locost7018 Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 What a bummer...The bean counters strike again. If Larry were still alive this, of course, wouldn't happen. He would have just made some extra millions to make up the difference. That's how he built an empire and why bean counters will just barely maintain it. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865628232/Source-Miller-Motorsports-Park-to-cease-operations.html?pg=all __._,_.___ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automoda Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Yeah I saw the article yesterday. I don't know if it means someone else is going to run it or if they're going to abandon it or build more stucco houses in the wasteland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 That a shame it was a fun track with nice facilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Yea, I hate to see another terrific track go, locally Texas World Speedway closes this month. I have seen Riverside, Ontario, and Bridgehampton close. I think, know, the economics of a track are lousy, unless you have a benefactor (like Barber), a high end membership track, or regular NASCAR events or a combination, the economics suck. Even membership tracks struggle as they must maintain a certain number of weekend days for members but need the income of weekend events. Again, locally MSR Houston (a membership track) went through some difficult financial times and was just bought out by a group of investors for Mexico. A new track is being proposed called bluebonnet but I really wonder how the economics pencil out. Unfortunately, subdivisions and shopping malls seem to make a lot more sense than race tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 The Miller track was originally planned for Mead, Colorado, about 15 miles from my home. He already owned the Mead track and had bought another 640 acre tract next to the track and planned to build Miller Motorsports Park there. However, the city of Mead voted down his proposal even though the actual city was miles away on the other side of the interstate. That same month we also lost the 2nd Creek and PPIR tracks and the Woody Creek track near Aspen went private club. PPIR is back in business with an infield course that uses part of the banked oval. Miller then moved on to the current location and closed the existing Mead track after the motorcyclists kept bugging him for improvements. The Mead track was a fun place to run and it had a blind left over a hill with a dogleg in the middle and a hard 90 degree turn at the bottom called the Dragon Slide. Sort of its version of the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca. I have to wonder had the track been built at Mead that the larger population base of Denver might have made it more viable. I rented the Mead track a few times and held Miata club track days there. It was reasonably priced and a blast to drive. https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2348679,-104.9768139,986m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ut7owner Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I'm pretty sure that an earlier comment that the track would not be closing it Larry had not died. I was at some of the public planning meeting before the track was build and Larry described the track as a labor of love and not an avenue of profit. His words were pretty close to. "you make not believe this, coming from me, but I'm not looking to make any money from the track. I just want a world class place to drive my cars." I don't think the remainder of the family is driven by the need for speed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 . . . . . locally Texas World Speedway closes this month . . . . . I'll have to admit there's no love lost between TWS and myself......it tried to kill me. :jester: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hill Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Shane.... You just wanted to sneak away with some historic Texas dirt, knowing they were shutting it down and likely bulldozing it.... Be careful...those damned Texans used to hang people for less! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Shane.... You just wanted to sneak away with some historic Texas dirt, knowing they were shutting it down and likely bulldozing it.... Be careful...those damned Texans used to hang people for less! LOL, Paul!!! I'm having a new pad built beside my shop. Yesterday, I actually removed Texas World Speedway dirt from my car (brought lots of dirt home) and Cristened the ground where the pad will be poured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hill Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Thanks Shane. Don't forget the 50 amp 220v receptacle close to the edge of the pad, don't want to have to drag out the heavy extention cord! Will there be room to open the slide-out? :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Thanks Shane. Don't forget the 50 amp 220v receptacle close to the edge of the pad, don't want to have to drag out the heavy extention cord! Will there be room to open the slide-out? :rofl: Paul, I'll keep that in mind. :jester: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 The Miller track has been sold and will remain a viable track: http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/new-owners-of-miller-motorsports-park-plan-to-continue-racing-operations-to-expand-facility/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegoat Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Not that anyone else on here was almost ever seen out there, but Reno-Fernley didn't open this year. The track surface has been declining over the years from lack of maintenance/care. Others have told me that it is no longer able to be opened because of that issue. I don't think there is money there to resurface, so it may be toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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