The Moultrie Observer
MOULTRIE — Less than a year after it was shut down under the threat of a lawsuit, Needmore Speedway will be open again for racing on Saturday.
The track, under new ownership, played host to more than 50 cars for practice laps last Saturday and will hold races in Late Model, Limited, Super Stock, Hobby Stock, Eduro and Mini Stock classes on Saturday.
Gates will open at 3 p.m. and racing is expected to begin at between 7-7:30 p.m. on the 3/8-mile, 90-foot wide banked dirt oval located at 1060 John Vickers Road in Norman Park.
“Everybody should be on their way home by midnight,” Needmore Speedway’s Dan Broome said Monday.
Racing that lasted into into the wee hours of the morning on the first night Needmore was opened in August 2010 was one of the issues that led to the track ultimately being forced to curtail operations.
Broome and Keith Stith are representatives of The House of Grace, a non-profit organization that is leasing the track from Chris Hunnicutt, who built and operated the track until shutting it down last July.
Hunnicutt was sued by Jack and Lorine Lowery in February of last year, seeking to have the track closed by 11 p.m. and seeking $1 million in damages and attorney fees.
The Lowerys complained of excessive crowds of as many as 6,000, litter along the highway, impaired drivers and the loud noice of racing engines as events lasted past midnight.
Their home is about 3,500 feet from the track.
A monetary settlement was reached in September, although Needmore admitted no wrongdoing and the settlement did not preclude the track from operating again.
Broome said he has talked to residents in the area and said he expects to have no problems.
“We just want to be good neighbors,” he said and added that “We are getting tremendous support from the community.”
The track appeared to be operating successfully when it closed.
And that is what the House of Grace is counting on.
According to its web site, the House of Grace is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located a mile east of I-75 at Exit 41 in Sparks.
The web site says: “We welcome men who are homeless, men who come to us from situations of addiction, detoxification centers and situations of incarceration, including federal and state prisons or local county jails.
“We specialize in working men who are sick and tired of being sick and tired and desperately want to change their lives.”
Stith, who is the track manager, is the CEO and CFO of the House of Grace. He is also the associate pastor and elder at Cornerstone Christian Church.
He has directed the the day-to-day operations of the ministry since 2008.
Broome, who handles marketing/tech for the track, is the owner of Kingdom First Financial in Tifton and has been part of The House of Grace ministry since 1999.
The House of Grace, which has been in operation for 14 years, operates several other businesses, including The House of Grace Store, Chosen Logistics, Sparks Car Wash, Adel Car Wash, House of Grace Lawn Maintenance, Wholesale Appliance Sales, House of Grace Handyman Service and Firewood Sales and Delivery.
Broome said he has received full approval from all governmental agencies to operate the track.
He said he expects at least 100 cars to compete on Saturday.
Pit tickets are $30 for those 12 and older; $10 for those 7 to 11; and those 6 and under will be admitted free.
The cost for grandstand seating is $15 for those 12 and older; $5 for those 7 to 11; and those under 6 will be free.
Broome said he expects the track to be open every other weekend with special events also possible.
For more information, the track’s telephone number is 769-3355 and its email address is:
racing@theneedmorespeedway.com
Broome can be reached at 229-392-1492.