Historic
Speedway under new ownership
Tim
and Jana Smith of Huntland, Tennessee purchased Winchester
Speedway in January and have embarked on a major overhaul of
speedway facilities and an ambitious racing schedule for the 2003
racing season.
While
both Tim and Jana already had careers that kept them fully
occupied (Tim is the proprietor of Smith's Backhoe Service in
Winchester while wife Jana is a school teacher in New Market,
Alabama) they now have the task of running a speedway with a
racing schedule that stretches from February to October.
The
Smith's have scheduled the biggest race held at the speedway in
the last five years with the first annual "WinterFest
2003" on Saturday, February 15th.
With
less than six weeks between taking over the reigns at the speedway
and the first event sixteen hour days have recently become the
norm for the new owners.
Tim
has already embarked on remodeling the main grandstand concessions
building and construction of a new pit area concession stand and
restroom facilities. Not only will the concessions have a new look
come February 15th, but Tim is installing new race car scales, an
ultra modern lighting system and a new sponsorship agreement with
Coca Cola that will include an electronic scoreboard sponsored by
Coca Cola. The lighting system and scoreboard are scheduled to be
in place by the March 29 regular season opener.
Specal
events and "Big Shows" have not been part of the
speedway's curriculum the last several seasons but the Smith's
intend to change that with not only the first ever WinterFest on
February 15th but a Big 10 series schedule that in conjunction
with another midstate speedway will see race and point fund
payouts exceeding $100,000 for the Late Model division!
In
years past Winchester Speedway hosted some of the biggest short
track races in the south. The 1985 Rebel 100 saw Freddy Smith of
Kings Mountain, North Carolina take home the lions share of the
largest purse to that point in time in the tracks history while
1986 saw the first ever STARS (Short Track Auto Racing Series)
sanctioned race south of the Mason-Dixon line. That North-South
100 was won by the legendary Larry Moore of Dayton, Ohio. Busch
Grand National and Winston Cup racer Jeff Purvis has three Rebel
100 victories with Hav-A-Tampa National champion Dale McDowell
also garnering one of the prestigious 100's. Other
"National" stars winning special events at Winchester
have included, but limited to: Ronnie Johnson, Dick Potts
(Indiana), Billy Moyer, Scott Bloomquist, Mike Head, Ray Godsey
and Wayne Brooks (Arkansas).
Major
shows and traveling drivers have been scarce at Winchester the
past several years but that should change and very soon.
The
February 15th WinterFest has already drawn regional and national
interest with drivers from six states already planning on
attending and just this week, Allen Brown from Michigan called to
say he and his wife were planning on attending the "WinterFest
2003" this coming Saturday. Allen is the publisher of the
National Speedway directory and national host for the racing
promoters RPM workshop in Florida.
When
Tim Smith took over the ownership at Winchester he stated that his
goal was to provide fans a place to go to see great racing that
was officiated without bias, provide a friendly family atmosphere
and the best food available at any racetrack around. The 2003
racing schedule and staff are in place to provide the
aforementioned services and Tim and Jana Smith are looking forward
to greeting the fans and racers alike to a newly renovated
Winchester Speedway. The Smith's would like invite everyone to
come on out in 2003 and witness a "Rock 'em Sock 'em sideways
travelin' dirt show". The type of action that only short
track dirt racing can provide.
by Charles W. Fish
|
Winchester
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