Ozark Raceway

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jmarkaudio
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Ozark Raceway

#1 Post by jmarkaudio » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:09 pm

From Speed talk,
OZARK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY SOLD TO NEAL CHANCE RACING FAMILY

Rogersville, MO, January 3, 2009 -- Ozark International Raceway gained a group of new owners this week. The Chance Family, Neal, Mitch and Marty Chance, have announced the purchase of the local landmark from it's current owner, Wes Phifer. The Track will be renamed Ozark Raceway Park under the new ownership.

Located in Rogersville, MO. -- roughly 15 minutes from Springfield, and 34 miles from Branson -- Ozark Raceway Park is a 1/8th mile Dragstrip sitting on 156 acres of beautiful Ozark Countryside. The racetrack has a busy schedule with events running form March to October including the famous annual "Street Machine Nationals" that draws thousands of racers and spectators to the area.

Neal and Marty who both live in the Wichita, KS area, and Mitch Chance of Springfield, are all excited about the possibilities the track has and are committed to opening on schedule this year. They are all anxious to start making improvements to the track as soon as possible; "We are trying to have the track surface ground before we open this year if we can take possession in time and can get the project completed before the track opens in March" said Marty Chance.

Racers will quickly recognized Neal, Mitch and Marty, who all have competed regularly at ORP in the past. Neal races a Procharged 55 Chevy in True Ten Five and Marty won the True Ten Five class at the 2007 Street Machine Nationals in his Procharged Mustang. Mitch Chance has lived in the Springfield area for 12 years and is co-owner of a 55 Chevy Pro Mod that is driven by co-owner Keith Goolsby at ORP.

Marty is also a familiar face in the Racing Industry as he owns and operates Neal Chance Racing Converters (www.racingconverters.com), a world leader in Racing Converter Technology.

Neal Chance, who began his racing career in 1955, is a big fan of the track and the Ozark area and even owns a second home in Cape Fair, MO; "The first time I was at the track was in the 70's when the AHRA had a National Event there. I had raced all over the Midwest and it was the nicest track I had ever been to, the setting was like a postcard and I have always loved the track since the first time I raced there. When we saw the opportunity to buy it, we acted on it..." Neal also stated "Our intentions are to not take anything away from the track but to make it even better..."

Mitch Chance, co-owner of Rad Industries Inc. a Nixa, MO based business also grew up around Drag Racing with his father Neal. "Owning a Drag Strip has been a Life Long Dream of mine, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work hand in hand with people I have something in common with and that's all the racers, everyone from Junior Racers, Bracket Racers to Pro Mod's" he commented. "Our hats are off to Wes and the success he has had with the track, we want to take what he has done and build on it" Mitch said in closing.

"We are committed to reinvesting the revenue back into the track each year until we have transformed the Ozark track we love, into a facility we all can be very proud of." Marty commented. "Through the years my brother and I have ran our own businesses, this will also be a great opportunity to work hand and hand again, just like did when we were kids working in our dad's transmission shop." Marty said.

The track will retain its membership in IHRA and CDRA, an area bracket racing association. The normal schedule of bracket racing and test & tune will not be changed the family has stated.


Contact:

Marty Chance
Ozark Raceway Park
316-542-9869


If this is true, of all places it would be that track. About 12 years ago, I flew out to meet my dad to consider purchasing that track, at a price of $400,000. While everything about the track looked great, the economy in the area judging from the number and quality of the cars that showed up was on the poor side. Cheap electric, a hydroelectric co-op that cost the track about $85 a month at the time, roughly 65 acres, almost no permits for building anything, all great but the economy. We also found the owner was buying it from a previous owner for $275,000 (I think), had only owned it a short time , made a few small renovations, and was paying only interest attempting to make a quick buck off of it. I do wish you the best, I sometimes wonder if I should have gone through with it.
Mark Whitener
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Good work isn't cheap and cheap work can't be good.

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Bob West
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Re: Ozark Raceway

#2 Post by Bob West » Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:26 am

I've been running No/E since '03 at Ozark. The previous owner (Wes Phifer) made no improvements, got lazy and wouldnt even dump the trash weekly and then put an e.t. break in place last year, along with cutting the racing from 1000ft to 1/8th mile. I did not run points last year because of the e.t. break, evidently I wasnt the only one upset with the rule as the car count in No/E points, was cut in half. I would like the option to run my pickup should the car break, otherwise I just donated to the points fund. I think the quality of cars has greatly improved in the last 5 yrs. I just cant figure out why a city and surrounding area as big as Springfield doesnt have more drag racers. You would be suprised how many folks dont even know there is a drag strip around. I think the Chance family will make it a first rate facility and hopefully bring out alot more cars and spectators.
72 Malibu-Nov. '08-1.329-3.995-6.280@106.94-9.988@131.62
best 60ft to date- 1.319
http://www.dragtimes.com/1972-Chevrolet ... -5251.html

Marty Chance
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Re: Ozark Raceway

#3 Post by Marty Chance » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:16 am

Thanks for the support , we know we have a lot of work ahead of us and we hope you all come out race with us in the ozarks
Neal Chance Racing Converters
Home of the World's Fastest Automatic Doorslammers!
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hsutton
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Re: Ozark Raceway

#4 Post by hsutton » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:29 am

I have always liked this track. Came here a few years ago to watch the shootout race which occured on the Car Craft Street Machine Fall Nationals weekend. The weather was great, but for some reason Car Craft moved the Fall Nationals to Little Rock, Arkansas. Anyone who has been to both towns knows Springfield, Mo. is much nicer. Hope the shootout racing keeps the track alive.

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