Star Speedway is all about family. That is Tim Webber handing the trophy to Gary Modugno.
Tim makes 4 generations of Webbers involved with running the track.

 Visit Date: 6/30/07
 Event: PASS 200
Phantom Overall Rating >8.5 

     All-Star Speedway,  is located in Epping New Hampshire.  Long time owner/ promoter Bob Webber has turned the reigns over to Bobby MacArthur. MacArthur is a true rookie at the race track management game. He has a few things that make him stand out. He loves the sport, and the track. A true entertainer, Bobby seems to know what people want.  An example would be the hiring of  Elvis for this event.  Given time this former race driver is bound to succeed.

      One of the first things I noticed was the improvements taking hold at the quarter mile oval. The infield is now green grass. New stands have been placed between turns three and four.  Retaining walls and fences have been upgraded .

        Admission was a bit pricey at $30.00 for the Pass 200 featuring Kyle Busch and All-Star Speedway's regular divisions.  With that said, a night out at Star is still a better deal than the movies.  The Speedway will keep the family entertained for the entire night.

     The action stopped once all night. The break was for an Intermission that was a true treat for fans.  The PASS All-Stars lined their cars up against the wall. Then fans were allowed to step out on to the track and get up close to all of their favorite drivers. Included in the free autograph session was Kyle Busch. 

    The races were outstanding. They were run timely and featured plenty of close competition. The cars were very "eye appealing". The lightning fast All-Star Modifieds and PASS Late Models were true fan favorites.

   All-Star Speedway has a few areas that need tuning. Food lines were way too long. The selection was great but pricey. A welcome venture away from the standard track menu was the "Big Salad" and Fruit Cups offered for healthy eaters. The standards are there too. Hot wings are my favorite choice. From Chili Fries to Fried Dough, they serve it all. 

    There were very few areas that needed improvement at the historic bull ring. New owner Bob MacArthur is only half way through his first season so he really has not had time to address some items.  One area I'd expect to improve is the main grand stands. Children, or those with agility issues should sit low. The sound system did not meet expected standards. The web site needs to become "fan friendly". Some race fans may never get to a big track, especially kids, so a midway with souvenirs is also needed.

    The Phantom thoroughly enjoyed the evening of racing at All-Star Speedway. Track owners are always tempted to sell to land developers so I want to personally send a Thank You out to Bob Webber for turning the reigns over to Bob MacArthur. One thing we already have too many of is malls. I expect Bobby MacArthur to turn this track into the "Bristol of the North".  The transformation is underway.  If track promoters had votes to identify potential super stars in the track management game, he'd be my pick. For a regular show, or special event, The Phantom highly recommends a night at All-Star Speedway.

    

  • Value for the dollar

    Weekly events are $15.00. This event was a "special event".
    For  $30.00 General Admission fans can see racing at its finest.

    • Compared to other tracks this events was priced competitively.
    • Phantom would set the ideal price at $25.00
    • Compared to other types of entertainment this event was priced competitively.
    • All-Star Speedway only offers general seating.
      • Stands are wood
      • An area we always check stands for is safety.  The stands are not sealed.
        • The foot area opening is open enough for items to fall through.
        • The foot area opening is open enough that a person could fall through.
        • Stands that have  "steps" at the end of each row make it much safer for fans to move up and down, and keep those rows clear.
    • A $10.00 discount was offered for seniors.
       
  • Quality of Races

    I attended the "Pass 200".  The Pass North Super Late-Model Series features ultra fast full bodied cars and regional stars. This event featured Nextel Cup star Kyle Busch.  The night also featured the majority of All-Star Speedway's weekly divisions. The drivers interacted with the fans. Plenty of autographs were signed.
     
    • Events were run timely
    • The show never stopped. There was always something happening.
    • The competition was even with most races being contested right to the checkered flag.
    • There was plenty of passing.


     

  • Series/Special Events
            All-Star Speedway's season consists of weekly events with  regional touring series added to the show as their special events.  The following is a list of the type of cars one would expect to see weekly. For a more detailed description of the cars,
    visit the web site and click on the Division/Rules tab.

     
    • All-Star Modifieds
    • Pro-Stocks     
    • Super Streets  
    • Strictly Stocks
    • Road Runners
    • Mini-Stock

      Cars from the touring series below are added to the weekly schedule to form special events.
       
    • ISMA Supermodifieds
    • Pass North Super Late-Model Series
    • USAC Midgets
    • Allison Legacy
    • Mini-Cups

    Two events stand out on the schedule. The ISMA Supermodified Classic and the Pass North 200. The "Classic"  features radical asphalt winged sprint type race cars. This year  the Pass North 200 features PASS North Super Late-Models and  Nextel Cup Star Kyle Busch.
     

  • Restrooms 
    Since these events are completed over hours, most fans will take at least one trip to the restrooms. We rate them at every track.
    • There are restrooms toward the 4th turn and 1st turns just behind the stands.
    • Lines were short.
    •  The restrooms were campground quality.
    •  The restrooms were clean and neat.
       
  • Food/Drink

     Under All-Star Speedway's main grandstand fans will find the snack bar. The good news is that the hard working staff provides a great selection of your favorites. The bad news is that the lines are huge! Fans waited patiently. Some even took shifts. Prices were not outrageous, but still hovered a little higher than the Phantom would like to see. Here is what to expect.......


     
    • Drinks
       
      >Fountain pop, Iced Tea, Lemonade $1.50
      >Coffee, Hot Chocolate $1.50
      >Nesquick Milk, Gatorade, Bottled Water $2.00
      >Energy Drink  $3.00

     

    • Food
       
      >Hot Dog,  $2.25
      >Pretzel  $2.75
      >Hamburger, Fried Dough, French Fries $3.00
      >Cheeseburger $3.25
      >Onion Rings $3.50
      > Chili $4.00
      >Chicken Finger   $4.00
      >Wings  (BBQ or Hot) $4.50
      >Mozzarella Sticks $4.75
      >Garden Salad, Fruit Cup $5.00
       >Wings  (Boneless) $5.00
      >Chili Fries, Nacho with Cheese $5.00
      >Nacho with Cheese $5.00
      > Chicken Sandwich $5.25
      > Sausage $5.50

       

       

  • Sound System

          A good sound system coupled with good announcing can really add to an event. All-Star Speedway's speaker system comes up a little short. When cars are racing, the announcer cannot be heard. In this case that is a shame.  Bob Webber Jr. announces at the track. He knows the competitors inside and out. He adds excitement to the race, and entertainment between events. Too bad fans can't hear him.
     
  • Parking

    All-Star Speedway has plenty of free parking close to the track. The lot is dirt so your car is going to be a little dusty come sunrise. Most of the races are evening events. The lot could use some lighting after the events.
     
  • Camping Area
         All-Star Speedway events are usually completed in one day. Most the racers are local, and the camping area consists of grouping those with campers together in a common part of the lot.  Specialty events do tend to have more people camp. The ground is relatively level, and there is no charge so I give the camping area a passing grade.
     
  • Security
           All-Star Speedway is located in Epping NH. Not much in the way of crime happens there, so fans will feel secure while at the event. Event staff were around if needed. Promoter/Owner Bob MacArthur spends much of his time in and about the main grandstands. If you needed help, it would probably get there before you asked. Certainly you could find help instantly.  We didn't have to deal with fans drinking in excess which also lessons the need for assistance.
     
  • Mid-Way

          All-Star Speedway's mid-way is non-existent. It is an area that has not been developed yet. Display cars, simulators, and souvenir trailers are all part of the show, even for the local tracks. We expect big improvements in this area, but for now this is one of the few areas that the track failed.
     
  • Web site   >     http://all-starspeedway.com/

     All-Star Speedway uses their name in the URL, therefore the website is easy to find. Don't forget the hyphen. One major fault is that the site seems geared for competitors more than fans. Ten days before the event I attended I visited the site.  I was very surprised to find no mention of Kyle Busch's appearance. The race was listed, but no mention of Kyle! I actually learned of his visit through Jayski's site. When you visit the site expect the following:

  •  The Schedule will be easy to find.
  • Tickets will not  available online.
  • There will be a section for pictures. Be sure to look in race articles for links to pictures too.  The event pictures for the race I attended were not available in the photo section.
  • Results for weekly divisions will be posted promptly, but results from the special event such as the PASS 200 I attended may not be available on the site.
  • Local information on Camping, Lodging, Groceries, Entertainment and Restaurants cannot be found through the site.

 

Phantom Favorite Photo

A fan reaches out to get a
  handshake from the King!