They Did What in Salt Lake City?

Words and photos by Brian Losness

Back in the day there was a very popular movie with Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray titled Ghostbusters. In that move Bill Murray had a line describing the chaos which was about to ensue in New York.  “Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together...  mass hysteria!” 

Well maybe it wasn’t quite that dramatic (no human sacrifices, thankfully).  However, there was some of the rest of the like taking place at Rocky Mountain Raceway this past Saturday, just outside of Salt Lake City.

See, most racetrack promoters think on a very different level than the rest of humanity. Bear in mind I did not say better or higher level; I specifically used the adjective different.

So when Rocky Mountain Raceway General Manager Mike Eames told his staff of his plans for a very special racing event to be held at RMR, even some of his senior staff responded with, “You want to do what?”

Eames’ plan was to run a drag race and an oval track race at the same time on the same property, and call the event Horsepower Heaven. 

When Spenser Young, the Salt Lake City mega auto dealer and racetrack owner, decided to build Rocky Mountain Raceway he showed wonderful ingenuity.

RMR has a very nice quarter mile drag strip and a high banked 3/8 oval track. These two tracks are separated by a common high-banked grandstand, with is seating on both sides, and a common luxury suite that sits atop the grandstands.

Therefore, Eames’ plan was to run a session of drag racing, a five-minute break, then a session of circle track racing, and finally, another five minute break. Repeat as necessary. The five-minute breaks would allow people to move from the grandstands facing the drag strip, over to the side facing the oval track, and then back. Run the oval track session and switch back to drag racing.