Hot rod event cruises away

The Supernationals promoter simply made a business decision, an official said.
CANFIELD -- The Hot Rod Supernationals, for the first time since 1987, won't be coming to the Canfield Fairgrounds next summer.
The event promoter, The Promotion Company of Indianapolis, is citing scheduling conflicts. The company couldn't be reached early today to comment.
Timm Schreiber, Canfield Fair Board president, said that the board met Wednesday and discussed correspondence from the promoter.
"We have received a letter [that] they would not be reserving a date for the Supernationals in 2004," he said.
A representative of The Promotion Company will be in town Tuesday to explain more, Schreiber said.
He noted that the fair board has several contracts with the promoter for other events -- not just the Supernationals -- and that the promoter makes business decisions to move its events around to various places.
"If it's a business decision on their behalf, then it's their decision," he added.
Canfield fairgrounds was selected from among a dozen Midwest locations in 1987 to host the event.
The event drew thousands of cars and fans to the fairgrounds annually and the hot rodders regularly took to U.S. Route 224 afterward.
The promoter said in that it will continue holding two other events at the fairgrounds next year.
The second annual Falken Tire ITB, a sport compact and minitruck event, will be May 22 and 23. The seventh annual Summit Truckstyle 4-Wheel Jamboree, featuring four-wheel drive trucks, monster truck racing and mud drag racing, will be July 24 and 25.