Reno Fontana Has Arrived At Movieland Speedpark

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Racetrack revival: Inside Chandler Speedway

Reno Fontana Has Arrived At Movieland Speedpark

Chandler, Indiana...Reno Fontana has a dream. It's called Movieland Speedpark. People have been hearing about this idea of his for a while now. Back in December of 2017, Reno started making waves on social media. He made the announcement that he was buying Chandler Speedway in Indiana. It might have been news to the racers of Indiana, who had raced at the oval track and the drag strip that year. Everything wasn't perfect then, but it least they were having races.

Nobody was looking for the Ferris Wheel or the swimming pool or the community center or the movie theater or any of the ideas that Reno had pitched. They simply wanted the race tracks that they had been enjoying for years. Truth be told, if investments were going to be made, you'd probably have a difficult time finding any racer who thought they needed more than just improvements to the facilities that existed. Better grandstands, resurfacing of the drag strip and things like that.

For the better part of the last year, Reno continued to talk about what was going to happen. All the while, the 2018 season came and went without a race ever happening. He doubled down on his rhetoric on social media in a way that became annoying to the critics. When it seemed like the property was going to be seized from owner Harold Baker due to debts incurred, Fontana appeared to make a backdoor deal with Baker that made him the new owner. It also made him the one who had to pay the debts.

This year, the property was about ready to go to auction. The date was March 20th, and it was expected that the place would be sold to satisfy the debts. People within the racing community speculated as to who would come in and buy the place and whether they wanted to continue to have races. Some insiders said that there were investors ready to buy with the intent of keeping racing alive. However, at the eleventh hour, Fontana stepped in and stopped the auction. Just like that, it was over. Or was it?

Fontana filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy as a way to restructure his debts. This would give him more time to put things in order. However, there was a question. The debts incurred on the facility weren't his. Just exactly what business had he been doing for Movieland Speedpark? Fontana claimed that he was doing business and cited certain people that he owed in his new Movieland Speedpark business venture. This is all still to be settled in court. Word was that the court date would be in June, but then a trustee for the bank filed a motion to have a hearing regarding Fontana's bankruptcy and whether he has met the criteria. The date has been moved to April 30th.

The show goes on. Fontana has finally flown from his Southern California home to Chandler, Indiana. He's made it known with an appearance on a local television station in which he appeared with Harold Baker and other people involved with the facility. In the appearance, Fontana stuck to the narrative that racing would happen in May on the dirt track. He added that there wouldn't be any racing at the drag strip this year. His statements more recently have been modest. All he wants to do now is just get the race track open again. He pointed out that new bleachers would be up at the oval track within the next three months to give the fans more seating.

The doubters and naysayers will continue to say that Reno is a liar and a fraud. They may be right. Racing has gone on at the facility since the early 1970s, and there are people who do want to go racing again. Three generations, in some cases, of families have raced there. To say that the track means something to them is an understatement. They view Fontana as an outsider coming in and making a joke of their track.

This is where we're at. On Saturday night, a practice is scheduled to happen. This will give the local racers an opportunity to test their cars. Just how much work has been done at the track? The area surrounding the dirt track has been cleaned up, and there have been vehicles of some sort making preparations on the racing surface. There have also been claims made on the internet that no insurance has been secured for the track. In Reno's interview on television recently, he didn't address the subject. However, he will be required to address the matter in court.

While all of this goes on, there are people who don't believe a race will ever happen. They believe, based on his history, that Fontana is a man of questionable character. They will point to deeds that he's done in the past and say that the people of Chandler are his latest victims. What is apparent is that Reno has committed to this effort. What his endgame really is, nobody can say.

What can be said is that he is now in Chandler, and he intends to do something at that race track. Legally, nobody has stepped in and prevented him yet. Reno did make a comment in the interview that he didn't even have a key yet and that only his general manager, Summer Taylor, had a key. He was going to be getting his copy. While all of this talk has been going on about a season, Fontana hadn't been in Chandler until this past week. Other people have been working to get the track to where it can host a simple practice on Saturday.

What the locals should keep in mind is that they are on the verge of a moment of history. This may be a good moment or it may be a bad moment, but something is about to happen. As the practice is available to the public to watch, this would certainly present itself as an opportunity. People should go and check out the spectacle. Will it happen? Who's going to show up? How will the facilities look? Bring cameras. Record videos. Take it all in.

This also could be part of the Fontana game plan to show that he's doing business. There are some who believe that the man never intended to do anything or that he doesn't really own anyting. These will be matters resolved in court, to be sure. Some will say that by coming out and supporting this track, you're playing right into his hands. You're legitimizing the effort that he's made.

However, things are already in motion. If Reno opens for practice and opens for his first race in May, he will be attempting to do business then. Whether people show up and witness it or not, he'll make such claims in court that he's doing business and working on resolving debt issues. Fan support in spectating this effort isn't going to do much more in the way of lending credibility to him. He will still say he's been open, regardless of people spectating or not.

It's not a happy moment for people in Chandler who believe that he is not the man to fix and save the race tracks. The critics may be right. They may also be wrong. A man like Reno knows how to play the long game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. What exactly does the man win by getting this place? Isn't this supposed to be about the grand spectacle that is Movieland Speedpark with all the amenities that he's discussed in the last year-and-a-half? Perhaps. Then again, some things may have changed.

Reno Fontana has had many dealings along the way. At the eleventh hour, it looked like everything was over. It looked like maybe he would be exposed. Yet, he's still standing. He was at the facilities doing an interview on television presenting himself as the promoter of Movieland Speedpark. How many people thought that he would get this far in his game? There are certainly some critics scratching their heads and wondering, can he manage to pull this off?

It may be the beginning of a brand new era for the Chandler racing facility. Perhaps Reno is the guy who's going to take the place to the next level? Perhaps he's about ready to fall flat on his face? Will they have a race there under Reno? This is an intriguing question. If they get that far, is that a victory for Reno Fontana? If nothing much more happens after that, but he still manages the to be able to promote a race there, did he achieve a victory of sorts?

One has to consider the Hollywood angle that oozes from what is Movieland Speedpark. If he goes from the point where he was discussing taking the track over to a point where he actually holds a racing event, he now has quite a story to tell. If it's ultimately found in court that Chapter 11 Bankruptcy is not his right in this case or that he didn't even own the track, he still has a story to tell.

Consider Hollywood and the stories they make into movies. A guy with a checkered past comes to a town like Chandler, promising big things. He's a lot of bluster and bs, but somehow he gets to the point where they open the gates. Then, the evil bank or the local government takes it all away from him. But, what a journey. They almost made it. This is the stuff that Hollywood movies are made of, and you have to think that Reno would get a kick out of that idea.

Nobody really knows what's going to happen, but we do know that they have a practice on Saturday and then a May 3rd season opener. The critics and the believers should all take note and be there to see what happens. Perhaps they will show up at the gates to find them locked and no event happening at all? Maybe something does happen? If you're in Chandler and don't have anything to do on Saturday night and call yourself a racing fan, wouldn't you want to be there to find out what will ultimately happen?

It's sad to witness what's going on down there, even from afar. Even sadder is the fact that when the local media has interviewed him in person or by phone, nobody on the so-called news team bothered to do any basic research on who the guy is and ask any hard questions. They took what he said at face value and went with it. Basically, they aided his current effort. They legitimized him. One has to wonder what has happened to the media, but all you have to do is look at the current political climate in the country and the way that has been covered to understand that what passes for journalism these days is a shadow of what it used to be.

If Reno turns out to be legitimate, he still faces an uphill battle. Maybe he does want to be a promoter, but he still has no money. He still has not demonstrated that he has the first understanding of how to run a weekly racing program. He still has a community that's divided because of him. What is he going to do to move this race track forward? What is he going to do to unite the people behind this race track? The first step in that will be happening when the gates are open. It's certainly a moment that is worth witnessing just to say you were there when it went down.

Five Thoughts Heading Into This Racing Weekend

The Third Annual Larry Damitz Memorial Race is happening at Antioch Speedway.  Sounds like the All Star Series B Modifieds are getting the same $500 to win purse they got last week.  On paper, this was the best move management could make in case some drivers might have been tempted to go to Placerville for the $500 to win there.  It keeps the 12-15 local drivers there.  Hobby Stocks should be in the same car count range.  Bay Area Hardtop drivers get to be a part of this show, which is something they have wanted.  Larry loved this class and competed in it for years.

Getting back to the B Modifieds, there are some quality racers who will be batttling for that $500 prize, and Brent Curran, Tommy Fraser and two-time reigning champion Trevor Clymens have won the three races so far.  Mark Garner has won on Larry Damitz Night both years and would love to put his B Modified in the winner's circle.  One has to consider Kevin Brown a threat after two Top 5 finishes.  Cameron Swank is the point leader, and the rookie looks like he could win at any time.  He won many races in Hobby Stocks.  By the way, the Hobby Stocks have had some great races so far this year, and two-time reigning champion Chris Sorensen, Bree Troen, Josh Leach, Anthony Welborn, John Wacht and Phillip Oreta are just some of the stars to watch this week.

I've been asked why there are no Limited Late Models on the night's schedule.  I have no answer to that.  I've heard rumors that this decision led to one drivers leaving the class, but I haven't confirmed that.  I certainly hope it's not the case.  I believe John intended to book them, and he was going to look into that when we spoke a few weeks ago.  It's been hectic just getting things going again after the late decision on the track.  Just the fact that John and the team have made that happen is a good thing.  However, there was a missed opportunity here, especially as there could have even been Petaluma racer support for this.  

The other thing is DIRTcar Late Model count is down.  I've curious about a few names missing from the roster.  Once such name worked to help build the purse for this race in 2017 and was probably disappointed when the class was dropped from the show last year. Antioch has the only full Late Model class left on dirt in California.  B Mods and Hobby Stocks should be entertaining.  There's also an outside chance at double digits in Hardtops, depending on CHA support.  If Dave Mackey has the motor right in his #1 car, the battle between he, Terry DeCarlo, Placerville winner Ken Retzlof and Kimo Oreta should be entertaining.

Merced Speedway is doing Fan Appreciation Night, which is cool.  They are showcasing different classes Saturday.  Both IMCA classes are off, probably to work with Placerville Speedway.  Hobby Stocks take center stage after a good race last week.  Mini Stocks should do well, and Valley Sportsman and California Sharp Mini Late Models are also there.  Both classes may not hit ten cars, but the Sportsman class had eight in the race won by Chris Birdsong.  Can they maintain that car count?  By the way, it would have been Chris's father Kenny Birdsong's birthday today.  

I have a feeling the Hobby Stocks could have one of those seasons with several different feature winners.  Dexter Long won last week's race after a good battle with Shannon Nelson and Raul "Showtime" Rodriquez.  Mini Stocks have two different winners in Jennifer Rodgers and Lucy Falkenberg.  I wonder how long they can keep three-time champion Chris Corder out of the winner's circle?  I think a win in the Sportsman Main Event is higher up on his list, and he was second in the opener.  I think this show will be worth seeing, and the Monster Trick and racing weekend planned next week will be off the charts.

Placerville is doing the Donnie Tilford Tribute Saturday night.  This is a Stock Car themed night, and I love that Scott Russell has booked such a night.  Tilford won more Stock Car races at the track than anybody in history.  The local Limited Late Models pay $750 to win and the Jay's Mobile Welding Pure Stocks pay $500.  It's interesting to note that IMCA Modifieds and Sport Modfieds have been booked for $1,500 to win and $500 to win, respectively.  The race for the Modifieds is a qualifier for the big IMCA show later this year.  Why IMCA for this?  I think Scott was looking to attract as many racers as possible, and you never know what could be scheduled next year if things go well.  However, this was a missed opportunity to book an All Star Series race with Prentice Motorsports.  Seems like John is being shunned here, but maybe I'm seeing things wrong?  By the way, they say such heavyweights as Bobby Hogge IV, Ryan McDaniel, Kellen Chadwick and "Tricky" Troy Foulger will be there tomorrow.

Siskiyou Golden Speedway Little League Night is the second race under the promotion of Kevin Barba.  Kevin has been working hard to make things right and he has a nice lineup of Calculated Comfort Outlaw Pro Stocks, SODCA Dwarf Cars, IMCA Sport Modifieds and IMCA Modifieds scheduled.  Sounds like they could break past the 40 car mark and maybe flirt with the 50's.  This is also a good warmup for the Pro Stocks.  Next week's 5th Annual Billy Geyer Memorial is a Tri State Challenge race that pays $2,000 to win thinks to Calculated Comfort of Medford.  Sounds like that could produce a car count well into the 20's, just for Pro Stocks.

It doesn't seem like Petaluma Speedway promoter Rick Faeth ever stops working on making his racing program better.  The first two races of the season have been good, and now comes an Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour, Presented by Abreu Vineyards, event.  Car counts should be solid for this show, which features Santa Rosa Auto Body Micros is support.  This will be the only Winged Sprint Car option for fans in the northern half of California. A field of 35-40 Sprint Cars is anticipated.  Chase Johnson won the PitStopUSA.com Winged Sprint car race last week, and he would have to be considered a threat to beat the big stars coming to town this week