Churchill Downs -The proper use of a horsetrack

[carl s]

From TheOldMotor.com

[MS]

No kidding. The USAC sprinters would put on a great show there.

[LittleFauss]

...'Thank you, carl s, for the reminder. Maybe this year you and macmiller can get the Boyle Valve Special on that great horse track?

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[carl s]

I doubt another racecar will ever turn a lap at Churchill.
Hadn't been one on track since 1912 I'm told.
Bill Akin and his roadster and Joe Freeman and his Duesy were participating in the Louisville Concourse d'Elegance which was celebrating the Indy 500 Centennial and Bill was able to get triple double dispensation from a variety of Churchill Boards to take a few laps and Joe Freeman snuck in the back door LOL.
I've communicated with The Board about any future such events and the Boyle Valve Spl and the future for such looks bleak. If it changes I'm first in line.
(Ironically-not being aware of any of this last year- I was towing the car home from The Speedway and took a first time route through Louisville and drove right past Churchill when all of this was going on- I remember toying with the thought of pulling over and getting a photo of the car by the track then decided to get through town instead.

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=30698

[QUOTE=LittleFauss;3010056]...'Thank you, carl s, for the reminder. [B]Maybe this year you and macmiller can get the Boyle Valve Special on that great horse track?[/BQUOTE]

[JMFVET]

I have always wondered why moe horse tracks don't team up with USAC or WoO to do races. Seems like the mo use they get the more profit they get... Unless insurance cost would be too high

[Neshaminy]

I have always wondered why moe horse tracks don't team up with USAC or WoO to do races. Seems like the mo use they get the more profit they get... Unless insurance cost would be too high

It would be a way to get the horse owners to pull the horses out of the stalls for maintenance........I would think the first turbo, or first big block being goosed would have the horses running for the interstate.....but in today's world I think much more of it is infrastructure costs.....the rub rails for the horses are not quite what's needed for a Sliver Crown car, but I do like your idea!

EDIT....and as I understand more tracks are moving to a certain compound which seems to have reduced broken legs on the nags by quite a bit. Dunno if that type material is a plus or minus for auto racing.

[PHJIndy]

They used to run motorcycle races at Louisville Downs when I was in the Army in the late 60's.
They put on a great show until a rider was killed and the racing ceased.

[carl s]

On the subject of racecars on famous horse tracks:
Lindley Bothwell, considered by many to be the West Coast pioneer of vintage exhibitions:
Mostly from his private collection in the late 1950s at DelMar Fairgrounds.
And yes, that's 'Uncle' Mr Ralph De Palma with the flags.

fwiw On Oct 20, 1996 Cary Agajanian et all promoted a Silver Crown Race (won by Jimmy Sills) at Del Mar, It was a splendid SoCal Fall day and we sat in box seats and it was the first auto race on the that turf since the ill fated 1949 AAA Event. Word is (like Churchill Downs) the horse brigade was very much opposed to any further contamination of their soil.

[LittleFauss]

.....'carl s, As you probably are well aware of, promoter J.C. Agajanian "fought" the horsemen every step of the way when he was promoting auto races on state fairgrounds tracks. 'Especially Sacramento. But without fail, every year during the California State Fair, the track would be re-groomed back to beauty and perfection (soft and fluffy) for the thoroughbreds.

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[carl s]

LF, thanks for sharing the poster with us!

[Buckeye Bullitt 93]

Oh man I remember the Silver Crown cars racing at that gorgeous Del Mar track. That was the race Tony Stewart stole the SC Championship by just a few points to complete his triple crown.
As I recall the horseman said the race cars leaking fluids caused some irritation to the horses hooves or some such excuse for not wanting them back.

[Indy500Dude]

.....'carl s, As you probably are well aware of, promoter J.C. Agajanian "fought" the horsemen every step of the way when he was promoting auto races on state fairgrounds tracks. 'Especially Sacramento. But without fail, every year during the California State Fair, the track would be re-groomed back to beauty and perfection (soft and fluffy) for the thoroughbreds.

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I was there!