Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

I want to make a couple of comments/observations before I go to bed and get up in less than three hours from work. It may piss some people off but I wouldn't be David Smith Jr if I didn't piss people off. Been doing it for 15 years so why stop now.

I was thoroughly impressed with the traveling safety team out of Nebraska. What a great addition to this years running of the Hutch Nationals. If I ever strike it rich, along with the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, the Steve King Foundation, I would be more than happy to send them donations as well.

And finally, outsiders may not understand it and all those who have never attended may never understand. But I bet that Jeremy Campbell and Caleb Edwards now know just how much it means to win our little deal that has been going on for 56 years. Deer Creek Speedway has it with the USMTS Fall Jamboree, IMCA has it with their Boone Nationals and Knoxville has it with the Knoxville Sprint Car Nationals. I think after drivers race it or win it and the national media covers it (understand NSSN and Hawkeye was there among others) that they now know we have our own little crown jewel in the annual running of the famed July classic, the Hutchinson Grand Nationals.

Congratulations to all the winners, both NCRA sanctioned and non-sanctioned.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

Wonder how many people realize this race actually started at Taft Stadium as the Hot Rod Nationals?

Ray Lavely was looking for a big event, and he drew a huge entry for the first one....cars from all over. He paid the purse then headed for Colorado, never to be heard from (locally) again. I don't know why Bud Carson didn't continue it, but trying to run two tracks and pick up the pieces on no notice at Taft was probably all he could do at that point. Maybe Shane has some insight on that. Anyway, Hutch picked it up and has run with it ever since, and OKC lost out on a major event.

hey man what other events are there at Hutch other than the Grand Nationals?

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

I agree with r/c. Only 23 cars last year and same number this year. $5000 to win last year and $3000 to win this year. This event is going backwards. Fact is the event isnt the big event it once used to be. If it was it would have a much better car count. How can it be a big deal today if cars keep staying away?

Guess the same can be said about racing at Fairgrounds Speedway in Oklahoma City lost its prestigue because car counts kept declining year after year......

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

I don't know that Oklahoma City ever lost prestige. The weekly shows were still healthy in car counts when the track closed, and the special events, especially the spring nationals, pulled in the likes of Lasoski and Sides, plus cars in the Mountain and Pacific time zones in the not-too-distant past.

It's up to the promoter to keep the track viable, and when OKC devolved to "just" a weekly track with few events that could signficantly impact the local economy, the city government had no reason to preserve it.

The vision for that track should have been to make it the 360 capital of the country, a stature that might then have also enabled larger modified and late model events. I don't know that Lanny ever had that vision, and if he did, the convoluted agreement with the fair board, et al, probably made it difficult to execute.

"I'd pay $15 to watch a sprint car sit still."

Now there's an highly educated, well opinionated comment. Well spoken Kenny. Couldn't agree more!

Kenny,

I have told this story numerous times. I heard it from some of the important people of the racing world a few years ago. Story goes that Sabolich wanted to have a Knoxville style event at the Fairgrounds. He wanted to lease the track from the city in order to hold this event. City told him no. Story goes on further as that someone in Guthrie was interested in this event so they got ahold of Sabolich to express interest. Well the oklahoma city city got wind of this an told the City of Guthrie they better not do it or water would be withheld from them or something along the lines of dealing with water.

So in a nutshell the City of Oklahoma City blackballed Sabolich. It would not have mattered what promotor was in charge the City would never have let that happen.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands 
in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he 
stands at times of challenge and controversy." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Erich Petersen 

Looking forward to enid since its closer to home. If more cars show up and i think they will, for the lesser pay than Hutch paid out that will be another indicator that Hutch has lost its mojo

So a guy wanted to lease SFS - was told no - then blackballed him when he wanted to do something in Guthrie? and then threatened to cut off water resources???

well I guess OKC officials just really had it out to kill racing didn't they?

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Nice post Mossman. The city antics posts seem a little vague to me and kinda like rumour. Although, I wouldn't put it past em. I keep buying the lotto tickets in hopes of building a big money maker just outside city limits. Brown noser officials piss me off.

"They're steering them sum bi***es with their right 
foot!"

I had heard that rumor as well. Also happened several several years ago when somebody was building a track up in Guthrie. That got nixed as mentioned above as well.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

yeah I was being facetious - chuckin up a little sarcasm to the conspiracy theory lol.

Whatever track you build - I'd cover the racing

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

To All,

Haven't been on here in a while but saw this post and will make a few comments.

Don't know how many times PJ has been to Hutch maybe all 56 years!! One thing I know is I went there every year from '74 through '89 then didn't go back until 2010, been there every year since. Every body has a differant preception of what an event should be, I have seen the worst times and the best times, yes car counts used to be higher, we used to run 50 laps, a dollar was worth a dollar, gas was alot cheaper. Now in that 1st 15 years I watched some of the bravest racers I ever had the honor to know compete there, I saw 3 of those guys give more then they ever should have been asked to give there. I have won there and I have been humbled there. I learned a long time ago for me it wasn't the money. I have always race'd just as hard for $500.00 as I have for $50,000.00, didn't matter if it was Hutch or Knoxville. When I went back to Hutch in 2010 it was mainly to revisit an Old Friend, when I walked in there it was only the 2nd or 3rd time I had ever been in the Grand Stands, my heart was pounding and you could feel the emotions of the 15 times I had been there before, I was pleasantly surprised how well she was preserved, grandstands were in good condition the track looked like the same dirt and it had on it in '89 challenging dirt and track. lucky enough to win in that first visit back. When the checkered flag fell, I walked over and told C Ray I don't care what anybody says it is still a GREAT RACE & IT IS STILL A GREAT PLACE keep up the good work. That is also the same words I used last week after finishing 2nd. I'll be over at Enid (won a few there also) come by the 1J and I'll see if I can explain why it is still a great race!!!!!!!!

Good stuff, David. Need to appreciate the fact that that race and facility are still going on!

John Stewart

Retro Racing Custom Model Cars
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Oklahoma City, OK

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