That is the big question. It could be made today within the next few hours, or within a few days from now.
On the agenda for the Merced Fair Board Meeting, which is happening as this is being posted, is the contract for the Merced Speedway. It was reported about two weeks ago by Antioch Speedway Publicity Director Jack Menges that John Soares Jr. announced he was going to be taking over Merced Speedway and reopening it.
We followed up on this story by reporting what our conversations had revealed. A second name, not yet revealed here, has been mentioned in conversations we've had with others in the know for quite sometime as being involved. We've respected that person's privacy by not revealing the name until they are ready, but people will not be disappointed if this person is involved.
Our friends over at CRO revealed another interesting detail that a schedule was being worked on and corroborated our reports that the track could be reopening some time around the Merced County Fair.
Though an agreement has apparently been made, it is reportedly set to become official at the Fair Board Meeting. We did put in a call to the fair earlier today but were redirected to an answering machine. This is understandable as the meeting was set to begin within a few hours.
Keep an eye on the various news site forums, such as dirtstars.net and latemodelracer.com for something to break at any time. If/when we hear anything, we will post the news here and may put out another special audio show on the subject.
Of most importance to me is that Merced Speedway reopen again and have a shot to rebuild a once proud and storied racing tradition. The track deserves a chance to show what it can do, and I have confidence that it will back stronger than ever if given the chance.
I again want to offer thanks to the previous management for over 20 years of keeping the gates open and racing alive. There were some good times there that I hope are not forgotten as things move ahead. I was proud to be a part of it for a few years working with Johnny Sass.
Anyway, stay tuned. If we hear anything, we'll post it here.
