Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 31, 1990 TAG: 9003310234
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Forget the drop in the number of competitive cars, attendance and general interest.
Contrary to rumors in local racing circles, Franklin County Speedway is "alive and well," says track owner-promoter Donald "Whitey" Taylor.
Taylor claims reports of his Calloway track's demise have been greatly exaggerated.
"Sure, we had a down season the year before last, and last season the weather killed us," Taylor said. "But everything is coming back full cycle now. I don't really believe in cycles, but everything we had before seems to be coming back."
Until Blacksburg businessman Steve McMurray opened Pulaski County Speedway in 1988, Taylor's FCS facility ruled the roost in area short-track racing.
Being the only game in town, FCS flourished as huge crowds - often 10,000 or more, Taylor said - routinely gathered Saturday evenings at the 3/8ths-mile oval tucked in the pastoral hills of Franklin County.
But when McMurray opened the gates at PCS, Taylor's money-making machine blew a fuse. Many top drivers and teams loaded up their cars and drove to PCS, pulling numerous race fans in their draft.
After taking a financial beating in 1988, Taylor decided to shift his FCS shows from Saturdays to Fridays in 1989.
The move backfired.
"I thought some guys would race here on Friday and go to Pulaski on Saturday," Taylor said. "But that was too much for most people. So I had to go back to Saturdays."
After facing facts, Taylor said he has reloaded and is armed to go toe-to-toe with McMurray and PCS.
His first move to lure the action back was a drastic reduction in ticket prices. He has slashed prices by 37.5 percent, from $8 to $5.
"It all gets back to family support, and not many guys with a wife and three kids can afford to fork out $8 a head," Taylor said. "I think we will double or triple our crowds at $5. And we'll be back at the kind of numbers like we used to have back in our heyday."
Taylor said many of the drivers will be coming his way, too.
"Ronnie Thomas, Rodney Litton and Danny Willis all have told me they're coming here," Taylor said. "Gerald Compton and Bobby Radford are back, too.
"I knew two years ago when Pulaski opened a lot of guys would go up there. It was a novelty. But the new is now off at the other track.
"Yes, I feel the excitement is back at Franklin County Speedway."
The 1990 season opens April 7. Highlighting the schedule is a July 4 card that features a Late Model Stock Car race worth $5,000 to the winner.
There will be nine 100-lap LMSC features during the season with $2,500 first-place purses.
Taylor said he has booked appearances by Winston Cup stars Darrell Waltrip and Bill Elliott. Waltrip will appear at the track April 28. Elliott's appearance date has yet to be determined.
In addition to the LMSC division, other competing classes at FCS this season will be Street Stock, Mini Stock, Six-Cylinder and Any Car.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB