Nelson Ledges Fun Day interest?

NYSpeed Automotive
141

Your comment about motorcycles got me looking in the right place and I found this:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <Puskarmotorsport@aol.com>
Date: Wed, May 14, 2014 at 11:51 AM
Subject: Fwd: Nelson Ledges NEWS
To: jr@ctbrakes.com

From: Reedkryder@aol.com
To: rasrboy@hotmail.com, wschauer@schauergroup.com, wrpinvest@aol.com, billpintaric@aol.com, dan@parkcycle.com, dankoplow@yahoo.com,don@chardonplastics.com, Puskarmotorsport@aol.com, rpiekarczyk09@yahoo.com, tcantwell@imr-services.com, john@jwalsh.us, gt402hip@yahoo.com,garym@neo.rr.com, bstewart@sccaonline.net
Sent: 5/12/2014 5:23:51 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Nelson Ledges NEWS

Everyone,

I am trying to get this out before the rumor mill goes crazy. The following is my understanding on what transpired. And what may happen.

As most of you know the track surface has been in need of repairs. This past winter was brutal. During the May 3-4 Motorcycle weekend there were some damaged bikes due to loosened pieces of pavement. This MC group has been running monthly events at the track for many years. The head of the club was not satisfied with how Kerrie and Bryan addressed his concerns. (It seems there had also been some disagreements in the past).

On May 5 Todd Karom (MC guy) contacted Marv Drucker (track owner) and basically told him his club could not continue to run at the track unless some surface repairs were done. Since he felt he had gotten nowhere with current track management he also told Marv either they go or his club is gone. Marv apparently asked him if he had any ideas on who could take over. He said no. Marv asked Todd if he wanted the job and he accepted it (I am not sure if he really wants it, but he has been active at the track since that 80’s and doesn’t want to see it closed).

On May 6 Kerrie informed me of the change in management. She was not happy and I was in shock.

I waited until May 9 to see if anything might change. It didn’t. I called Todd (now the manager) and discussed the situation. He knows motorcycles but not cars. He asked Sandi and I for help on the car events.

Things are chaotic but it currently looks as if 2014 will proceed as planned. Those of you looking at the website may have noticed the dropping of Fundays. They should be back on the schedule about the time I send this.

Regarding the track surface, Todd has a goal of making something (extent?) happen before his June motorcycle weekend.

I am trying to organize a meeting (I have Todd’s approval) on either May 24 or 25 (Fundays) to discuss 2014 status as well as future years. Let me know if you want details once I have them. My idea is for an open meeting for anyone interested. I do not want it to be a “bitching” session, so don’t attend if all you want to do is complain about what is now past history. Otherwise, I welcome ideas.

The biggest reason I am sending this is a request to all of you to answer any rumors in a responsible manner if you care about the future of our racetrack. Give ‘change’ a chance and don’t ruin it with negative speculation. There are currently a lot of unknowns, but there may be a silver lining to this cloud.

I expect this email (and a couple others) to result in a deluge of emails and calls. I am leaving the country so don’t expect any immediate replies. I have an all day meeting in Cleveland on Tuesday and will be in Canada from early Wednesday until very late Sunday.

Reed Kryder

ps: For many years people have wished someone would purchase the track. From what I hear, Marv may be in a selling mood. Rumor has it he has lowered his asking price. It may still be high, but who knows.

142

things are not looking good from people in chumpcar who know people at nelson behind the scenes… basically the owners pocket money for 25 years and don’t keep up with the place then it all goes to hell and nobody will come in at their asking price because of how much needs to be fixed.

143

Wonder what the asking price is? It has to be insane if no one is interested.

144

I wonder which is cheaper, to buy it or to fix it.

145

Like MPD mentioned, it’s an EPA thing that’s messing it up. The tires all have to be removed when ownership changes and I guess getting rid of that many tires “the right way” is really expensive (MPD mentioned 2 million).

If any of you are serious about buying it let me know and for the low low price of $200k I’ll make the tires disappear somewhere in OH.

146

It would be easier just to hire some kids as a summer job to stack the tires up and bolt/belt them together into usable tire walls and keep them on the property. Just need to clear some run off, install armco, put re-purposed tire wall in, repave… (be in the red for another 20 years) profit?

147

I used to work for a local tire recycler and yes, it can be expensive. Back in the West Nile days people went apeshit cleaning up long forgotten piles.

148

At first I was thinking how it couldn’t be that bad… how many tires could they have? Then I watched a video of one of my runs there and realized the entire track is lined with just a pile of tires on both sides of the track.

149

For $200k you wouldn’t mind I’m sure lol.

150

Bummer. We were just starting to talk about when we were going to head down there. Hopefully they get the shit straightened out, or someone with more money than brains buys the place.

151

about 4 miles worth…

152
153

How many tires could there be? I can get tires removed for around $0.75 each. Maybe less in such a large quantity. This closing is very disappointing.

154

2-5 tires deep?
6-8 tires high?
4 miles long.
2 foot average tire diameter.

3.574*5280/2 = 258,720 tires.

And that are the ones that can be seen, I’m sure there is a lot more buried in mud.

I’d turn them all into some landscaping / spectator / noise abatement hill on site.

155

From someone who appears to have been associated with the track in the past:

http://www.mvrscca.org/Nelson%20Ledges.pdf

156

+1 jayson is a good guy and I have attended a lo of his track days in the past. He is very organized.

157

update, it changed managment and is back

http://nelsonledgesracecomplex.com/

158

that is awesome news! events are listed on their site for next weekend

159

The save nelson ledges group made a deal, and the ownership backed out a couple hours before signing the paperwork. They have announced they are no longer pursuing a takeover of the track.

This will be our final post to this page before it is closed in the coming days. There have been many comments directed toward those of us directly involved in the initiative behind the creation of this page saying that we “haven’t done enough” or that we need to “get out from behind the computer”, etc.

Anybody that has been involved in a business negotiation before can appreciate the need for privacy and non-disclosure of information until all details of a deal are finalized and signed, this case was no different.

What may come as a surprise is that those of us involved in this initiative tried to address the issues with the track a couple years ago. We went through a lengthy negotiation, got the lawyers, accountants, etc. involved, formulated a contract and were told we had a deal to enter a lease to own agreement on the track and we were ecstatic! The ownership decided to cancel the deal at the last minute a matter of hours before we were scheduled to sign the paperwork with no explanation.

Knowing what we were in for, we took a different approach this time, trying to get public backing from the motorsports community which was graciously and overwhelmingly received - thank you! The feedback we got in the petition process was amazing and made us feel nothing less than stellar about what we were doing!

Thinking we would have a stronger chance of closing a deal with that type of community support we once again subjected ourselves to the emotional roller coaster of a lengthy negotiation process paying attorney’s fees and other professional fees for due diligence, etc. to try to reach an agreement. This time presenting 500+ individually printed petitions with the other information.

We worked with investors and had a plan lined up that would fund a full repave and renovation of the facility. The right people were engaged in an advisory board that have run successful tracks and other businesses to make sure we operated the place correctly. All the key pieces were in place to put the track on the long term path to success and a sustainable future.

It has become clear that the ownership is not really interested in putting the track on a sustainable path to the future and is happy to receive whatever free work and investment people want to put into it.

We commend the interim management for the initiative they have taken to keep the track open, but it is a short term fix. There needs to be new ownership in place that will appreciate and protect the work that goes into the place. Hopefully the interim management gets an opportunity to retain the work that has been done and use it going into the future but based on our experiences with the ownership it does not seem likely.

At this time we are taking a break from this effort and may or may not return to it depending what takes place with the track over the coming months and years. Long live Nelson Ledges Road Course.

160

http://www.kryderacing.com/news/issue94.pdf