A final farewell to The Comp - OKC's famed dirt oval R/C track

0 Sept. 25, 2017, 10:07 a.m.

Main Photo: A final farewell to The Comp - OKC's famed dirt oval R/C track

By Mike Garrison
LiveRC.com

News that no one likes to report is the closing of a race track, especially one that has played a large role in R/C racing for many years in it's community. Arguably dirt oval racing in Oklahoma City was brought back to life in large by The Comp. Unfortunately due to the land owner no longer wishing to lease the building, The Comp has closed its doors.

As one last farewell to the facility many midwest dirt oval racers know and love, I was able to catch up with The Comp's founder James Brown for a bit of history, plans for the future, and final words.

"We opened the track in Sept. of 1994 because we were tired of traveling out of town to race. The track here in OKC at the time dropped it's dirt oval program and we had nowhere to race. The drivers told us they would build everything if we would open a facility. They did just that and we were able to build a well lit, comfortable place with air and heat and nice restrooms. In our early years we held quite a few NORRCA & ROAR races but for the last decade or so we have concentrated on having our own races. We have a race every year we call the "Big Ass Race" This Sat will be our 19th one and will be the 'Big Finale Race" the last race we will ever host here. The Comp has been lucky enough to host two special races each year for to local groups that have made us their home track. Bob Light (Bob got Customworks their fist ever National Title with a Sprint Car) has allowed us to host his SOS Summer Nationals (which is an event for Mod Sprints) He has had over 40 Sprinters show up each year for this event and around 50 other cars in different classes. The 065 Outlaws started a class here 2 years ago they call 065 Nastrucks. they have had us host their "065 Nastruck Nationals" for the last 2 summers. It too is an awesome event with a lot of other classes in attendance.

We are closing because the owner of the building has decided she no longer wants to lease the building. She wants to sell. We were planning on retiring in a couple of years so we did not want to buy it or move to another location and then shut down again in a few years.

We were able to sell our track equipment, drivers stands,pit tables, chairs, cases, fans and lights to a gentleman who will be opening a new place in November or December. This will give our loyal racers and customers somewhere to race and buy parts. I am still going to race myself so I will be able to stay in contact with the racers. We have a lot of customers who race real cars now, that we never get to watch because we raced the same days. I am really looking forward to seeing what they learned racing their RC cars. My wife and I are also looking forward to seeing what the rest of the world does on weekends! I will miss seeing many of my none racing customers I have known for years.

I am the guy who got to make a living doing what he loved and have been blessed with some of the best racers and customers a guy could ask for. It has been a blast!" - James Brown, The Comp