and surrounded by towering apartment blocks—indeed, people whose balconies hang over the backstretch often have parties on racing days.