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This is straight from the Danville Commercial News Paper in Danville IL
Spiker, VCS part ways after dispute
BY MARVIN HOLMAN
OAKWOOD — Joe Spiker’s run as promoter of Vermilion County Speedway started with the promise of being there for more than a couple of years.
But now the run has ended in just over a year.
Spiker and the Vermilion County Fair Board could not come up to an agreement for the direction of the upcoming season and because of the disagreement, Spiker left.
“We were talking about improvements at the fairgrounds,” Terry Pichon, who was supposed to be race director this season, said. “Joe wanted the board to help us with the improvements and we could not come to an agreement.
“Last season, Joe made improvements at the track out of his pocket and that is unheard of when you are talking about a state fair facility. … There has to be some give and take in a relationship like this and Joe and the board could not get together.”
“When I talked to him, he said he had a meeting with the board and they just could not get together on some things for the season,” 2009 VCS modified champion Roger Cary said. “He told me on Friday that he would not be promoting the speedway for the year.”
Spiker, from Greencastle, Ind., did not have experience in promoting a racetrack before last season, but with a move to Saturdays and a high pay amount to racers, gave VCS early success.
But economic issues — along with Spiker also taking over promotions at the Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind. — caused doubts with racers and sponsors and caused a season that was scheduled to end in September to end in early August.
But Spiker put on the awards banquet in November with the help of Cary and Pichon.
“We helped out with the banquet and he picked my cousin (Pichon) to help out with the track for the season,” Cary said. “We just wanted to keep the track alive.”
Cary did say that there were a couple of people interested in taking over the promotions for the track, but says whoever gets the job must be read to hit the ground running.
“He would need to get the schedule together and that is the big thing,” Cary said. “And he would have to get started on that schedule quickly because the season starts soon.”
Like he did with Spiker, Cary said that he will do whatever it takes to keep the speedway open.
“I will do all that I can to keep the track alive,” Cary said. “There are a lot of people who go to the track and there are a lot of racers here, so it would be tough if there is no racing here.”
Pichon is worried about the future of a track that has meant so much to him and a whole lot of racers in Danville.
“My father raced there and I raced there and I was hoping that my grandkids can race there,” Pichon said. “I have many friends in (Rick) Hufford and (Don) Kiger, and with the town being economically depressed, the track needs to run.”
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