[EldoraMark]

Hey everyone I’m going to try give you updates on the weather at Eldora or any other
News that I might hear. As far as Shock and Awe I will explain that in a while.

I drove out to Eldora at 4 pm this Monday afternoon. It is 63 degrees a little light rain
and windy as He!! I walked into the track and can say with great pleasure that the track was looking great. They had it all worked in. You can see where they used the Sheep Hoof
(hope I spelled that right for you spelling police) It looked as all they needed to do was to
get the cars out there and race.
I went up to the new office. (They replaced the old gray trailer house with a new double wide module office.) I talked to Earls son in law Joe. He told me that Larry has been on the track several times today and they were ready to race.
They added more ticket windows to the front entrance of the track. I’m sure this is for there Big races.

Now for the Shock and Awe.
This is what the Mercer County sheriff is calling there crack down on Drunk drivers.
Mercer County is 3 miles to the North of the track.
Thee Weeks ago 4 friends of my youngest son were killed instantly in a two car crash
These 4 young men were 19 years old and coming from a bar a 3 am.
Another driver who was 22 and legally drunk ran a stop sign and T boned the car
that was occupied by the 4 young men. Ironically the drunk driver was friends of the four and his Dad owns one of the local bars. This hit hard in our family. We new all of the kids as well as their parents
The driver is in jail on one million dollar bond and if convicted on all accounts could add up to 53
years in prison.
Mercer county was awarded a $200,000 grant by the state of Ohio to combat
the DWI problem that has plague our county for years. The Sherriff office, State Patrol,
and local police will find any excuse to pull you over and check to see if your drinking.
My home town of Coldwater which is on 118 is on this crackdown. I have heard several
stories today at work on the crack down. The local police has been pulling people over
for anything from head light not properly pointing in right direction to jay walking to there car.

Please everyone that is leaving the track do not drink and drive.

Mark Fritz

[cecil98]

Thanks for the heads up Mark! Guess I'll leave my vodka laced Jug of Boone's Farm Melon Ball at home!
DANG!!!!

[Dwight Clock]

Mark, THANK YOU for the great report. What a horrible shame that four young people had to die. Let's just pray that the news of this wakes up a few people and saves other lives. Enough said on that. Good news on the track. The early weather calls for a break on the early part of the weekend with some clouds early Saturday and clearing later on!

[Jerry Spencer]

Thank you for the update, I ask some people that go over a lot if I would see them for the opener, they said that I would see them at Eldora when it got warmer and there was no rain. (Is that fair weather fan's) I might add they said something about sitting all night somewhere in the rain before. Sorry to hear about the sad news. As I sit and watch it pour here in Kokomo thoughts of dry weather dance around in my head. :rolling

Jerry #66j
www.joshspencer,com

[Tim Watson]

Not to get off the racing subject but what are 4 19 year old boys doing in a bar? Can't this bar be liable for serving them?

[Dirtfan]

Agreed Tim, watch out for the snow heading your way,yuk:thumbsdown:

[SHORTBUS]

Dan,
You Going To The Big"e"

[Dirtfan]

Absolutely, weather permitting.

[jpa317]

That's just awful all around. Sorry for all of the senseless loss.

Rule number 1 of racing - take care of yourself and your friends. You won't enjoy things nearly as much if you're dead or in jail.

Rule 1a - nothin good is gonna happen when you let kids drink.

[CRA91]

Originally Posted by Tim Watson Not to get off the racing subject but what are 4 19 year old boys doing in a bar? Can't this bar be liable for serving them?

I know the drinking age in Ohio used to be 18yrs. of age, not sure though if thats still the case.