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My take on the sale of Grandview


My take on the sale of Grandview  

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Author: Fred Voorhees   Date: 9/2/2022 4:59:10 PM  +32/-15  

I have long been interested in human nature - how people think...how they process...how they act on those processes. Started way back in my youth when I would go to the mall and I would station myself on the upper level at center court near the escalators. From that vantage point, the breadth of humanity passed by you hundreds of times. Each example its own story. From the shopaholic wife/girlfreind with a not so happy husband/beau tagging grudgingly along...to the frazzled mother trying to shop and keeping her young brethren within sight....to the single, determined shopper who knows where he/she is going and walks past with a knowing authority...to the "mall crawlers" the term I liked to use to refer to the teenagers who got spiffed up for the Friday or Saturday night hanging out...to the lovers holding hands...to the window shoppers.....every one of them another tale of life. Human behavior study has always been a passion of mine. No, never took any classes in humanity and all its tics, but I have observed it for literally ages. Its what got me interested in the civil rights videos. That slice of life is a cauldron of human reaction! But my point today is about the sudden and surprising news of the cleary possible closing of the Grandview Speedway! And I really should say imminent closing because I understand that the sale has actually taken place already. A simple government approval - from my understanding for a lengthy fence to enclose the property, is all that stands in the way of the purchaser from beginning the process of moving their business onto the property. Grandview was in some respects, one of the more successful weekly operations in local dirt track racing. They had a "loyal"? weekly fan base, still had more than ample fields to have meaningful qualifying events, and had excellent employees in place to assure weekly, entertaining events. Forrest Rogers etched out this Speedway on the top of a hill sixty years ago and his son Bruce and his wife Theresa took it over and kept the place near the top of the heap as far as weekly stock car racing. I might add that they were helped by a sensational marketing man by the name of Ernie Saxton. To be frank, I'm really Fred 😁, I thought that after Bruce passed away a handful of years ago, the track may have seen a change in ownership or something. But Theresa marched on with the same dedicated staff and the same " loyal"? fans. My hats off to her for doing so! But Theresa is an older woman, she says the weekly grind and financial roll of the dice to present weekly racing has worn thin with her and she no longer wished to continue. In comes a company that makes an offer for the property that likely dwarfed any potential profit that could be hoped for by keeping up the weekly racing programs. The generous offer provides for a very comfortable and secure experience for the rest of her days and more than likely, much left over for her heirs behind her. A check with any relatives about anyone interested in keeping the family tradition plugging along revealed no one interested enough, so Theresa took the offer. And here is where my interest in human nature kicks back in. I have seen it so many times in the past. You may have noticed up above, I detailed loyal fans as "loyal"? fans. I did that on purpose because time after time when a track has been closed up or sold, the so called loyal fans forget overnight the blood, sweat, tears, money, effort and aggravation the track owners put up with to provide weekly racing events for the fans...often not making a penny for their efforts. The so called loyal fans forget all of that effort and turn on the speedways former owners like wolves that have been thrown deer carcases. They mock, they verbally assault and hurl nasty names and criticism at the owners who just weeks before would have placed them on pedestals! Where's the loyalty? Where the he'll is the common sense and understanding? Let this be a lesson to ALL track owners! You are only as liked as your last racing event! This reaction by the fans is by no means a surprise to me! In fact, Paul Opdike, another here on Facebook was discussing the sale here just after the news of the sale broke and I posted to watch how the hate would roll in on tiger paws....and it predictably has. Totally expected. Local auto racing certainly enjoys immense enthusiasm and passion from its fans. That's a great thing! But when fans have this feeling of entitlement and think that they have a say in how a track owner treats his or her property simply because they have been a fan there for many years, they are sadly mistaken. Their cries of disappointment and anger and rage simply reeks of selfishness! You can go to a neighbors yard and play with their toys and swing on their swing, but when they decide to close the gate to their yard, you truly have no grounds for belly aching. Like the kid suddenly locked out of the yard with all the toys, same goes for fans suddenly facing the news that their home track is closing up shop. Instead of bemoaning the situation and hurling insults at the former owners...man up, face reality, handle it with a bit of class and dignity and THANK those owners for taking the weekly risks and providing you with sixty years of great, weekly auto racing shows!! 1 Comment Rick Shive Well said!

 
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My take on the sale of Grandview +32/-15 Fred Voorhees 9/2/2022 4:59:10 PM