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Topic: Taft Stadium
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Page 1 of 1 of 12 replies
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December 26, 2011 at
04:48:39 AM
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Our Oklahoma City leaders with all of their knowledge now wish to get rid of Taft Stadium.
I do not even know what to say on this one.
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December 26, 2011 at
11:12:08 PM
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Changing the course of history. Soon they will say there was never any dirt track racing in the OKC area.
Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes
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December 26, 2011 at
11:17:08 PM
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The original fairgrounds over on Martin Luther King is gone.
Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes
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December 27, 2011 at
01:01:29 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: uncle a on December 26 2011 at 04:48:39 AM
Our Oklahoma City leaders with all of their knowledge now wish to get rid of Taft Stadium.
I do not even know what to say on this one.
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Destroying Taft Stadium would be a devasting blow to the history of sports in OKC. Its a one of kind structure. And as a race track was fundamental in the development of several great racing stars. Included in that group would be Lloyd Ruby, Jud Larson, Bud Camden, Cotton Musick, Marcel St. Cricq, Buzz Barton, Cecil Green, Jimmy Reece, and of course owner and racer John Zink. Some of the greatest midget racers in the nation competed against these drivers in midget racings hey day at Taft
After World War ll. Included in this group were stars that included, Rex Easton, Jerry Hoyt, Iron Mike Nazruk, Cal Niday, and the last winner in USAC Midgets in 1962, the great Jimmie Davies. In the 1950's the Jalopies became incredibly popular at Taft, and the track hosted the first "Nationals" that would move to Hutch and become the biggest race in the history of modified racing in the South Central Region. I remember as a kid going to the Fairgrounds for races and my dad pointing out Taft Stadium, and him telling me what a special place it had been to racing.
Ray C
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January 18, 2012 at
09:48:15 PM
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When I heard that Slick Mick was planning to "renovate" Speegle Stadium (Capitol Hill) and Taft Stadium, I alerted my brothers who fancy themselves as amateur historians and we made a pilgrimage over the holiday break to photograph and document the facilities before the dozers moved in.
When we got to Speegle, we happened to run into a couple of maintenance workers (who wondered what we were doing prowling around!) After we explained what we were doing, they told us that the renovation at Speegle and Taft was going to happen, but at least at Speegle, the WPA built rock wall was not going to be removed, only cleaned and repaired. Only the south bleachers were to be moved, new press box, field upgrades, blah, blah, blah. They didn't elaborate on the plan for Taft, but if they value the rock fence around Speegle so much surely they would recognize the importance of the the rock facade of Taft.
If they do decide to level the place, there definitely needs to be a racer reunion and demonstration race.
HM
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January 19, 2012 at
08:31:27 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: helper monkey on January 18 2012 at 09:48:15 PM
When I heard that Slick Mick was planning to "renovate" Speegle Stadium (Capitol Hill) and Taft Stadium, I alerted my brothers who fancy themselves as amateur historians and we made a pilgrimage over the holiday break to photograph and document the facilities before the dozers moved in.
When we got to Speegle, we happened to run into a couple of maintenance workers (who wondered what we were doing prowling around!) After we explained what we were doing, they told us that the renovation at Speegle and Taft was going to happen, but at least at Speegle, the WPA built rock wall was not going to be removed, only cleaned and repaired. Only the south bleachers were to be moved, new press box, field upgrades, blah, blah, blah. They didn't elaborate on the plan for Taft, but if they value the rock fence around Speegle so much surely they would recognize the importance of the the rock facade of Taft.
If they do decide to level the place, there definitely needs to be a racer reunion and demonstration race.
HM
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agreed. I have had some emails expressing interest in a Taft Stadium reunion.
How do we make this happen? Join together and make it happen! That's how!
Shane is interested in leading the charge, but we need voices expressing interest that cannot be denied.
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January 19, 2012 at
06:40:53 PM
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Looking on-line for communication about Taft Stadium renovation, I am amazed at the number of people on message boards that are still whining about the noise they remember from races at Taft. IT'S BEEN 50 YEARS! Get over it! You won! We don't race there anymore, or anywhere for that matter.
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January 20, 2012 at
10:07:22 AM
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Seems to me OKC has it in for every older building in the Metro, unless someone or private money comes along to restore it or renovate it and if that does not happen then they want it gone so they can tear it down and build something new, seen OKC Mayor on OKC TV stations this morn. saying how OKC is getting known for a big league city and how he thinks the OKC Thunder Pro B Ball team will help it along and bring it national recognition. Then I read in Daily Okla. newspaper several days ago that OKC still not getting recognized for the so called Big League City Status.Just curious of how much time and money does it take to become a Big League City???.
Racing in Okla. (All Over) has suffered with race tracks in major cities shutting down except for Lawton Speedway and right now it has the most stable/best weekly show in the state or it did in 2011. Reason it has over a 100,000 folks to draw from and most of it's crowd does not have to travel, right there close to town.
I always have said that the only folks in this state that have the loot to build a race track and NOT have to worry about finances are the Indian Casino's , an individual who tries to build a track has to worry about the long term investment and usually individuals that have money want a quick turnaround in profit for their investment and that just won't happen building a race track in this day and time.
Heard about the new track going in up south of Bartlesville , Ok. and a guy with a Late Model Sanc. group along with Osage Indian tribe/casino has interests in it. So that tells me that track has a better chance of making it with Tribe money behind it.
The Chickasaw tribe in south central Okla. have 2 of the largest casino's in the state Winstar and Riverwind and their headquarters is in Ada , Ok. they also purchased Remington Park and have renovated it and helped Horse Racing survive at the place, often wondered why someone had not approached them about building a Dirt Racing Facility and then you think about it and I guess they really don't need it , but IF they would build one, I bet it would compare to any of the ISC Dirt Facilities at TMS or Charlotte or Las Vegas and I would model it off of Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland , Mizzou. which is the Diamond of Dirt Tracks and fortunate to have been there once and it is definately a great facility. Sure wish they would build one close around the Metro OKC area it would sure help the state of racing right now, which is pretty bleak.
J.D.
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January 20, 2012 at
08:22:27 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: jdsprint71 on January 20 2012 at 10:07:22 AM
Seems to me OKC has it in for every older building in the Metro, unless someone or private money comes along to restore it or renovate it and if that does not happen then they want it gone so they can tear it down and build something new, seen OKC Mayor on OKC TV stations this morn. saying how OKC is getting known for a big league city and how he thinks the OKC Thunder Pro B Ball team will help it along and bring it national recognition. Then I read in Daily Okla. newspaper several days ago that OKC still not getting recognized for the so called Big League City Status.Just curious of how much time and money does it take to become a Big League City???.
Racing in Okla. (All Over) has suffered with race tracks in major cities shutting down except for Lawton Speedway and right now it has the most stable/best weekly show in the state or it did in 2011. Reason it has over a 100,000 folks to draw from and most of it's crowd does not have to travel, right there close to town.
I always have said that the only folks in this state that have the loot to build a race track and NOT have to worry about finances are the Indian Casino's , an individual who tries to build a track has to worry about the long term investment and usually individuals that have money want a quick turnaround in profit for their investment and that just won't happen building a race track in this day and time.
Heard about the new track going in up south of Bartlesville , Ok. and a guy with a Late Model Sanc. group along with Osage Indian tribe/casino has interests in it. So that tells me that track has a better chance of making it with Tribe money behind it.
The Chickasaw tribe in south central Okla. have 2 of the largest casino's in the state Winstar and Riverwind and their headquarters is in Ada , Ok. they also purchased Remington Park and have renovated it and helped Horse Racing survive at the place, often wondered why someone had not approached them about building a Dirt Racing Facility and then you think about it and I guess they really don't need it , but IF they would build one, I bet it would compare to any of the ISC Dirt Facilities at TMS or Charlotte or Las Vegas and I would model it off of Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland , Mizzou. which is the Diamond of Dirt Tracks and fortunate to have been there once and it is definately a great facility. Sure wish they would build one close around the Metro OKC area it would sure help the state of racing right now, which is pretty bleak.
J.D.
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I've had the same thought with regard to Indian Casinos and racetracks.
The Winstar and the old Thackerville track are awfully close together ...
The Riverwind and I-35 Speedway ...
HM
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January 20, 2012 at
09:04:39 PM
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Thackerville flooded just as easy as the willingness of the locals wanting to take a swing at you.LOL
A recent HS basketball game down there indicates Thackerville hasn't changed too much since the casino came in.
Yet, good security and a nice facility would not hurt a thing.
I did like Thackerville raceway though. Thought it was cool to be by the railroad tracks and the interstate at the same time! Dirt walls though, from what i remember.
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January 20, 2012 at
11:56:56 PM
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Seems it would almost have to be Riverwind on I-35 south OKC Metro or Firelake I-40 east OKC Metro, Winstar could build it and throw the loot at it , just don't believe the place would survive over the long haul,need a large metropolitan city in close proximity to draw from both fans and racers.
J.D.
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January 21, 2012 at
02:53:59 PM
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Thackerville would actually step on Ardmore. Probably wouldn't draw from North Texas as they've got several options now in Dallas/Ft Worth (Devil's Bowl, Cowtown, Kennedale, Grand Prairie, Boyd, etc.)
Firelake would step on Brill.
Of course, being a Norman boy, I'd be partial to opening the old Norman Speedway (Goldsby) again. The Hamms still own the property...
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January 21, 2012 at
10:33:56 PM
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I would be partial to south on I-35 by Norman as well, just got to keep as close to OKC as possible.
J.D.
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