Lebanon Democrat and Wilson County News from Lebanon, Tennessee • B3

lebanondemocrat.com Tuesday, December 24, 2019 The Lebanon Democrat Wilson County News B3 Amid the swirl of activity during recent Champions Awards Week in Nashville were reports of a possible return to Fairgrounds Speedway, generating excitement among local racers. think return is definitely possible, and it will be great if it says Scott Fetcho, who started racing at the Fairgrounds in 1999 and in recent years has fielded cars for son Dylan, one of the top young drivers. Dwayne Wright, whose son Hunter is a two-time defending Legends champion at the historical track, agrees. involvement would be very Wright says. would generate a lot of attention and maybe create some opportunities for local teams and Andy Johnson of Mt.

Juliet feels the same way. will be good for the sport if NASCAR comes says Johnson, a former Fairgrounds champion whose son Chase last year at age 12 became the youngest division champion in the history. lot of big-name drivers used this track as a stepping-stone to the pinnacle of the The long-term future of the 61-year-old track is undecided, but racing is assured for the short term. The premier All-America 400 will return next season, regardless of who is operating the track. now nobody knows for sure what may Fetcho says.

a lot of talk going around about different management possibilities. But convinced there will continue to be racing at the The track has been operated in recent years by Tony Formosa Jr. whose family has been involved with the Speedway for three generations. Formosa rescued the Metro-owned facility from demolition a few years ago when then-mayor Karl Dean sought to the property. But although Formosa gets credit for saving the track, he has encountered operational problems, including a series of rainouts, and also ruffled some feathers.

There could be a change in operators, and among those who would like to take control is a Bristol Speedway management group, part of Bruton powerful and prestigious Speedway Motorsports Inc. SMI owns NASCAR Cup Series tracks in Bristol, Atlanta, Texas, Las Vegas, Charlotte, New Hampshire, Kentucky and Sonoma, Calif. Smith has visited idle Nashville Superspeedway in Gladeville but passed on purchasing the track, opting instead to pursue Fairgrounds Speedway. The plan is to bring in NASCAR truck and Xfinity races, with a long-term goal of securing a top-tier Cup race. The NASCAR brand would enhance local-division racing and possibly create opportunities for area drivers to advance their careers.

Among those lobbing for a NASCAR return to Nashville is Dale Earnhardt who along with his famous father occasionally raced at the Fairgrounds. was always one of my favorite places to said Earnhardt, now a popular TV commentator. like to see NASCAR come will be great if it Fetcho says. NASCAR back will boost fan interest and exposure, which helps teams secure sponsorships. There are a lot of positives and no negatives.

I hope it Dylan Fetcho ended what had been a productive season on a sour note when he was knocked out of this Snowball Derby in Pensacola. Fla. Fetcho was running 11th on a re-start when two other drivers slammed into each other and inadvertently collected Fetcho. was disappointing to be taken out by something like that, beyond our said his father Scott. Hunter Wright race in the Snowball, but was a crew member for winning driver Travis Braden.

was a good experience for said his father Dwayne. more around successful teams, the more he can Larry Woody is The motorsports writer. Email him at NASCAR buzz excites local racers Fairgrounds Speedway archives Local drivers would like to see NASCAR return to historic Fairgrounds Speedway and perhaps follow the path of Darrell Waltrip to racing stardom. LARRY WOODY LD B3 Many times the season magnifies more concerns about seniors. While family friends spend more quality time with their loved ones, more safety needs are recog- nized during the season.

Some examples include: Wearing Clothes Not Warm Enough Skipping Meals By Being Forgetful Confusing Medications Our memory care has solutions for you. Call us for a limited-time, memory care offer..