Patrons across the Sooner State rallied around the I44 Riverside Speedway family at last night’s #Restore44 Fundraiser at Oklahoma City’s Pole Position Raceway.

The National leader in Indoor Karting donated $10 of each race entry directly to #Restore44 as well as proceeds from a silent auction packed to the hilt with items from the local and racing communities.

Beginning at 5pm and doubling down around 7pm, over 200 enthusiastic patrons greeted each other throughout a raucous event that flew well past the 9pm closing time.

By night’s end, a whopping $7,159 was raised by Pole Position Raceway on behalf of I44 Riverside Speedway.

On behalf of I44 Riverside Speedway managers Mark Banister and Gloria Olexa, we extend our overwhelming thanks especially to Pole Position Raceway’s Oklahoma City manager Greg Slaton, but also Race P2R President Ken Faught and Pole Position Raceway CEO Kerry Peterson.

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I Race TV's Ryan Merz on the handle and Courtney Lynn Boggs interviewing I44 Riverside Speedway Promoter Mark Banister (pictured right) and I44 Riverside Speedway Public Relations Cody Morris

I Race TV was on hand throughout the evening, and interviews with I44 Riverside Captain Mark Banister and several others will be featured on I Race TV quickly.

In Just 21 days, I44 Riverside Speedway will pull off what was once thought by many to be impossible in the days following the May 20 tornado that reduced the speedway to a plane of destruction. And 21 days from now, take a moment to reflect on what it means to keep auto racing alive in the Oklahoma City area and those that gave it everything they had to make it possible.

They will be on wall panels, on big billboards, and every press release the rest of the season. And among them all, remember July 11th and what Pole Position Raceway did to save OKC auto racing on that night.

As this hit’s the proverbial press, Mark and Gloria are headed south bound on I-35. We will launch Volume 5 on Monday with all the details and a fresh accounting of where #Restore44 is that will have many both stunned and smiling. Please read further into Volume 4 for several important announcements, including the grand reopening - the 14th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals.

Chapter 2 - The Storm and the Time Before It

This is among the last moments to reflect on how far we have come and what led to this moment in time, a moment in which the will and determination of so many could continue a history of racing in the OKC area that spans back to the 1930’s.

Just fifty three days ago, on Monday, May 20th, the stage was set for the finale of a three day outbreak of sever weather that just two nights earlier brought I44 Riverside Speedway’s May 18th program to an early ending. Monday afternoon at 212pm, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for a super cell thunderstorm that had formed to the southwest of Oklahoma City along the I-44 corridor. Rotation was observed and a Tornado Warning issued at 241pm as we the storm neared the southwest sides of the OKC metro.

At 256pm CST, a tornado touched down 4.4 miles west of Newcastle, Oklahoma. The tornado rapidly gained intensity and crossed Interstate 44 at 301pm, striking I44 Riverside Speedway head on at exactly 303pm.

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Still frame of May 20 tornado moments after hitting I44 Riverside Speedway. Speedway sign along interstate pictured in foreground. Full video can be seen on Youtube by searching "First Ten Minutes of Moore Tornado". We estimate that the tornado hit the speedway between minutes 5/6 all the way to the end of the video, in which the area of the speedway can clearly be seen still being battered by 120+ mph wnds

Winds of nearly 200mph battered the speedway for nearly three full minutes as the tornado traded forward progress for intensification before bursting eastward along SW 149th St. for the next 32 minutes.

After leveling I44 Riverside Speedway, the tornado spread to 1.3 miles in width and briefly gained EF5 status as it ripped through Oklahoma City and Moore communities located within about a mile on either side of SW 149th St.

Twenty three lives were taken and 377 injured by the Moore tornado, with an estimated 1,150 homes destroyed and total losses were in excess of $2 billion. Some meteorologists estimate that the energy released by the May 20 tornado was the equivalent of up to 600 times the energy released by the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

The pictures of the devastation have been scene worldwide. Little is left to the imagination of what this indescribable tragedy did to so many.

I44 Riverside Speedway was established in 1999 and has been the last remaining auto racing venue in the greater OKC metro since the fall of 2009, when the closure of State Fair Speedway was announced before being torn down a few months later.

I44 Riverside Speedway itself was in tumultuous times, with mismanagement culminating in a brief closure. The closure was brief because former State Fair Speedway racer and lifelong Oklahoma City resident Mark Banister took the reigns and immediately began a long term effort to turn the tide.

Aptly renamed Riverside due its close proximity to the South Canadian River, the 1/6th mile returned to action midway through the 2011 season with Mark and Gloria at the helm, steadily stabilizing the program before unleashing one of the best two day specials to ever be held at the track with their October finale that drew well known Midget racers from over a dozen states.

A little over a year later, heading into the 2013 season and their second full campaign at the helm of I44 Riverside, Mark and Gloria announced the expansion of their efforts with the Midget division in what was to be, and will still be, the return of “big car” racing to the OKC metro. At the same time, average car counts went up by nearly 15 entries as the youngest divisions, the Junior Sprint and Restricted classes, nearly doubled their weekly numbers.

And this is where we were…….on May 19th.

Chapter 3 - #Restore44 - The Movement and The Last Full Measure

Fifty Three days ago altered the course of history. Many volunteers from both the local community and racing community have put their hard work and dedication into restoring the last remaining speedway in Oklahoma City.

Barely three weeks ago, we officially launched #Restore44. #Restore44 could be described in many different ways. The ongoing efforts of Mark and a volunteer work force to rebuild the speedway, the quest of the sponsorship that would ultimately save racing in Oklahoma City, or the weekly writing of the same name that tracks the progress on each front.

But what #Restore44 really is, at its’ core, is a movement. A place where our history and our future come together. No sport could ever be more American than auto racing, even though we all love our Sooner and Cowboy football lol. Auto Racing has been here since that time just after the invention. Once it had four wheels and a strong motor, all over the United States, and especially Oklahoma’s place in it - ovals began to dot the landscape in several counties and townships.

And the best of those ovals were dirt.

Dirt track racing has been a firm fixture in the Oklahoma City area for nearly 80 years. #Restore44 isn’t just the movement to continue racing at I44 Riverside Speedway and save the business of a family who literally lost everything in the May 20th tornado - it’s the tribute to tens, possibly hundreds of thousands who had a hand in what we still strive to do today, to watch raw talents give it their best in a sprint to the checkered flag.

The blood, sweat, and tears of thousands in our sports’ legacy are all with us here in this time. Now more than ever they are with us, hoping, praying and cheering that we pull it off. They can be seen today in the stands, the veterans and young men and young ladies who strap in to play the most dangerous game every Saturday night, the families and friends who sacrifice not just their weekends to further their career behind the wheel, but most nights of the week as well.

In a world that is constantly evolving, with entertainment always a click away, our sports has become even more challenging. In most of this 80+ year history of OKC racing, a speedway was THE place to be, along with weekend drags, some bowling alleys and movie theatres, and of course - high school and collegiate sports.

What has changed?

That society has gained a predilection to enjoying the visual in cave dwelling comfort has its’ perks. But even in this rapidly evolving time, nothing replaces that sense of BEING THERE and being a part of something. Whether it’s the weathered parent who works full time to support a racing team that goes beyond full time, the family who is also squatting alongside holding the light, or tightening this or that, or the family enjoying the battle that is the fruit of those efforts, nothing could ever replace the bonds formed in a sport as great as ours.

Anyone can compete in stick and ball sports, not everyone has what it takes to race. Most excuse that with money, and racing can indeed be expensive. But it’s much more than that. It takes a peculiar breed, a combination of hard, exhausting work in the garage and a bravery and courage pulling onto the track and maneuvering at high speed, with just inches separating you from your opponent, or the wall, or the infield tire. Much can go wrong, but everything can also come together as well.

The same reason we should #Restore44 are all the same reasons we should once again note and value the efforts, talents, and sacrifice that are inherent to our sport. Champions should never be forgotten or shrugged off, and neither should those who start 6th and finish 11th - it took a lot of hard work and sacrifice just to do that. All for the day they can start 6th and vie up front for a chance to pilot their fierce machine to victory lane.

So many of the attributes that we traditionally value are at their finest display on a Saturday night cushion. And it’s not just for the thousands who know what that means, it is for the many thousands more who will one day enjoy it as well. 80+ years of spring to fall are here with us, the space in front of us is infinite and limitless. As a community - where do we go from here?

OKC race patrons could do nothing as they watched their passionate home be dismantled in early 2010. Hearts are still heavy at the loss, perhaps many always will be. Patrons of the Dallas/Fort Worth area feel it as well in the loss of Cowtown Speedway, some also with Duttons, Will Rogers, Tulsa, and now Meeker - the speedways of those names all now gone.

We have a chance to save Riverside and save dirt track racing in the Oklahoma City area. The finish line to #Restore44 is in firm sight. Debris is gone, fencing all restored, only the lights and Edison’s discovery stand between us and winning this fight.

The racing community has at times been fractious. There can be no fractions right now. No dividing lines. Not among age, class, creed, location, or track. This is where it must stand firmly united and save one of its’ most cherished battlegrounds. This must be the place where we pull off what few really thought was possible, where we permanently turn the tide and where we prove to all the naysayers and doubters, both within and outside our sport, our speedway, and our town - that we will not be silenced. That at Riverside - one can see the best fans, the best supporters, the best racers, and meet the best people.

AND THAT ALL OF US AIM TO MAKE A HELL OF A LOT OF NOISE COME AUGUST 2ND.

To get involved in the movement to #Restore44 please contact the speedway at 405.633.1583 or visit www.i44riversidespeedway.com.

We have 10 ft. X 3 ft. billboards that will showcase the sponsorship commitment of you and/or your business on the catch fence. Each billboard is $550. We have nearly 30 remaining.

We also have plated wall panels that will stretch around the track, they can be sponsored for $70 and we have over 80 remaining.

All individuals or sponsors who affirm their commitment to #Restore44 will be featured not only at the track at the 14th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals, but the final 7 weekly shows ending with The Jimmy King Classic (final points event on September 28th), as well as the season finale Stock 600 & Midget Nationals on October 11th and 12th.

All individuals or sponsors involved in #Restore44 will be featured in ALL official speedway release for the remainder of the season, including event previews and recaps for each event.

Chapter 4 - Introducing the 14th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals (The Grand Reopening)

The countdown to the 14th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals has officially begun. We are exactly 21 days out - and no matter what we will get there. #Restore44 will succeed and the dirt will fly come Friday, August 2nd with the first of two nights of Mini Sprint Nationals.

*The grand reopening of I44 Riverside Speedway

The 14th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals
Featuring:
Outlaw - $1,000 to win / $150 to start
A Class - $1,000 to win / $150 to start
Non Winged 600’s (Non Wing) - $1,000 to win / $150 to start
Non Wing Sportsman - $750 to win / $125 to start
Winged Restricted 600’s - $750 to win / $125 to start
Junior Sprints - $500 to win / $125 to start

Total purse: $30,000

*RACE TIMES - pits open at 3pm both Friday and Saturday. Drivers meeting 515pm, hot laps at 545 pm, with heats and qualifiers getting under way at 7pm.
*Saturday - Gates open at 3pm, drivers meeting at 515pm, hot laps 545pm, program starts at 7pm featuring all Features.

ALL CLASSES - $100 entry fee if registered before August 2nd, $150 entry on race day. Heats and qualifiers on Friday night will set the field for Features on Saturday night. Go to www.i44riversidespeedway.com to pre-register or call the speedway at 405.633.1583. Pre-registration opens tomorrow afternoon, SATURDAY, JULY 13th.

Outlaw, A Class, Non Wing 600, Restricted, and Junior Sprint rules can all be found on www.i44riversidespeedway.com.

Non Wing Sportsman rules are Port City Raceway rules with the following exceptions:
*R6 and RR’s must weigh at least 750 lbs. car and driver, all other models must weigh at least 720 lbs. car and driver.
*Racing fuel is allowed, but with 110 octane limit. Anything higher on test gauge will be deemed illegal.
*R6 and RR’s must test 45 or higher on tire durometer, all other models 40 or higher.
*Non Wing Sportsman entries can only compete in the Non Wing Sportsman division

Chapter 5 - #Restore44 - Our Partners! List will be updated at the beginning of next week (7-15). We’ve had many join us in the past several days, we hope after taking part in the #Restore44 fundraiser, or even perhaps reading about the passion so many share for our beloved sport and our commitment to it, that you will join the I44 Riverside family as well.

Wall Panel Sponsors as of 7/3

1 - 2J Wehkamp Racing (Wehkamp Racing - Cimarron, Kansas)
2 - 2J Wehkamp Racing (Wehkamp Racing - Cimarron, Kansas)
3 - 3J Wehkamp Racing (Wehkamp Racing - Cimarron, Kansas)
4 - 3J Wehkamp Racing (Wehkamp Racing, Cimarron, Kansas)
5 - Jennings Powder Coating (Brandon Jennings - Oklahoma City)
6 - Jack Hall #37 (Jack Hall)
7 - 2B Brandon Boggs (Boggs Racing - Lawton, Oklahoma)
8 - Bobby Brewer #1 (Bobby Brewer - Cabot, Arkansas)
9 - Nathan Rainey #99 (Matthew Rainey - Choctaw, Oklahoma)
10 - Lyndon Harvey 99H (Harvey Racing - Decatur, Texas)
11 - Boggs Racing 2B (Randy Boggs - Lawton, Oklahoma)
12 - Stars Elite Cheer (Kerrie Boggs - Lawton, Oklahoma)
13 - Fliptastics Gymnastics (Courtney Boggs - Lawton, Oklahoma)
14 - P40 Aaron Dromgoole (Dromgoole Racing - Euless, Texas)
15 - Derrick McBride #98 (Derrick McBride - Newcastle, Oklahoma)
16 - Lyndon Harvey 99H (Harvey Racing - Decatur, Texas)
17 - Jake’s Dad Carbs (Duane Keel - Mustang, Oklahoma)
18 - Poverty Barn (www.povertybarn.net, St. Charles, MO
19 - Ryan Anderson ?#?00R? (Ryan Anderson - Anadarko, Oklahoma)
20 - Finish Line Designs (Cody & LeeAnn Meade - Dewey, OK)
21 - Fast Lane Motorsports News (Galen Kurth - OKC, OK)
22 - Zero Motorsports (Johnny Murdock - St. Louis, Missouri)
23 - Christian Kinnison 82c TBD
24 - Christian Kinnison 82c

Current total: $1,680
Panels remaining: 90

Billboard sponsors as of 7/3

1 - Barnum's Plumbing, Inc. (Oklahoma City) 550
2 - Dacus Heating & Air (Fletcher, Oklahoma) *Associate
3 - MelMark Pipe & Supply *Associate
4 - Southern Illinois Raceway (Marion, Illinois)
5 - Oklahoma No Fender Network / Finish Line Designs *Associate
6 - Southwestern Medical Center Lawton, Oklahoma (24 hour kidney stone service / Dr. Mike Kuglitsch)

Current total: $3,308
Billboards remaining: 32

#Restore44 Fundraiser hosted by Pole Position Raceway (Oklahoma city): $7,159

As Mark and Gloria make their way back from a day trip to Texas to secure our most needed assets, we would like to wish everyone a great weekend with their families and friends. Please share this #Restore44 volume 4 with your loved ones, friends, and coworkers. Let them know what the entire racing community is about and how in the face of the greatest adversity - how we will succeed.

Have a great weekend everybody, #Restore44 will be back Sunday night/Monday with all sorts of amazing news and details.