Jump to content

what if


ups88john

Recommended Posts

Okay, Big John, what's going on with SAS? Gerald (Papa) just posted some pictures yesterday in Texas Racing History section. They show the For Sale signs. I haven't even heard any rumors about it lately.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, Big John, what's going on with SAS? Gerald (Papa) just posted some pictures yesterday in Texas Racing History section. They show the For Sale signs. I haven't even heard any rumors about it lately.

 

look at the time he posted this, i'm sure beer had nothing to do with this. ;) BUT if it were to reopen i would have a car out there in a hurry :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry but I just don't believe it will ever happen although it would be a great thing but iI for one am not going to get my hopes up. :(:blink::unsure:

 

 

 

 

SAD THING IS SOME OF US HAVE NEVER LET OUR HOPES DOWN :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:P We would definately have 3 cars there, possibly 4 if they included a rookie mini stock class. I enjoyed the line up that included the Super Street Stocks. This class was a good competitive class and that 1/2 mile was just too much fun!!! Our Late Model class was the best in the area. I know that there are alot of race cars and "Late Model" type of cars just sitting around collecting dust. I miss seeing the Super Late Model races too!!! Every time a post is placed on here about SAS, I personally get a little "giddy" about the possibility of the return of the SAS days. Damn, I need to hit the lottery!!!

Lenny66 B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd give my eye teeth to see SAS re-open. But it will take someone willing to invest several million bucks and the good sense to call Rick Day before he writes that check...

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The wife and I walked around the track a couple a weeks ago and suprisingly the track itself is in pretty good shape. All the wireing for the lights have been stripped out and all the doors are kicked in along with the normal graffiti from the local taggers. Im guessing it would take about $350,000 to get it back in shape to race on and handle the spectators. Its such a shame such a premier track in south texas is turning to dust. I would be there in a minute to help get it back in shape and volunteer as much of my time as possible to make it happen. Id be on the starting lineup for sure as well as most of the guys I know racing from SA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

;) If it mean't the reopening of SAS, I'd volunteer my time to help with the track if it were needed. It is a shame to see that track sitting there with no activity of any kind. We can only sit and wait to see if someone steps up with the desire & funding to take this on. Of course the city would probably want to get it's hand in the pot. I know this topic gets beaten to death, but until it is bulldozed or flattened out, there might just be a chance!!! Don't cost anything to dream. Lenny66 B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Big John,

 

Then help me understand why you started this thread? I thought maybe you knew something that I didn't know.

 

Rick (Day) and I were talking about it this morning, and we thought it's interesting that the asking price is now less than what Terry (Dickerson) had offered. Of course, less acrege is being offered, but I think they would throw in the remaining acres for that $5.7M that was up for grabs before the closure of SAS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The San Antonio code inspectors identified a lot of systems at the track that had to be brought up to code. TD would probably still have all the paperwork the inspectors left behind that fateful spring day, but Debbie, Rick and several others were round and about when all this transpired, so if mis-state something, hopefully one of them will correct me.

 

As I recall, TD was given six months to get the following areas up to code or the place would be condemned. And, no, there was no provision for "grandfathering" any of these systems.

 

1) the septic system

2) the electric system

3) all the rest rooms

4) all the concession areas that served food or drink

5) certain portions of the grandstands (mostly wooden planks as I recall, but maybe some structual components as well)

6) both the mens' and ladies' rest rooms in the pits

 

There were probably other things on that list, but my feeble brain can't come up with the rest...

 

I hesitate to venture a wild guess, but I'd say it would take way more than the $350k mentioned earlier in this thread to get the actual facility up to code.

 

Then, of course, there is question of how to finance the actual purchase of the land. Most banks would not grant a loan to put up a new short track even if the land were already purchased. No bank would fund a multi-million dollar project to refurbish an existing track with a less than healthy financial history over the previous 20 years.

 

Not only that, but a bank loan would require an EPA inspection which the place would fail. So.. ad a million or two more to remove all the heavy metal, oil (that land was an oil field before SAS leased the land), and fuel that soaked the area from a big leak in the underground gas tank.

 

So, we're looking for someone with enough resources to obtain the property without having to go through an EPA inspection that a bank would require and enough left over to rebuild all the infrastructure to bring the old gal back to life.

 

Is it worth it? Yep. To me it is. But I can't even come up with next month's house payment so someone else is going to have to step up in a mighty big way.

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that being said, we need to make THR, HMP & CC thrive before they end up in the same boat. I'd like to see her open again but it sure would be a tough sell..

 

 

Rodney you beat me to what I was gonna say. And I say this as gently as I can. Support the track that is open or it may go away and you have no place to race. I get so tired of these threads talking about how if this track reopens and that track reopens. And this late model or that late model will come out. If they are out there, they should come race now. They have a track to race at. If one of the old ones opened, do you really think they would come race if they are not racing now. Probably not. SAS & Longhorn are the main ones I am talking about. I know so many people have WONDERFUL memories from the old tracks. I have a hundred and one million great memories of my old home track Longhorn. Why can't we just support the great track we do have open now. I feel like everyone that came from SAS was welcomed with open arms and I still feel that way. To me, they are part of the THR family now.

 

Ok, I know I have probably made some people mad. So I will say I am sorry for that right now. Bash me if you want. I am a big girl and I can handle it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that being said, we need to make THR, HMP & CC thrive before they end up in the same boat. I'd like to see her open again but it sure would be a tough sell..

 

 

Rodney you beat me to what I was gonna say. And I say this as gently as I can. Support the track that is open or it may go away and you have no place to race. I get so tired of these threads talking about how if this track reopens and that track reopens. And this late model or that late model will come out. If they are out there, they should come race now. They have a track to race at. If one of the old ones opened, do you really think they would come race if they are not racing now. Probably not. SAS & Longhorn are the main ones I am talking about. I know so many people have WONDERFUL memories from the old tracks. I have a hundred and one million great memories of my old home track Longhorn. Why can't we just support the great track we do have open now. I feel like everyone that came from SAS was welcomed with open arms and I still feel that way. To me, they are part of the THR family now.

 

Ok, I know I have probably made some people mad. So I will say I am sorry for that right now. Bash me if you want. I am a big girl and I can handle it.

 

You hit the nail on the head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nick, you're really close on your summary of the SAS closure.

 

The possible (probable) annexation of Thunderhill Raceway into the Kyle city limits is another factor that's looming on the horizon.

 

During a Kyle Chamber function last week, I had the opportunity to visit with the Kyle mayor and one of the city council members regarding this issue. Both of them assured me that the track would be grandfathered, so hopefully that will be the case. Until it happens, we're doing all we can to position ourselves politically in the community as a good corporate citizen. City taxes will be an added expense for the track, but hopefully the benefits will exceed the cost.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...