The Ditch - A Lesson In Character

Riverside International Speedway is affectionately known as "The Ditch". From every angle the joint is an eyesore. This old lady is definitely showing her age. Rusted, overgrown, falling down, outdated, and downright ugly. Don't even get me started on the restrooms. Even the flags at Riverside are worn out. The white flag looks yellow. Should an outsider stumble upon this place he would surely think he's found a racetrack that died years ago. One would think the rusty old heavy equipment is on the premise for demolition purposes. Riverside is not the prom queen, rather the ugly duckling you take to the prom because you know you'll have a good time.

I began this article with the purpose of spanking the track owner for letting the place deteriorate to the current condition. However, thinking back on it, this joint has always looked like that, it just gets a little rustier every year. Looking through some old photos I came to the realization that Riverside has never really been more pristine than it is now.

If the walls at The Ditch could talk, the stories would be beyond belief. Legends have been made at The Ditch; Hooker and Rick Hood, Sammy, Sam and Jeff Swindell, Hoyt and Greg Hodnett, Bobby Davis Jr., Lee Brewer, Elmer Gray, Chuck Amati, Alvin and Wimp Gatlin ,Hoyt and Eddie Ray Alexander, Zane Ray Walls, Ted Fink, Ray Bugg, Bubby Jones, Benny Howard, Buford Ward and many, many others. Legendary racers, legendary races, and legendary fights.

Everyone has fond memories of The Ditch. How many times have you heard "We used to go to Riverside Speedway when I was young, does that place still exist?" My family sat in turn two every Saturday night. Man it was fun playing with those big "gumbo balls". During my teen years I still looked forward to sitting in turn two only now I wanted to throw those gumbo balls at anyone who passed Sammy Swindell. Growing up in Raleigh I was taught that Hooker Hood was the bad guy. Riverside had the Sammy section and the Hooker section. My family would have disowned me if I even set foot in the Hooker section. Those two guys put on a show every Saturday night that rivals any sprint car show anywhere. Long ago there were three classes of cars; A, B and C. C cars were stockers. They were primarily 55-56-57 Chevy's with six cylinder engines. Some guys started running Camaro bodies and like magic, the late model class was born. B Cars were kind of like a sprint car with a little coupe body. B Cars were cool. A Cars were sprinters. I remember when A Cars didn't even run wings. My, how things have changed.

Riverside Speedway was born in 1949, she'll celebrate her 5 7th birthday this year. I believe Riverside is the oldest continual operating dirt track in America. That alone is an accomplishment. Hundreds of race tracks have come and gone in the past 57 years, some right in Riverside's market. Despite competing with several new, shiny facilities Riverside has managed to survive. Riverside has something most of the newer tracks lack; character.

Racetracks should have character. Racetracks should be more than tall, shiny grandstands; bright lights; white walls and luxury suites. Racetracks should have a buzz of excitement and a feeling that you are at home being there. It should feel good. I don't know how to build character it's kind of like tradition, which comes with time. I suspect the folks who still frequent Riverside do so because it's home to them and they recognize the character of the joint. Maybe in 30 years some of the new tracks will have character and folks will feel right at home there. One unique feature of Riverside is the infield pit area. I'm a firm believer that every racetrack should have the pits in the middle. This is subject to intense debate. However, isn't it better to sit in the stands looking at the cars, trailers, and people in the pits rather than looking at an empty dirt field? It adds to the circus atmosphere. It adds character. Riverside has so much character it was named " Best Dirt Track in America" by Open Wheel magazine a few years back.

I suspect folks go to The Ditch because they recognize great racing when they see it. This place is a ¼ mile speed plant. One can visit dirt tracks from coast to coast, but you'll have a hard time finding a track as racy as Riverside. The racing surface is unlike any other. I suspect the exceptional surface is due to the tracks close proximity to the Mississippi river bottoms. Black, sticky, horsepower loving gumbo! If ever in a debate over dry slick vs. tacky you should take your debate opponent to Riverside and the debate will be over. You'll win. There's no way a dusty, dry-slick track will produce the racing action of The Ditch. A few years ago I had a good friend visit from the West Coast. This guy is a huge dirt track fan. His job requires travel, allowing him to visit tracks around the country. Jim had heard the stories about Riverside and had to see it for himself. He certainly wasn't impressed with the facility. Throughout hot laps and heat races he remained unimpressed. Then the fun started. The track began its usual metamorphosis from sloppy to tacky just in time for the features. It seems every class picks up a second or two from heats to feature. The mini stocks were flying, the stockers were flying, the late models were lifting the front wheels in the air! Jim barely had time to catch his breath when the sprint cars pushed off. One lap to line up and they were on the loud pedal. That night the locals put on a heck of a show. They were pushing, shoving, slide jobs, wheel standing, and threading needles. All this without a wisp of dust in the air! After that brief burst of excitement Jim turned to me and said "That was amazing. If a guy can win here, he can win anywhere. No wonder the guys from Memphis are so good".

So with all that said, what can the future hold for our beloved "Ditch"? Well, without speaking with the current owner I can only repeat the rumors I've heard lately. There are some who want to see the place bull-dozed to the ground. I was told there are noise complaints from a nearby residential complex. However, city leaders have mostly ignored the complaints and grandfathered the track. A Grandfather clause means the track gets a reprieve from any actions due to it being built prior to the building of the complex. The grandfather clause probably only applies to the current owner. Should the place change ownership it could go down. Another conspiracy theory says the track is prime real estate. Sure, it doesn't look valuable but think about the location. After all West Memphis is the truck stop capitol of the world! Like I said, these are only rumors so who knows what the future holds.

I do know one thing for certain: Riverside could be one of the premier dirt tracks in America. Riverside should be on the National Historical Registry due to the history of the place. History is fine and dandy and serves a purpose. However, think of what the future could hold if the place was transformed to a state of the art, modern race facility! And by that I don't mean just a fresh coat of paint. I'm talking all new grandstands, nice signs, nice restrooms and concessions, improved lighting, state of the art sound system, and most of all corporate sponsorship. Think of the opportunities to bring in the "big shows". A few million dollars would put Riverside on the map. We could have World Of Outlaws, USAC, MARS, ASCS, heck, we could have a special show of some sorts every week! How cool would it be to see Steve Kinser doing battle with Swindell and Lasoski at Riverside! Imagine the show the USAC Midgets would put on at The Ditch! Riverside truly could be a premier dirt track. Oh, I forgot about that pesky few million dollars issue. Now, who wants to step up to the plate? Well, that'll probably never happen so Riverside will probably just continue to produce great racing action in a dumpy facility. Maybe that's not so bad after all.

Whatever the future holds for Riverside International Speedway I only hope it lives for another 57 years. Good tracks with character are getting harder and harder to find!

I have one nagging question which remains unanswered: Why is it called Riverside International Speedway? What exactly is "International" about The Ditch?