Southeast Texas' largest racing facility, Houston Raceway Park in the Houston suburb of Baytown,
suffered approximately $100,000 in damage from Hurricane Ike. The storm
system pummeled the track with 110-plus mph winds for more than 12
hours, battering the track's buildings, scoreboards, and signage.
"All
things considered, we made out okay," track general manager Seth Angel
said. "First and foremost, no one was hurt, which is always the top
concern. We had the facility locked up tight and the staff was all sent
home early to be with their families.
"When we
returned on Sunday, we started accessing the destruction. It's never
easy to see something you've spent so much time and money on beat-up
like that, but we had to begin the process of rebuilding. Fortunately,
we have insurance for these things."