25 replies to this topic

[Steve Okeefe]

Traveling this weekend in New Jersey thought I'd stop at SpeedZone raceway in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

 

Checked the website to get hours.  Stopped by on Friday during a time they were supposed to be open, but they were closed up tight.  The sign on the door gave the same hours as the website.

 

Checked the website again to get phone numbers (609) 702-0146 and (609) 702-1500 and called today (Saturday) just a few minutes ago, Both numbers not only didn't answer, but have been disconnected.

 

Quoth the Jedi: I have a bad feeling about this.  Does anybody know what is going on at SpeedZone "Home of the Jersey Devil"?

 

 

[John Streisguth]

The only thing I can think of is Mike Iles, who owns the raceway and the building it's located in, this weekend has the grand opening of his new venture, the Sweetwater Marina and Riverdeck.  So he may have closed up the shop for a few days.  But I'm surprised he didn't have a sign on the door about it, and it's very strange the phones have been disconnected...

[John Streisguth]

Well, I just tried calling and it rang but no answer, but also nothing saying the number has been disconnected.  My bet is he's got everyone down at the Sweetwater gig...

[Steve Okeefe]

Thanks John!  Bad timing on my part I guess.

 

I've tried the phone numbers again, but this time including the area code.  At the (609) 702-0146 number I get a busy signal... repeatedly.

 

At the (609) 702-1500 phone number I get an answering service that has never heard of SpeedZone raceway and assures me I have the wrong number.

 

Okay I'm convinced, I probably need to quit trying before Rod Serling shows up...  Thanks again.

[Robert BG]

I just called them yesterday and the 2 people I spoke to didn't mention anything out of the ordinary.I didnt see this thread beforehand but they mentioned a birthday party being scheduled but otherwise racing as normal.

 

I do know they change hours to "summer hours" around this time so as you said it was probably bad timing combined with forgetting to change signs.

[Dennis David]

... and so goes our hobby.

[slotcarone]

Just had our Retro East season finale there last Saturday!

[John Streisguth]

... and so goes our hobby.

We would have heard if they were closing up.  No need for rumors to spread.

 

No worries....here's the new venture of Mike Iles:  http://sw-marina.com/wp/

[Dennis David]

Not worried about him closing just the fact that there is often not a lot of communication between a raceway and potential customers.

Did not mean to infer that he was closing.

[Robert BG]

What time did the OP actually stop at the track?I ask because I spoke to them about driving up and they never mentioned being closed for anything and if they were to be someplace else I think they would have told me.

 

I personally always call before taking a ride to a track but that is just me.

 

On a side note does anyone know what the deal is with the king at Speedzone?They said it is the owners personal track or something along those lines.I didn't ask too much but I was hoping to have a king to practice on as I'm getting a program together again.

[John Streisguth]

Not worried about him closing just the fact that there is often not a lot of communication between a raceway and potential customers.

Did not mean to infer that he was closing.

Sorry, I misinterpreted the comment. Yeah,I'm surprised there wasn't at least a sign on the door. But, maybe it was something like "if nobody's in the shop, close up and come on down."

[Zippity]

... and so goes our hobby.

 

So what exactly DID you mean?

[Steve Okeefe]

Robert BG wrote: "What time did the OP actually stop at the track?"
 
It was Friday about 6 PM give or take. I checked the website before leaving for the track and it said 1-9 on both Friday and Saturday, so there was no particular reason to think anything was amiss.
 
We approached from the east on Monmouth, Garden, Branch, Mill and turned left to head south on Pine, but the bridge was closed! So we had to loop back around to the south on Washington, Madison, then east on Route 38 to come back north on Pine, but the raceway was just as closed as the bridge!
 
On Saturday I checked the website again, got the phone numbers, and placed calls to both numbers, first without the area code (wrong) and then with the area code. The results I got are as I described above.
 
Just for the record folks, my original post was a request for information, nothing more.

[Mayberryman]

I do not know wha he meant but I can guess that he meant the same thing I stated about Frugals Speedway in Franklinton, NC. I have been there three times as I use to commute around that area and two of the three times they were closed tight during posted business hours and there was no message on the phone. 

My thought is that I do not steal your inventory and you do not steal my time by not being open during posted business hours. I now consider them a non-business.

[Dennis David]

I only meant that a raceway communicate with their customers and make all attempts to run regular hours, announce any planned closings ahead of time with prominent signage and maintain a modern answering machine. Consider the casual, visiting and potential customer is all I ask. If this is too much then my apologies I'll limit my racing to my home.

[NJ SpeedZone]

Traveling this weekend in New Jersey thought I'd stop at SpeedZone raceway in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
 
Checked the website to get hours.  Stopped by on Friday during a time they were supposed to be open, but they were closed up tight.  The sign on the door gave the same hours as the website.
 
Checked the website again to get phone numbers (609) 702-0146 and (609) 702-1500 and called today (Saturday) just a few minutes ago, Both numbers not only didn't answer, but have been disconnected.
 
Quoth the Jedi: I have a bad feeling about this.  Does anybody know what is going on at SpeedZone "Home of the Jersey Devil"?

 

Steve, sorry that nobody was there for you on Friday. My employee had to leave early at 7 PM. With Friday being our slow night i didn't think someone would show up and write about it on the blog.

 

As far as Saturday I was there from 10 AM to 6 PM, did you call just once? I could have been setting up a customer on the track and didn't make the phone, our phone do work because i had people calling all day for hours and Groupons.

 

So I will assure you that SpeedZone is OK and isn't going anywhere. Mike Iles loves this hobby and will keep it going.

 

Thank you, everyone who supports the SpeedZone and keep an eye out for some great announcements coming soon!

[Half Fast]

Much ado about nada!
 
Cheers,

[Cheater]

Still, at the very least there should have been some sort of notice on the door indicating circumstances resulted in the raceway having to be closed during normal business hours. That's really the minimum in the retail world.

[John Gorski]

No problem with SpeedZone still going strong. Best raceway in NJ. Just bad timing, Steve Okeefe; check ahead next time.

[nicky 65]

I actually had a bad experience with a raceway in Oakdale, L.I. (called Speedzone).

It was a Sunday in July... I called the raceway to see if they were open today and the owner answered and said yes... .we're open till 6.

Great... I loaded up and took the trip. When I got there about two hours later they were closed... I called again and the owner answered and he told me nobody came in so he closed up and went to the beach... SORRY he says!!!

Sorry... I just drove 70 miles, you ***hole and you close to go to the Beach.

Thank God that Port Jeff was not far away... so I shot over there for the day.

Not exactly a good way to run a business.

[Samiam]

An example of why the track in Oakdale is gone and Port Jeff Raceway is still here after more than 25 years.

[Bill from NH]

I think a raceway should post a "Gone Fishing" electronic notice here and on OWH whenever they deviate from their established schedule. It's not going to happen!

[Pablo]

Unfortunately, you only get one chance for a first impression.

The raceway I visited once in a state far, far away was open. Looking back, I wish it hadn't been.

[JerseyJohn]

Mike Iles and his crew are top-notch. Clearly this was an oversight that doesn't happen often. So let's not nail them to the cross. 

JJ