Originally Posted by Chief29:
Finally someone going to run the track. Been going to the place sense 1987ish but being from Salem it's 2 miles away from me. Sad part is I can count on 1 hand how many times I've been there in 8 or so years and 3 of those I was driving. You guys are right with the fair board stuff. Thunder Valley was in its prime when it was S.W.M Motorsports. They had 20-30 600 mini sprints (uprights) 30-40 mini stock (pintos/mustangs) and around 15-20 mini late models. This was when the grand stand where there fullest. A lot of midget winners have got there start there. Brad Kuhn, AJ Felker, Seth Motsinger. That's just a few.
Chief
You are right. Those guys put a lot of work into the track and it showed, but Fair Boards aren't known for their business expertise. The worst thing you can do as a promoter is look like you are making money then they figure out in their heads that they need a little more of the take for the Fair,and or ******** change and to the victor goes the spoils.
Steve Smith was a grader operator extraordinaire he took an old WW II grader that I think he could only get to start and built a super little track complete with a berm for the turns. I can remember him coming over to my driver at the time and threatening to black flag him if he did not keep his tires off of his handy work and he meant it.
That was a special bunch of people, hopefully the little track can recover with the right people in charge and the understanding of that danged old Board.
Honest Dad himself
