PLACERVILLE, Calif. – Golden State short tracks are facing a variety of issues from the yearly wildfires to the uncertainty of the future of some fairgrounds.
Every year there are wildfires, the only questions are how large and where. The future plan for some fairgrounds carries a different form of uncertainty. The wildfires will eventually be put out and a form of normalcy will return, but the other issue is not as simple to solve.
Placerville Speedway has canceled races through Aug. 28 and tracks in Susanville and Quincy have also ceased racing due to wildfires. Fairgrounds are used as a temporary home for the firefighters and equipment so all events planned for the facility are canceled. Placerville Speedway, for example, now has large tents in the infield and the pit area is full of fire equipment.
Any rescheduling of events is yet to be determined.
Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico raced Aug. 20 only because the firefighters and equipment relocated to Susanville. The fire moved in the direction of Susanville, so it was closer to camp there as opposed to Chico.
These tracks are dealing with nature related situations. In time they will be handled and the tracks will be able to resume racing. Other tracks are facing a different situation, one that isn’t resolved with water and fire retardant clothing.
Santa Maria Speedway, citing an ongoing legal battle with county officials, is no longer active. The words ongoing legal battle can be interpreted as a long, drawn out period of time before getting settled.
Stockton, the racingest city in the country, is facing the possibility of losing that title if two of the city’s three race tracks (really four if you count the road course called Little 99) are closed due to a low income housing project that would cover a large portion of the fairgrounds. The San Joaquin County Fairgrounds is home to the Stockton Dirt track three-eighths-mile oval, the seventh-mile Delta Speedway for micro sprints, and Little 99, which is adjacent to Delta.
There is still hope for the fairgrounds tracks. Tiffanie Panella of the C and P Promotions team that runs Delta has explained the current status, one that applies to all three fairgrounds tracks.
“We have been told that if it happens it would still be a ways off,” noted Panella. “You know how long development can take. We have been told that the map/line drawing was just an example/suggestion and the developers would negotiate with the State to determine how and where the development would take place on the Fairgrounds.
“They are only in the qualifications stage for developers now and potential developers have until the end of the month to submit questions and request clarifications on the RFQ (request for quote). The state will then respond by Sept. 7. Developers will then have until Sept. 17 to submit their RFQ. Interviews will be the week of Oct. 4 and they will award the week of Oct. 18.”
Further factors in the development project are of an historical nature.
“Soil samples were taken and at this time the results are unknown, there are huge infrastructure issues, and the Fairgrounds is a State Landmark and a Federal Historic Site due to it being a former Japanese Internment camp (Stockton Assembly Center),” Panella said. “Delta Speedway is smack dab in the middle of the original camp. The ag storage shed is an original building – it was the hospital, and the horse barns were originally barracks.”
The future of the fairgrounds tracks does not seem like something that will be settled very quickly and complicated issues with the proposed development could result in moving it elsewhere or dropping the idea entirely.
Calistoga Speedway has been idle due to two factors, COVID-19 and ongoing negotiations between the city and county over the potential change of ownership.
“We remain optimistic. The city has renewed their negotiation with the county,” said promoter Tommy Hunt. “The city has also been talking to bond market representatives about financing options. If the city ends up with the fairgrounds property, it’s likely that we will have an opportunity at some point to run at Calistoga.”
The Louie Vermeil Classic, normally held in Calistoga on Labor Day weekend, took last year off due to COVID-19. This year the ownership of the fairgrounds was not going to be settled in time, so the event has moved to Silver Dollar Speedway, an opportunity that Hunt is very happy to have.
“We are excited about running the event at Silver Dollar this year and regardless of what happens at Calistoga we will continue to run special events there too,” Hunt said.