I found this in my inbox Monday morning as a comment on the Ona Speedway season being cut short.
I hope this is really from the new owners. Now, has the track been sold again? Whoever sent this to me, please call me at The Herald-Dispatch or send another e-mail with contact information so I can verify this.
"August races are still planned under Billy Roses' management. There is going to be a season finale on Oct 13th which will include the Mountaineer 100 (100 lap race) for late models with a $1000 purse. This race will be put on by new owners/managers to show next years potential.
New Owners"
This is why I don't like anonymous posting. If you are Bill & Lynn Bauer, who are listed as the owners of the track, step up and contact me or our Sports Editor Rick McCann. Or, if you've sold the track again, same thing. Step up and go public.
Yeah, yeah, private business deals, I get the picture, but don't leave the fans you do have coming to the track out of the loop. Some very successful businesses in the Huntington region have very public and visible owners. They are out in the town, meeting the people and doing good for the community.
Now if you're going to take the month of September and early October to make some improvements, I have a few suggestions.
Mow the parking field! When the grass is up to my knees, I don't especially like walking through it. Put a few nails in the bleachers so they don't flap, flop and stay loose. Loose is on the track, not in the stands. And a little paint couldn't hurt, either.
So, what's the plan? I'm sure other racefans have some suggestions on how to make the local track experience better for us all.
1 comment:
I am the son of the new Ona, and an Ona resident/Speedway racer. As far as the improvements you mention, you have my word that the parking lot will be better mowed by the race this weekend. We have not been a big part of the maintenance as of yet due to it being leased from us by the Roses'. We have fixed most of the bleachers last week. Painting will happen as will a permanent bathroom facility over the off season. We hope to bring the fan base back to Ona by listening to what the public and the racers want. We are in discussions now about the upcoming season. We will no longer lease the track. As owners we do not need to make money from the track and will reinvest the revenue to make a better facility. The October 13th race will be a chance for the drivers to show what can be for next year. We hope to get fans more excited with higher payouts, higher car counts and getting the fans more involved. The October 13th date will include a chance to meet drivers as well as a smaller festival atmosphere. Any help in getting the work out that Ona is still open for years to come would be appreciated.
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