Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Does anybody out there know what is really going on with the Napa County Fairgrounds and Calistoga Speedway? It seems that somebody is building a case against the Speedway's existence. I'm not sure ultimately who is behind this, there's talk of a Hotel being built but I can't say that's factual. I can't for the life of me figure out how to create a link to some of the information that I have read, but I can tell you that that at least a couple of the Fairground Board of Directors does care about the speedway and has been sending updates the Legends of Calistoga Speedway facebook page. Please follow their page for more information. Also, you can visit www.napacountyfairgrounds.org/association/index.html#Board_of_Directors. You can scroll down and access the meeting agendas and minutes from April (and other months), if you click on supporting documents you'll find some unsettling information. Basically, a consultant has deemed the Speedway to be "not good usage of the land".

Closing Calistoga Speedway would be devastating to sprint car racing in California, and I have no idea what can be done about it. Does anybody?

letters can be emailed to the Napa County Fair Board in care of [email protected].

Please, if you have a moment, take some time to let them know how you feel about Calistoga Speedway and to show your support. 

Just sent a tactful long letter to Carlene and Calistoga Fair Board.  We cant lose this track period!  Too much vested and history will be lost. We the fans have to spend an hour and write a well thought out email and voice our dismay and frustration with this continous threat of closing Calistoga Speedway.  I hate to say this but it needs said so I will,  All you racers and owners who cry and complain about Calistoga being a tire and motor killer and have elected to stop attending and participating in these events are hurting your own cause and your seeing the long term effect.  Write the damn Speedway and voice your concerns or lose another great track.  Choice is ours.  By the way I hope the Abreau Family and its ties, money spent on the facility and influence can assist in us keeping this place open.

CAJ

Get Joe Montana involved. 

I read the minutes, it was a study done by an outside firm.   They only had suggestions and they made suggestions regarding all facets of the facility.  If you read the study, they even made suggestions of changes to the track that would make it so they could use it for more than just racing for 4 events a year.

The study only looked at one thing, the REVENUE generated by each division (RV Park, Golf Course, Track, and Events Area).  Sounds like the Fairgrounds is in tough financial shape (as all Fairgrounds in California seem to be as the State cut off their funding).  The Study was simply suggestions of things they could do to make sure they stay financially stable for years to come (3 of the 4 areas of the Fairgrounds lost money in 2 or more of the last 5 years it said).

Looks like the Golf Course needs major upgrades per the letters submitted by golfers (greens, gopher issues, sprinkler system), the Study suggested expanding the RV Park because it's the biggest Revenue Generator (makes sense from a Revenue standpoint only, doesn't fit within the Fairgrounds Mission Statement it doesn't sound like which is to benefit the people that LIVE in St. Helena).

The study concluded the Events Area needs upgrades to the buildings.

The study concluded that the Track was making money, but it's current set-up with permanent interior walls hindered other potential uses when not used as a track.

I think the big thing is that the locals will ultimately decide the track's fate.  If it has enough local support (and the current promotor can show how the track increases Revenues for the other divisions of the Fairgrounds (RV Park, Golf Course, Events Area) as well as the community (if you bring in 3000 people from out of town and they buy food/drink, hotels/camping, gasoline, etc., etc. in the community of St. Helena, there is a monetary value to that).  It's up to the promotor currently to get that in front of the Fairboard and the Fairboard to get it in front of the community before any decisions are made.

If you've ever been to that area, it's really extraordinary that there is a dirt track there at all. It's so expensive to stay in that area and the lodging options are limited.

I love Calistoga, and with the improvements made by the Abreu family, it's truly one of the best tracks around.

I've always thought the big sprint race in California should be moved to Calistoga, not sure the locals would enjoy such an influx of people that a big sprint race in California could mean, but it would mean a jolt of cash to the fairgrounds.

Calistoga is really a little bit of Heaven on earth.  I don't think in all my travels (43 States) have I seen an area least likely to have a sprint car track, let alone a track next to a golf course and I'm talking picking up balls all over the track grounds.  Maybe some of the many excellent CA shooters will post some in this forum for the many that aren't familiar with this facility, spectaculer view is an understatement.  Something that was different about Calistoga was the fact I don't remember or think there were any fast-food restaurants in the town, is this still true?  As for Joe Montana, I was told he lived just up the road north of town, not far from Steve Miller, that was about 20 years ago though.  Here's hoping the Abreu family with help from some of the fans that have been there for decades can put something together to save this treasure....

I agree, the benefits of the speedway need to be made obvious but I'm afraid it will fall on deaf ears as the residents of St. Helena and Calistoga, really aren't the ones who support the speedway. The racers, and race fans, with the exception of the Abreu Family, are coming from the Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno, and other areas. I hope they realize, as you said, all those fans, and teams need food, lodging, and fuel. Unfortunately most of those "tourism dollars" if you will, go down the road to Sonoma, where you can find lodging that fits into most race fans budget. Everything in the immediate area of the track has two, and even three night minimums on lodging, including the RV park, and it shows in thier revnues.

I read through the minutes as well, and I'm unsure what they're referring to in terms of permanent barriers. I would assume that their speeaking of the catch fence, as there are no infield barriers. There is a nice wide entrance in turn four that can easily fit large vehicles through. We all no that nothing can be done about the catch fence, and the Abreu Famiy just stuck a bunch of money into it to make it safer for all. They do report on all components of the fairgrounds but unless I'm just reading between the lines a little too much, they seem to be very concerned with the Speedway itself.

One issue I have with the consultants coming in is that they already have a fair board that consists of 9 members whom I would hope consult one another, why do they need to bring in an outside party to tell them what they already know. There isn't one thing in that report that they couldn't see for themselves with a walk around the fairgrounds. It makes me think that somebody on, or close to that fair board has some $kin in the speedways demise, which I'm sure is common in the closing of most race tracks/fairgrounds. Is it local builders, investors, or simply just the tax payers? Who knows...maybe that's just my conspiracy theory but I bet it's closer to the truth then it is conspiracy. There's a meeting tonight, I gues we'll know more after that.

You're correct, no fast food, no drive thru. There are many communities like that in California. I live in Santa Cruz, CA, there are very few fast food joints, and only one has drive thru, and I beleive that one was grandfathered in. I think it's great, it promotes a healthy lifestyle, and local business, not to mention the quality of the food is second to none.

Thanks for your support. I couldn't imagine Calistoga disappearing entirely, all the history, mystique, the beauty, all lost, and for what? Whatever it is, I'm certain it can be found almost anywhere else in California. But there is, and can only ever be one Calistoga Speedway, it's irreplacable.

For those of you who find it funny this track is even in a sensational place like calistoga is because the freaking track was there first!!!!  Calistoga was made popular by bikers, bar flys and sprint cars.  The wine and cheese crowd came later as the whole california wine thing caught on as it is my understanding as told to me from locals.  So we put it on the map and now we get the boot.  What a place!!!

CAJ

Sounds like I'm better off living in Texas where the government doesn't try to dictate what's "healthy".    Sounds interesting though. 

That was an unecessary jab. Come visit, it's a great place, and maybe you'll see that it's not the government, rather the people who made that choice. There's still fast food joints available, you just have to get out of your vehicle to get it. See here, in the People's Republic of Santa Cruz, if the people don't want a fast food joint and/or a wal-mart on every street corner, the city doesn't let it happen. Not that you should care, I'm sure the "government" isn't controlling you at all down there in the red zone. If Calistoga Speedway shuts down, I'm sure that will be the governments doing, too.

santa cruz must be a twin of eugene oregon, plenty of "meetings" going on...

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

I've never been to Eugene. I do know at least one die-hard sprint car fan from those parts though. Is that you, Sideshow?

Probably could have chosen another way to say that.   Didn't really mean it as a jab, just an interesting observation.  

Ok, my apologies for the response.

According to the report the fairgrounds as a whole is not ADA compliant.  This is major expense just to be able to keep the fairgrounds open.  The speedway does make money for the fairgrounds but not as much as the RV campground.

I hope this doesn't turn out the same way, but if there are ADA concerns then it almost sounds like the situation with State Fair Speedway and the Oklahoma Fair Board.   In that case I believe there was an ADA lawsuit.   There was also a big electrical issue that was going to cost a good amount of money to correct too.    The board members there not only didn't care about racing or it's history, but they had their eye on redeveloping the site for something else anyway.

Hopefully the NAPA fairboard is more loyal to the track.   Any chance that the track may be grandfathered with regard to the ADA stuff?   You'd think so, but sometimes that doesn't seem to matter.  

Most of the buildings are in need of major renovations.  Not just ADA problems.  Poor lighting, lack of parking on race days.  The facility may have been state of the art about 70 years ago.