rebelracewriter Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 Hill Country Raceway, built to be a premier stock car dirt racetrack, is expected to open in Mountain Home next spring. In addition to cars, trucks, motorcyles, go carts and lawnmovers will compete at the track located at I-H 10 and Texas Highway 41. It will be more than a dirt track, however - its three-story building includes a restaurant, 10-room bed and breakfast, a game room with free pinball for kids and an announcers' booth on the top floor. The track is wheelchair-accessible, with ramps and a special viewing area for fans in wheelchairs. "I have a lot of friends in wheelchairs," said Armond Payne, owner and developer of the track. "It's a family-oriented place where everybody can come." Payne is marking his third year of working on the track this month. Inclement weather has pushed back the opening, which is now targeted for March, 2004. Payne owns Payne's Paving and Excavating in Ingram. He is also a dirt track racer: Yankee Payne of Payne's Gang Racing. "I've been doing this stuff since I was 16 years old," he said. Payne, his wife Melissa, and other family and friends are doing most of the work on the track themselves. "Melissa, myself and the kids have pretty much put everything together. I've had help with the main structure, but I've engineered all of it myself," he said. "Building this thing is a dream I've had for 20 years. There are several of us in the Hill Country who have had to drive 100 to 300 miles to race." Payne and his wife said that while the track has been under construction, passersby have speculated on what it would be. Guesses have included that the sunken quarter-mile oval track was going to be a pond for fishing tournaments and even a camel-racing track. "While I've been building it, I've been doing it out of pocket," he added. "When I finish it, I want to own it; I don't want to owe." Payne said he is working with area ranchers - some want to board hunters in the bed and breakfast rooms during deer season, and some see the track as an ideal place for livestock sales. It's unlikely the track will stand idle between racing seasons. Payne said he has been approached by radio and television stations about using the track for music concerts, ministers have inquired about it, and one person asked about having a birthday party there. There already have been two weddings performed at the track for couples from Fort Worth and Austin. "It's just endless," Payne said of possible uses for the facility. But racing is its purpose, and the track is expected to draw cars and drivers from all over the state. The racing season will run from the latter part of March through September. Races will be run primarily on Saturday night, Payne said, but that's subject to change once he sees how the operation works out and what drivers and fans want. Plans now are for IMCA (International Motor Contest Association)-sanctioned modified races, with Rookie, Street Stock, Sportsmen and Late Model Car classes. A typical evening of racing will start about 7:30 and be over at 11. There will be heat races where cars will qualify for the paid, feature races, and go-kart, motorcycle and lawn mower races in between. Payne said there are at most a half dozen dirt tracks still operating in Texas. "I want to bring dirt track racing back to Texas ... other tracks have messed it up so bad," he said. Some tracks he's raced at, he said, announce a certain prize before the race, but then cut the purse in half. His intention, he said, is to "keep the pay the same every night we run." Hill Country Raceway will be a driver-friendly track. The drivers' payout will be made through the facility, and will not depend on the car count. "The drivers have a lot of money invested in their cars; let's keep driver and pit fees down," he said. "Why make the driver pay?" Cars and drivers will be introduced in a lane in front of the grandstands, and their sponsors will be recognized. This advertising, Payne said, will help drivers pick up sponsors to help with the expenses of owning a race car. "It takes a lot ... to keep that car up," he said. "A racer is just a different breed. He's a whole different cat. That's what the whole thing is ... the edge." Noting that 16-year-olds will be able to race, Payne said he hopes the track will get youngsters interested in the sport. "Who knows? Maybe there is another Sammy Swindel, Karl or Steve Kinser, Bobby or Terry Labonte in the Hill Country," he said. "It could keep a lot of kids out of trouble." Hill Country Raceway also builds stock cars, motors and will be selling new and used parts. Rules of the classes of races to be run and photos of the track can be seen at the Web site www.hillcountryraceway.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted October 18, 2003 Report Share Posted October 18, 2003 i hope that it was a typo or a miss quote on only 6 tracks in Texas there's more than that in the Dallas area last count i saw was 33 in TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelracewriter Posted October 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 LOL I don't know where that number came from either!! But I didn't write it, so who knows what was really meant, maybe south/central Texas????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerneracehounds50 Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 reb,you posted it and signed it jm hollis ratt traxx,and you never acknowleged where or who wrote this,seems to me that is plagiarism,thats a pretty serious offense,maybe you need to talk to Albert Flores for tips.Bet ratt traxx would find this intresting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 BRH50, In the title to Reb's Hill Country Raceway post, Reb clearly states that it is a "Hill Counrty Raceway Press Release." If your intent on posting here is to attack other people, including myself, may I suggest you find some place else to post? Thank you for your understanding. By the way, Reb's name is J. M. Hallas, not jm hollis. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerneracehounds50 Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Well that is one thing Mr Holt [Comment removed by Nick Holt, 10/23/03] have to insult the others about their typo's or misspelled words. As for "press release"...Mr.Hallas likes to add press release to alot of his post,(also on other forums) [comment edited out by Nick Holt, 10/23/03] If this was a press relese then by who?????? Its not Mr. Payne,because Mr Payne is being quoted in many responces,if it is indeed a press release then a release by who? and you dont put your signature at the bottom of it. Mr Holt,if you consider the truth an attack,well my deepest apologies to you for hurting your feelings. Jason,my apologies to you also ,...I did not know this was YOUR site,with Mr Holt acting as the wardon some must assume it was his,now I have never met you Jason,which I hope to have the pleasure some day ,you do have a fine site,but as even Rebel told me on the phone one time and I quote"this site is some what of a asphalt ckick,you kinda really have to be in the click to be on here" unquote,and others have expressed that was there feelings also to me at different tracks,but thats ok...its your site and you can relate and respond to those who you wish,that might be why there are only 501 members in a 2 million S.Texas Population.I hope you take this as constuctive criticism and not an attack as there are others in South Texas who might like to join in your forum,again its a good forum,I just dont think the dirt people really fit in here,or those not directly with one of the asphalt tracks around.JMO... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 I can handle you bashing me, BHR50, but you are not permitted to bash others on this forum. That is why I deleted a portion of your post. Thank you for your understanding. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelracewriter Posted October 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Mike That "Press Release" was sent to me by Art Rodriguez and I had his permission to send it out. You should know that as I forwarded it directly to you! As for the author all he(Art) said when I inquired, was his name is Clint from the West Kerr Current paper. As I posted, But I didn't write it and my sig shows up automatically. So you had better get your facts straight before taking off on me. Since I have been told by our mutual friends that you have issues with me, why not be man enough to take them up with me? Instead of taking the back stabbing internet route. Or has the "Green Eyed Monster" got ya by the tongue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 There's a couple of things that i would like to know about H.C.R. 1 Is it really going to open this year 2 How are they going to get all the rocks out of the surface i was there a about a year ago there was a lot on the track 3 Where are they going to park the bigger rigs someone told me that they wanted them to park on the outside road and is therer room for them to turn around.Mr Payne you really have a pretty track but you have keep every dirt racer in the central TX. gussing or even as last yr. wanting us to reserve our numbers and then don,t open . I know that your trying to do this out of your pocket but alot of racers don't,we need and race on what sponosors give us which brings up my point If you can;t be sure when your going to open how can we tell our sponsors anything about your track.At this point i would like to say please run REAL late models and real late model rules like SUPR the class will grow alot faster. than the old heavy weight cars . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillcountry Raceway Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Ok Since there is so much mass confusion on the article. I Send the artcle to Mr. Hallas not Art Rodriguez, Art didnt have any thing to do with fowarding the artcle,It is our computor and I included My name on the bottom of the email I did not know it was going to be posted on here .Yes there is a typo and Yes the tack will open in Spring 2004. There is a machine called a rock picker that you take over the the area and it will pick up the rocks. The last load of dirt had rocks in it. But it will be taken care of I'm working for the Hill country raceway and i tryed to send the artcle to some people so they could see it . I hope you all can be a little more patient and quit jumping the gun on every little thing, in order to do a job and do it right it takes time , So lets act like adults and respect it other and we all can have fun racing ! Thank you Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Glenda, When you send a press release to a member of the press, the logical assumption would be that your release would get posted at various outlets, including Texas Speed Zone. Mr. Hallas, a member of the press, has been given full permission to post Press Releases to any section of the TSZ site. I fail to see where anyone was "jumping the gun on every little thing." If you do not wish your press releases released to the public, then why release them to members of the press? Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckLicata Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Very true, Mr. Holt... Glenda...It's great that you're working hard to get the word out on the track. However, to paraphrase what Nick is saying, if you're going to send out a press release, then you have to be accountable for the information in that release... As you've seen, quite a few people have started to send press releases (especially to TSZ) and I applaud everyone's efforts in that vein. However, it's advisable that you get someone who's got experience in that field to do releases, someone who can give you not only a professionally-written release but also can make sure you don't release anything that you don't want released, in the release.... Just my 2 cents... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted October 29, 2003 Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 Glenda Thanks for the info i hope that ya'll get the track open when will we know for sure and willthere be any test days. I noticed that you did not answer the question about the big rigs could you tell us about that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillcountry Raceway Posted October 29, 2003 Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 I will address Yankee on that and will get you an answer, I myself do'nt see a problem on the big rig,But will check it out to make sure i give you the right answer. As soon as I have info on the test days I will post them. You are more than welcome to come out to the Track and check it out on a Sat or Sunday and talk to Mr. Payne for he is out there with his family working most time til dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillcountry Raceway Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 I Spoke to Mr. Payne this morning an he stated there is apx. 11 acres of pit area, So there is no problem on parking big rigs or turning them around. I Will try to keep posting more info on the trackand get answers for your questions in a time'ly manner. Lets get ready to RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do IT IN THE DIRT Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.