Cole Trickle,Rickey Bobby,Nope, Kathy goes fast at Memphis

[ourwayband]

Sorry Folks,Just had to share my wife's Ride along in Memphis.If ya like going fast like Rickey Bobby,you may want to check out the Rusty Wallace Racing experience!We both had fun,though me thinks she had more ;)
Rusty

[waaytoomuchintothis]

When did Memphis get a racetrack?

Kathy looks pretty stoked!

[ourwayband]

Well Memphis has had one for a little while,along with it's drag strip.Now though it's not having any of the big boys there.They did have the Nascar trucks back a few years ago.The strip hosted the big boys in the NHRA..Then the company that owned Memphis and Saint Louis sold out.
And Yes Sir,Kathy was big time ready to go fast!!!!!
She says we are going back ;)

Rusty

[waaytoomuchintothis]

I heard Lakeland was destroyed for some stupid shopping mall. Where is this track?

[hoganracing]

Hey Rob,

If it's where I think it is, it is out Highway 51 (I think) toward Millington. It had to be over 20 years ago that somebody built Memphis Motorsports Park. They had a drag strip where NHRA ran some very top notch races. The strip ended with a 180 degree banked turn and the return road completed a road course. Originally there were two dirt ovals and later they added the track Rusty showed pictures of. It was a grand idea, and I seem to remember they hosted several truck races, and even a grand nation race or two, but never a Cup race. Several years ago the whole complex went up for sale.

This is what I remember. The actual facts may vary from what is stated above (though not intentionally).

It looks like things may be picking up though. Here's a link http://racemir.com/



Patrick

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Holy Crap, Patrick! I think I did the aerial survey and topo on that property in 1974 or '75. It was a swamp. There was some high ground nearby, but what we did the surveying on was a swamp so wet that we had to keep up with the weather to make sure we weren't making the trip from downtown or our field office for nothing. The least bit of moisture and it was impassable, and with equipment that expensive, we didn't take chances on getting stuck or losing it. There were three in that neighborhood, all complete wilderness, New Allen Rd, Appling Rd, and Fite Rd. I think that one was Fite Rd.

Thanks for the info. I had no idea. Lakeland had a squiggly return that SCCA cars ran on in the early 60s, but by the time we ran at Lakeland, there was only the drags on the south side of the road, and the Lake park and amusements on the north side. Some outlet mall is there now.