With the conclusion of Dirt in December at the Dome in St. Louis, another mid western racing season has come to an end. Before I offer up my modest stats for 2023, I feel a need to comment on the Dome extravaganza. First of all, I will concede that the apparent record crowds this year put me in the minority. But I have been asked countless times this fall if I was going to the event, and often given incredulous looks when I said "No." I will admit to having attended the Saturday night portion for three years running before my change of heart. And it would seem that the promoters have since solved the issue of nine and ten hour championship night marathons. Perhaps I have simply reached the "get off my lawn" stage of life, but the (mostly) unscripted weekend seems to me to more closely resemble an All Star Wrestling spectacle than a legitimate racing event. Torn up cars by the dozens, bruised egos (drivers apparently told to settle their issues on the track!?!), over the top concession and parking prices for me just does not make up for the possibility of a couple of decent features to wrap things up. I will admit that it is an opportunity to see drivers in action that only come around once a year ( a treat for me), as well as plenty of time to visit with old and new friends along the concourse. So for those of you who look forward to it each year, good for you, and enjoy! And perhaps after a few seasons at home, I will try it again. If you have not heard, the 2024 dates will be December 5-7. It would seem after this many years the promoters would be able to secure the same weekend each year, but I realize that bookings for a venue like this are stretched out years in advance... *( For those of you who think they should spend more time building the track, or add an extra weekend featuring your favorite class!)
Now to the matters at hand. In 2023, I was able to attend sixty events at eighteen different venues. Adams County Il. Speedway in Quincy led the way with eighteen nights, followed by Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Ia. with fourteen. There were four trips to Davenport, Ia. Speedway, and three to Moberly, Mo. Motorsports Park. Two visits each were recorded at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, West Liberty Raceway, Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Benton County Speedway in Vinton, Marshalltown Speedway, all in Iowa, and Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, and Springfield Raceway in Missouri. It was one night each at CJ Raceway in Columbus Junction, Knoxville Raceway, Shelby County Speedway in Harlan, Clay County Fairgrounds in Spencer, Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, all in Iowa, and Jacksonville, Il Raceway, and finally Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo.
As always, we tried for a nice mix of series and sanctions, and personally I was able to add two new venues this season, an April visit to Harlan and an October trip to Webster City, bringing my total to seventy three different tracks during my sixty eight years of chasin' racin'. I am in awe of my racing friends whose totals far eclipse my own, and it is fun to be able to continue to wander to new tracks every so often.
As we speed towards the New Year, I am excited for the many changes taking place at area tracks and eagerly await all the schedules to fall into place so we can begin to plot our 2024 adventures. To this point I am also in the minority as far as joining the streaming crowd, but never say never, right?
Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year, thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing everyone in the Spring!
