National Events Events that normally draw audiences from more than a 10 state range

          
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  #41  
Old 01-29-2021, 09:42 AM
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Actually they have had a few drift and drags since that last police escapade a couple months ago. In fact there is another drift and drag scheduled for Feb 12th that I plan to attend.

Sad that the track is giving you such a hard time Steve, but I don't think it's entirely the tracks fault. The Gila Indian reservation the track sits on has imposed some really stringent restrictions, more so than Maricopa County or the city of Phoenix has. Makes life really difficult for the track. Just take a look at Tucson's schedule. It's booked every week all year for 2021. Wildhorse has nothing except the drift and drag Feb 12th I mentioned and some stupid drag queen show for cross dressers the week after. Why a dragstrip entertains that I'll never know, that certainly isn't helping any, but the rest of the calendar year for Wildhorse is blank.

As far as track management goes, they should embrace more events like yours Steve in my opinion if they want the support of the local muscle car crowd. We simply don't have enough events like this in Phoenix, and I feel that track does suffer for it. It's too bad Speedworld is gone, we wouldn't be going through this nonsense if that were still around.

What ever happens, I'll be there supporting any kind of muscle car event that Wildhorse is willing to entertain. When they don't, I'll be at Tucson and Vegas.

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  #42  
Old 01-29-2021, 09:52 AM
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Anybody else aware that wildhorse is going to be shut down and re developed. Just like Atlanta and Atco.
All the drag strips are disappearing
Clock is ticking boys

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  #43  
Old 01-29-2021, 10:11 AM
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I've heard those rumors too and it doesn't surprise me. When they are booking drag queen cross dressers instead of drag racing events it made me think right away their days are numbered.

It's been posted pretty much everywhere on social media from what I've been told, with several people coming forward, including racers in my area, that they are considering the possibility of turning this into a water park or a sports complex, and what a surprise, another casino. Like the one right across the street isn't enough. lol

Interesting how a little mom and pop track in Tucson can book an entire year but an NHRA sanctioned track is struggling. That gets back to my point of being on reservation land and restrictions that are way more stringent than the rest of the county.

Lets hope this doesn't happen but unless they get on the ball it doesn't look good.

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  #44  
Old 02-25-2021, 12:59 PM
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Here are a couple of quick shots I took at the Feb 12th test and tune. This doesn't really capture the crazy amount of people that showed up for this event.

There were easily 300+ cars drag racing. The upper pits were completely full, it took me an hour just to get through tech. From there I had to wait 2 1/2 hours between each run. Staging lanes were 5 lanes wide and completely packed.

Gates opened at 3pm for racers and I didn't get back home until 2 am.

Spectators were just as many. It was as busy as I've seen the track since the last NHRA event.

I'd say the track has no problem bringing in racers when they are open. Despite what their website says (which is basically nothing) they did have a poster at the track of upcoming events and it looked like test and tune is to resume it's normal Friday nights and every weekend had some form of racing booked. My son took a picture of it I'll see if I can upload shortly.
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  #45  
Old 02-25-2021, 01:07 PM
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Here's a picture my son took of a schedule they had.

Why they can't put this up on their website is beyond comprehension. They can print out a giant poster board and hang it up in the pits but they can't stroke a few keys on the computer and post it on their website??

And I'll say this again.....why are they not advertising your Pontiac Heaven event Steve that is supposed to happen Nov 1st??? It just kills me the tracks advertising is so lack luster.
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  #46  
Old 02-26-2021, 02:52 PM
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What is a drift and drag?

  #47  
Old 02-26-2021, 03:37 PM
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They partition off part of the pits for drifters. The drags they hold along with this is just a test and tune session. Basically 2 events.

I saw maybe 25 cars participating in the drifting, most of the place was full of drag racers.

There are other nights, usually Friday nights, they just have drag racing test and tune.

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  #48  
Old 02-26-2021, 04:55 PM
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Ahhh ok its been many years since I was out there but I was having a hard time envisioning how that would work. Sorry don't want to derail the thread so back to the discussion on Pontiac Heaven 2021, we all hope.

  #49  
Old 02-27-2021, 08:00 AM
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Possibly this is the problem?


Wildhorse



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  #50  
Old 02-27-2021, 10:52 AM
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Yep John, I think it's a conglomeration of issues.

Wildhorse's advertising needs some work.

The fact they are on reservation land poses issues, as they have had to follow super strict virus restrictions that the Indians put in place, unlike the rest of Maricopa County that has been a bit more relaxed. However the event I showed pictures up above wasn't affected like it had been previously. So I think that end of the issue is clearing up.

I think another issue is the track just doesn't cater to the muscle car crowd with events to draw in more nostalgia racing events. They have NHRA once a year, then some smaller sportsman races off and on and small points meets. So the only time us regulars get to race is on a test and tune night, that's it.

Steve has been the only person I'm aware of that has even bothered to try and put on a nostalgia event. Although just Pontiacs on Sunday, the Saturday before is all makes and models up through (I believe) 1981. So there is a bigger opportunity there to make it something special. We just need more of it.
Then again we get back to the advertising.

Maybe I'm just spoiled coming from Ohio because back East and throughout the mid West was/is filled with so much more of this stuff. Can't understand why the Western states can't seem to get with the program. There is no manual transmission racing out here, no UMTR, no gasser events, no nostalgia events with trophy classes that cater to "real" street cars, nothing in or around Arizona. It's a shame with the car culture being such a huge movement out here and weather year round to cater to it.

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  #51  
Old 04-24-2021, 07:27 PM
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So is PH still on as per the advertised date????????

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  #52  
Old 04-25-2021, 11:05 AM
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I don't know Mike. Steve last mentioned in post 35 about having the first weekend of November reserved but as I read it, with a new contract and negotiations needed, that's a tentative date and not concrete.

I still see nothing mentioned about Pontiac Heaven on Wildhorse's website. They do have events listed out to November 13th online, and back on post 46 I put up a picture of the entire year schedule they had in the staging lanes when we were there for a test and tune night back on Feb 12th, with no mention of Nostalgia or Pontiac drags on it. I will say this, it's not the China flu holding anything back at the track anymore. That place was humpin.

I hope it happens, but right now I'm reluctant to spend money on the bird for a couple things I want to try in preparation for the event, not knowing what the future holds.

There are still wild rumors floating around, even up here in Prescott about the track's contract reaching the end of the lease agreement and the Indians wanting to build houses and condos. Just heard more about that yesterday at a local car show, and while I was at Goodguys in Scottsdale last weekend there was more conversation on it down there among several people. I don't know what to believe but it wouldn't surprise me. Not the first time the Indians shut down a track, and apparently Maricopa County doesn't care either since they shut another one down themselves a few years ago. Fingers crossed they get the support they need.

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Last edited by Formulajones; 04-25-2021 at 11:15 AM.
  #53  
Old 04-26-2021, 01:26 PM
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From Pontiac Heaven (Steve B) on Facebook:

Not sure who all may know but, the Arizona state fair is moving this year and it is moving to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports park. In a meeting with WHP officials last week, I learned that my saved event dates of November 5-7 will not be avail because of this. In fact, no dates are avail to me until well into December. Pontiac Heaven events have suffered from bouncing around the calendar for several years and cost keep going up. I have been trying to stabilize that for the last few years with dates in early November. There are other factors effecting the event weekend for this year, some of those being covid restrictions are still in full force at the track. WHP has also imposed a new $10 parking fee for spectators which I am very unhappy about and the list goes on.
I do enjoy a good, healthy relationship with WHP and we have enjoyed running events there. Wild Horse Pass is an outstanding facility/location for a weekend event with plenty of attractive features for people visiting from out of town, etc. As for the future, I just do not know and I do not see how I could run a 3 day weekend event this year. This has been mention of possibly moving to another facility. However, many of my loyal sponsors are local and they do not want the event outside of the Phoenix area. National sponsors are less concerned. It is my intention and desire to remain at WHP as we have been for many years.
I am looking into a single day alternative event in December at WHP and will be announcing here. Otherwise- Pontiac Heaven events are on hold for now.
My next show is the 13th annual Apache County Motorsports Days event in St Johns, near where the Pontiac Heaven Museum will be located, August 28. Info and flier shown here

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  #54  
Old 04-26-2021, 02:55 PM
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Thanks for posting that

I don't know how old that response is but I can tell you from being there in February that the Covid restrictions had no affect what so ever on the track, it's amount of support, or the amount of spectators. It was a full house!! So that is certainly not the issue right now.

It does seem the track isn't too concerned with hosting the event however. I'd be more than willing to head to Tucson. Phoenix people should be too. Hell I come down from Prescott and it doesn't bother me a bit. Tucson is a much more accommodating (friendly atmosphere) track anyway.

Steve, if you move it to Tucson, you have my support, I'll be there.

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  #55  
Old 04-26-2021, 03:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Formulajones View Post
Thanks for posting that

I don't know how old that response is but I can tell you from being there in February that the Covid restrictions had no affect what so ever on the track, it's amount of support, or the amount of spectators. It was a full house!! So that is certainly not the issue right now.

It does seem the track isn't too concerned with hosting the event however. I'd be more than willing to head to Tucson. Phoenix people should be too. Hell I come down from Prescott and it doesn't bother me a bit. Tucson is a much more accommodating (friendly atmosphere) track anyway.

Steve, if you move it to Tucson, you have my support, I'll be there.

For what its worth, it was posted about a week ago.

  #56  
Old 04-26-2021, 06:16 PM
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Appreciate it. Steve doesn't check in here much and many of us don't do the facebook thing, and since the track doesn't bother advertising the event we just never know what's going on with it.

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  #57  
Old 07-13-2021, 08:50 PM
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i will be there with $100,000 to run any mo fo heads up

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  #58  
Old 07-14-2021, 02:45 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 68azbird View Post
i will be there with $100,000 to run any mo fo heads up
Ok $10

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  #59  
Old 07-16-2021, 03:03 PM
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Oh, how things change...After getting the info on the Az state fair taking over for the fall and bumping me. It appears that the fair now will not take place at Wild Horse Pass!!
I still have the option of renting and running a 3 day or a 1 day but, there are additional reasons, as well as months of less important lead time.
So, I just do not know if I will run an event this year. It may be best to sit out another year and regroup and see what happens at the track.
It would still be best to have the event at Wild Horse Pass due to its location and many sponsors want it there too.
hmmm I just do not know and am looking into all options and expenses.

Thanks to those who have supported my efforts for an annual Pontiac Heaven weekend. People have attended from all over the world and that is a cool think.

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  #60  
Old 07-16-2021, 03:58 PM
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I know there is one guy trying to set up something once a month between the 2 tracks in the area. Need more info on that.

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