Ram#9 Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 i'm in!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Y'all don't even need to jump the fence. I have a gate key that still works, I think. It never got changed. Now, if we get thrown in jail for trespassing, who's gonna bail us out? Pick a Saturday night during off season, a little after midnight, but before "closing time/last call". At least that's how it worked in the late '60s at the old Almeda Spdwy (5/8 mile) dirt track across the road from the Sugar Shack. I mean, uh, at least that's what I heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 the first time Longhorn closed, me add a few buddies would go run some "pace laps" @ the track after midnight. seems we always had the urge after a few diet cokes, I wonder how no one ever stopped to investigate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ddavidchris Posted January 27, 2008 Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 I'm in!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debwill Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 This statement was in my horoscope today: Having a positive attitude will attract positive people to you, and make your name the first name on everyone's lips when they are in search of a partner in (fun) crime. Maybe it's time to put a plan in place . . . Mrs. Carlson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I heard that! Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I highly doubt someone would have a problem with a few people going and taking pictures of a shut down racetrack. Probably be good to ask permission 1st...if that don't work I got a set of keys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I hate to rain on the parade, but once that kind of thing starts, where does it stop? They finally had to dig trenches across the straights at Pan Am after it closed because folks kept taking their street cars out there and running on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 gosh budman when did you become a rain man just joking i do believe that no one would mind someone taking pictures of the speedway but it would be better to make a phone call first then after the police are there. but with all that said I would love to see so pictures of track now. good luck to who ever goes out there to take them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Now I get it. You folks were talking about a "closed no longer in operation" race track... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted January 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Now I get it. You folks were talking about a "closed no longer in operation" race track... Yessir, Hwy 16 or SAS as it was last known closed early last year. I am planning to go out and take some pics as it looks now; much like I did with the Pan AM 2005 pics. We won't go into why SAS closed, we will just remember the great times it gave us for 30 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Now I get it. You folks were talking about a "closed no longer in operation" race track... Yessir, Hwy 16 or SAS as it was last known closed early last year. I am planning to go out and take some pics as it looks now; much like I did with the Pan AM 2005 pics. We won't go into why SAS closed, we will just remember the great times it gave us for 30 years. I was paying attention to the "sneaking in" part Tom. Over in Almeda in the late '60s, after spending a couple of hours at the Sugar Shack across the road from the track, we didn't need any more "pitchers"! As for SAS, when I read about the closing it was hard for me to believe. I have to wonder why someone at one time was able to build/operate the facility, but now it appears impossible. What changed? Cars too expensive? Spectators/fans too few? Concessions/facilities not up to par? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then why? But, I'm afraid there are bigger picture problems as well that I won't opine on here. I kind of understand the Meyer Spdwy demise, after only 20 yrs. HMP is a very nice facility, much nicer than JFMS, but a little hard to find if you're not familiar with the area. In any event, the cars, fans, and the world has changed. Some changes are better, some not. Just an opinion, got one of those too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debwill Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Retrott, I can give you the facts about the closure of San Antonio Speedway (SAS). The land was leased and under the management of United States Racing Association (USRA) prior to its closure. Terry Dickerson was the head of USRA, and he made several attempts to purchase the land - with no success. Following the addition of a new Toyota facility nearby, the area was rezoned and became regulated by the city of San Antonio (formerly under county regulations). The city inspected the grandstand side of the track right after the 2007 season began. SAS did not do well on the inspections - failed most of them. To get into compliance, Dickerson would have to spend almost $100K, while not owning the land. And the pit and parking areas hadn't even been inspected yet. It was a business decision to close. The closure was not due to the reasons you suggested. Things were actually getting better - more fans, more cars, more special events, etc. Again, the information is not rumor - it's fact. I was Vice President at SAS at the time, and Dickerson kept me in the loop while all of these events were occurring. It was a decision that was hard to make and certainly devastating for a lot of us. But I still feel it was the right decision under the circumstances. From what I understand, the land has still not been sold. I heard from a pretty good source that the landowner is wanting $10M for the land! YIKES!!! In the meantime, it just continues to deteriorate, and the weeds are getting higher. The facility has already been vandalized. It's sad to see SAS end this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Debbie... please stop confusing folks with the facts. Don't you know it's a whole lot more fun to come up with all kinds of juicy rumors as to why the place closed? Actually, and I heard this from a source, I believe the track actually closed because Iraq learned there was still a lot of crude oil under the property and are willing to pay up to $100 million for the mineral rights under the track property. But we all know, again from a very special source, that Toyota also wants the land to build a brand new half-mile, state-of-the art, indoor/outdoor stock car facility that can be converted from asphalt to dirt in a matter of a few hours using labor recruited from the flea market just up Highway 16. But, of course, alien spacecraft have been known to land near turn 3 every third Thursday of odd numbered months so probably the land is totally contaminated with Kryptonite or fuel additives. I've seen the aliens myself, but on Saturday nights only. But nobody believes me because the goofy looking aliens I saw look more like Jody Wayne Stuart than Oldtimer, which is how most folks describe these freaky-looking life forms. I think this makes a lot more sense than your far-fetched explanation, Debbie. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted February 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Lordy, Nick, Did we start on the liquid refreshments a little early today???!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debwill Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Nick, You crack me up. I'm sure everyone will like your story better than mine. I'm not sure if the crude oil under the track story is made up. I just wonder how much stuff was dumped in the pit area over the years. But you left out the part about the landowner's wife having an affair with the leasee's husband. That's not the real story either, but it adds a little more "spice" to your explanation. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Nick, You crack me up. I'm sure everyone will like your story better than mine. ....I DO ...EXCEPT WHERE NICK WATCHED TO MANY MAN IN BLACK MOVIES ..TO SAY JODY IS MORE ALIEN LOOKING OVER ME ..IS A DISCRACE .... I WORK HARD AT LOOKING THIS WAY ..I WANT TO...BE NUMBER ONE ... JODY IS GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE UP THE TITLE ..OR NICK NEEDS NEW CLASSES .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolliepollie Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Nick , and Debbie i,m with you I think we should vote Terry Dickerson for president!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Thanks Nick for making the truth known! I was begining to believe it would never come out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Nick , and Debbie i,m with you I think we should vote Terry Dickerson for president!!! Don't know about all that Mr. Boyd, but as we speak SAS sits. Lack of interest in racing in SA is why there is no racing. If the stands could be packed and pits full we wouldn't be having this discussion, but things aren't perfect. There is a reason why we have no racing...maybe some day someone with a lot of money will step up and be willing to spend it...until then we will be at smokin alley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Debbie, So the property became too valuable for short track independent auto racing? If that's the case, who was the property owner in about '76/'77? Who owns it now? SAS/Hwy 16 out lasted Houston's Meyer Spdwy by about 10 yrs, so that should say something about popularity. Meyer Spdwy out lasted Houston's Playland Prk Spdwy, Arrowhead Spdwy, and North Houston Spdwy. As you probably know, the Houston Astroworld property became too valuable for an amusement park. I asked myself then and ask myself now, too valuable for what? On a positive note, Houston Motorsports Park began as Big H Motor Spdwy (dirt) over 30 yrs ago. In any event, thanks for the response and keep the local spdwys alive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 He does look kinda familiar. The 1977 track Champion at HWY 16. I also remember the other red car that was the 1977 track champion in the Limited class; the #81 of Steve Klestinec. The Labonte car you posted here was also the 1979 track champion with Slick Yoemans driving, and the first car to go over the fencing at HWy 16, when Slick went out of turn 1. It was rebuilt, and sold to Jerry Edwards who ran it for years. As I recall, the Meyer Spdwy/Houston Late Model '76 Championship was won by Terry Labonte in, I believe, the same car. As for Slick Yoemans going over the wall, was that '79? I'm thinking I was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Debbie, So the property became too valuable for short track independent auto racing? If that's the case, who was the property owner in about '76/'77? Who owns it now? SAS/Hwy 16 out lasted Houston's Meyer Spdwy by about 10 yrs, so that should say something about popularity. Meyer Spdwy out lasted Houston's Playland Prk Spdwy, Arrowhead Spdwy, and North Houston Spdwy. As you probably know, the Houston Astroworld property became too valuable for an amusement park. I asked myself then and ask myself now, too valuable for what? On a positive note, Houston Motorsports Park began as Big H Motor Spdwy (dirt) over 30 yrs ago. In any event, thanks for the response and keep the local spdwys alive! Let me see if I can answer your basic question: So the property became too valuable for short track independent auto racing? If that's the case, who was the property owner in about '76/'77? In '76/'77 there was nothing out there on Hwy 16 except Alamo Dragway. The property was owned, and is still owned by a family who had several oil wells on the property some time prior to Hwy 16 Raceway being built. This family leased the land to a group of racers who were very upset with the owner/promoter of Pan American Speedway, a great little quarter-mile track on the other end of town. This group built the track facilities, but did not own the property since it was a lease deal. When the track would change hands, the lease was re-worked in some form or other, but the property always has been owned by the same family. The value of the property suddenly escalated with the building of the huge Toyota production facility near the track. Sitting in the grandstands one can see the entire sprawling Toyota plant since it's less than a mile from the track. Part of the deal Toyota cut with San Antonio and Bexar County was that the area around the facility would be upgraded. Train tracks were laid, all the highways around the plant were dramatically transformed from lazy, pot-hole pocked country roads to major arteries, including the intersection just outside the SAS back gate. Of course, developers saw an opportunity to develop the area near the Toyota plant and most of the property around the plant was suddenly worth a great deal of money. And with their intense interest in the immediate area, the city - instead of the usual lackadaisical county - suddenly showed up with a full crew of code inspectors. To make a long story short, the entire facility including the septic did not meet code and the track operator (remember, he does not own the property)would have to come up with a great deal of money to meet those codes in a very short time frame. Mr. Dickerson elected not to invest that much money in property he did not own. You may ask why didn't Mr. Dickerson try to buy the property. He did try. Many times. But each time the owners declined in spite of several very generous offers. As far as I know, the original owner still has not sold the property. OK, that's the history. But even more relevant right now is the fact that right across Watson Road from the track (a couple of hundred feet south of turn 1) there is a huge multi-use housing development going up. And across the road on Highway 16 there is a group attempting to put up a hotel. How long do you suppose a stock car track could co-exist with a hotel and a major housing development within a stone's throw? If history is any teacher, the answer would be, "not long." I have left out portions of the history where other track operators had the place between the original lease holder and Mr. Dickerson since it seems not particularly pertinent to this issue. Also, if you use the "Search" function at the top of this page, you will be able to locate many threads detailing the closing of SAS. Thanks for reading. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Nick, I wish I could type that fast! Thanks for the ownership details. With that information, everything else falls into place. Unless Toyota makes a substantial investment, property and political, it looks like time to be thankful for the memories, and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted February 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 As I recall, the Meyer Spdwy/Houston Late Model '76 Championship was won by Terry Labonte in, I believe, the same car. As for Slick Yoemans going over the wall, was that '79? I'm thinking I was there. Slick took that car over in 1980. He won the championship in it at HWY 16 in 1979, and they really didn't hurt the car that year. In 1981 and 1982, Slick raced mostly at Austin Longhorn on Friday nights, and Corpus Saturdays, and if I remember correctly, he won 4 championships those two years at those two tracks. After the car Slick took over the wall was rebuilt, it was sold to Jerry Edwards of Corpus, who ran it for a few more years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.