Scott Owen, Leader Columnist
Last week Friday was the opening night of racing at the Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway. The stands were packed, the pits were packed and, by all accounts, the racing was top notch.
During the show, though, some disturbing news was released. Winnebago County is considering ending racing there and replacing the track with a concert hall.
As a lifelong race fan who has made more friendships at the track than I can think of, this news is horrifying.
Everybody has that one place where they gather with friends and family and enjoy some of the best times of their lives. For some, it may be a local tavern. For others, it might be a professional football game. But for me, it is the racetrack.
In my weekly role as announcer at the Shawano Speedway, I have seen countless families spending quality time together for the past 13 years.
One need not look any further than this year’s opening night of racing in Shawano.
Over 4,800 people turned out for the MJ McBride memorial; many of them immediate and extended family of MJ and Marilyn McBride.
Racing families such as the Meunsters, Michonskis, Anvelinks and Bartzes not only spend their Saturday nights together, they also are together repairing and maintaining their machines throughout the week during racing season and assembling race cars during the offseason.
Racing is a sport in which bonds are built.
The racing community comes together every year in Shawano to help kids fighting cancer. This summer will mark the sixth annual “Racing for a Reason” night. Through the first five years, over $61,000 has been raced to assist kids fighting cancer.
Racing has a place in all the communities where there are tracks. If a track closes, it leaves a hole in the lives of many families.
Racers care about the communities they represent. Along with racers, fans don’t only come to a track to see cars, they come to reunite with friends.
Now, I would love to see a packed grandstand every Saturday night at Shawano, but I would also love to see a full grandstand at all area tracks. Northeast Wisconsin is a hotbed of dirt-track racing, and I hope it remains that way.
Sadly, on April 22, the racing community lost another true legend. Jerry Rhode served as the announcer at the Shawano Speedway for the first 19 years of the track’s weekly operation and was inducted into the track’s hall of fame in 2012. Rhode worked at numerous other tracks in Northeast Wisconsin and will surely be missed by many.