7 replies to this topic

[tonyp]

I did not see any updates. Is the track gone for good?

[Cheater]

Jacksonville is closed and they're having trouble finding a new space to re-open in.

 

Whether they'll be able to re-open is still up in the air right now, it seems to me. And that's very sad.

[Michael Rigsby]

The Hillclimb, Florida Orange, and the drag strip are currently in environmentally controlled storage from what I'm told.

 

Either a new place will be found or a buyer for all three tracks that will keep them within Duval county is the plan from what I understand. The latter option seems entirely possible right now from what I am told.  

 

So for now, I thin the herd and travel whenever I can.

[tonyp]

Keep me posted.

[DOCinCanton]

Tony,

I sent a PM to Grant advising him of the situation and that we will have to re-schedule the Jax GRRR events to other tracks. He's looking into the matter.

[Wizard Of Iz]

Sorry about the lack of updates.  For some crazy reason, I accepted a promotion at work that has made 11-12 hour days the norm.  

 

Our lease was up in May and we'd been talking to the landlord on and off for about six months.  When the landlord's final offer hit us with a 32% rate increase, we knew we couldn't stay.  We've had five great years thanks to a bunch of loyal racers who just love playing with toy cars, but there was no room in the budget for an additional $800 in rent. 

 

After talking to a few leasing people and hearing some shocking prices, we decided to look at moving to an office/warehouse location to keep  things affordable.  And, since we wouldn't be open six days a week in a non-retail location, we had some guys suggest making it a club-type track and some offered to help financially.

 

Plan A came together pretty quick as one of our racers had a contact who was going to hook us up with some space as soon as his existing tenant moved out in June.  Not the greatest location (might have had to change the name to Hidden Raceway) but the price was excellent - very excellent.

 

We put together a Plan B just in case.  We talked to a guy who had an office/warehouse that was just a little bit more rent than Plan A and was in a much better location.  The only catch was that it wouldn't be available until some time in late July.

 

Then in early May, everything unravelled within about 36 hours.  Plan A's tenant decided to stay and signed a new lease.  No big deal.  We could use the break and wait till July.  But when I called Plan B, he said that he'd run into construction delays on his new building and wouldn't be moving in July as planned.  More like late Fall at the earliest.  Then a couple of people who had talked about helping head up a club had a change of heart as they thought about the realities.

 

Just when it looked like there wouldn't be a Plan C ...... a couple of guys walked in to the shop late in May and asked about buying the Hillclimb and the Dragstrip.  They'd been looking for tracks to open a raceway in Orange Park and were referred to us.  I've had a few conversations with them and they're asking all of the right questions as they get their ducks in order.  Johnny and I know first hand that it's easier said than done.  I'm trying to be patient.

 

For now .... as Mike said ..... the tracks are locked away in a climate-controlled storage unit.  

 

This is only week two of no racing on Wednesday night and I'm already jonesing.  

[CoastalAngler1]

Johnny's travel box has a new home.  Outlaw chassis box.  Almost ready for Upstate Speedway OSS #3. 

 

[Wizard Of Iz]

Glad it went to a good home.