Auto Racing At Old Driller's Stadium

[Conan71]

I honestly didn't see this going anywhere when I first heard it, but I know the promoter is very well thought of by the fair board and he annually brings in millions upon millions with his Shootout and Chili Bowl promotions at the QT Center.

According to KRMG this morning, this issue has died.  Not entirely surprising considering neighbors were turning out strongly against it. 

IMO, mostly due to incorrect assumptions about the kinds of people midget and micro midget racing draws, and the noise levels.  I had read comments on the TW web site about all the "seedy people" racing attracts, how they would race until 1am (I believe this was a problem they dealt with in the early 1970's by slapping a 10:30 curfew on racing, no races could start after 10:30, that is still observed with indoor racing), no one would be able to hear their TV set.  Micro midgets use 600 cc motorcycle engines which are no louder than the crotch rockets I hear scream down the BA Expressway from early spring until late fall and the mufflers would have been policed tightly.  They also had proposed doing this during the fair which is 10 days of bright lighting and noise in the first place.  I've not heard near as much complaints about the possibility of doing outdoor concerts at the stadium which arguably, would create equal or higher amounts of noise. 

To my knowledge, when the USAC Silver Crown series raced on the FM track in 2003 and the Silver Crown series and sprint cars returned in 2004, there were no complaints about noise.  The reason they never returned afterwards was the crappy racing surface and the expense of modifying the track to make it safe for 120 MPH racing.

Now perhaps they will move forward with this as a soccer and college/amateur level baseball/softball venue.  In talking with one of the county commissioners I was told so long as the stadium can remain at least revenue neutral (politicspeak for "break-even") no one has a problem with using this as a roundball sports venue.  One of our forum members could use all our support in bringing soccer to the stadium.

[Townsend]

A concern I had about the racing there on  weeknights:

Ever leave an action movie as a youngster feeling like you could do the stuff the hero was able to do in the movie?

Some of the race fans leave races believing their vehicles are able to do things they are not.  They also leave the races believing they, as drivers, are able to do things they can't.  I saw a big chance they'd be "racing" near my home.

As per the 10:30 race time?  How long would the race have lasted and then when would all these fans be leaving?  I'm in bed before that most nights and I don't want to hear those straight pipes that some of our race fans run blaring by at 11:00 or later when I have to get up at 5:00am.

I hear the crotch rockets screaming by late at night too and it bugs my solitude.  Think about how loud those guys would be screaming by our streets on Yale heading to the BA and then opening up to "race" on the entrance ramp.

Pass

OK, my old man'ness has started to creep in.

[RecycleMichael]

I would buy a soccer team if I had the cash and bring it to the stadium. I think pro soccer has great potential in Tulsa and the Expo stadium would be a great fit.

There are hundreds of kids soccer teams in Tulsa playing every weekend at dozens of fields. Having those families coming to the fairgrounds to see professionals play would be very cool.

[Conan71]

A concern I had about the racing there on  weeknights:

Ever leave an action movie as a youngster feeling like you could do the stuff the hero was able to do in the movie?

Some of the race fans leave races believing their vehicles are able to do things they are not.  They also leave the races believing they, as drivers, are able to do things they can't.  I saw a big chance they'd be "racing" near my home.

As per the 10:30 race time?  How long would the race have lasted and then when would all these fans be leaving?  I'm in bed before that most nights and I don't want to hear those straight pipes that some of our race fans run blaring by at 11:00 or later when I have to get up at 5:00am.

I hear the crotch rockets screaming by late at night too and it bugs my solitude.  Think about how loud those guys would be screaming by our streets on Yale heading to the BA and then opening up to "race" on the entrance ramp.

Pass

OK, my old man'ness has started to creep in.

No more so than what you experience of the now six days of the Chili Bowl or the Tulsa Shootout, or people leaving the fairgrounds during the fair at 11pm causing problems now which is virtually nil.  Race fans are no more prone to acting like idiots on the street than any other driver.  I've been in and around auto racing for 35 years as a fan, driver, car owner, and track publicist so it's a subject I feel pretty confident discussing.

As someone else who lives close to the fairgrounds I'm more concerned about drunken red necks and gang-bangers running around after the fair (come on, we all have our stereotypes )

I honestly felt it was a moot point when I first heard of the proposal mainly due to incorrect stereo-typing and suppositions about the noise being any greater than the fair, a drillers game, or outdoor concert.

[we vs us]

As someone who lives four blocks from Ye Olde Driller's Stadium, and who can hear the midget cars from his front porch during Chili Bowl weekend, I vote a resounding "hell no."  A roofless venue for those damn things would be just about unbearable, soundwise. 

[Townsend]

I honestly felt it was a moot point when I first heard of the proposal mainly due to incorrect stereo-typing and suppositions about the noise being any greater than the fair, a drillers game, or outdoor concert.

I hold my stereotype as true due to lack of knowledge.

You might be correct but I have an onramp near my home that is used by loud pipe enthusiasts and I wouldn't want more.

[Conan71]

I hold my stereotype as true due to lack of knowledge.

You might be correct but I have an onramp near my home that is used by loud pipe enthusiasts and I wouldn't want more.

I was curious if many others in our area heard the future organ donors on crotch rockets screaming down the BA, the city should step up patrols on there if they want to increase revenues so bad and rid the rest of us from a dangerous nuisance.  I think they are worse than the Harleys were leaving Ed's Hurricane lounge at 2am when I lived by 15 & Hahvahd. 

[JeffM]

One of our forum members could use all our support in bringing soccer to the stadium.

Unfortunately, I haven't yet reached "critical mass" to be called 'the Dan P Holmes' of pro soccer'......

Right now, everything's in "old Mickey Rooney movie mode"    

World Cup coming up soon..... NASL brass are waiting for the right timing to fly to Tulsa to speak with county officials....... c'mon sevens.... July will mark the 10th year anniversary of "USRufnex"....

[Hoss]

I was curious if many others in our area heard the future organ donors on crotch rockets screaming down the BA, the city should step up patrols on there if they want to increase revenues so bad and rid the rest of us from a dangerous nuisance.  I think they are worse than the Harleys were leaving Ed's Hurricane lounge at 2am when I lived by 15 & Hahvahd. 

There are two problems with that thinking, C...

1.  The cops wouldn't be able to catch or get a license number from the cycle.
2.  You can't collect ticket revenue from dead people.

Don't disagree with you at all.  But thinking realistically for the most part.

[Conan71]

There are two problems with that thinking, C...

1.  The cops wouldn't be able to catch or get a license number from the cycle.
2.  You can't collect ticket revenue from dead people.

Don't disagree with you at all.  But thinking realistically for the most part.

They usually collect with a snow shovel is my understanding

[Hoss]

They usually collect with a snow shovel is my understanding

Just wrong, man...wow!

[Gaspar]

They usually collect with a snow shovel is my understanding

In the old days when we used to go pick em up they were quite squishy and messy (I used to work on a bambalance), but I understand that the new cycle body armor that most of the crotch-rocket crowd is now wearing helps keep the kidneys and heart nice and fresh, but the liver is still easily damaged.  They need to work on that (for us Marshall's fans). 

The helmets only protect that which is already obviously damaged. 

[DolfanBob]

Is falling off a Harley without a helmet, That much better than flying off a hyper bike with a helmet ?

[custosnox]

Ya know, if I ever get to the point of being able to afford a crotch rocket, I just might take offense to some of these comments... maybe

[buckeye]

You guys are fuddy-duddies.    You all know you live in a city, right?

Frankly, I can't see a midget-racing redneck crowd as any less desirable than the WalMart Neighborhood Market crowd that's right across the street.