City gets revved up for Super Nats

Salem is expecting 30,000 visitors over the weekend.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Steel Valley Super Nationals and the Salem Tourism Board are already planning their 2007 events.
The 2006 event runs Friday through Sunday in its first year at the Quaker City Raceway, 10359 W. South Range Road, Salem, north of town.
The doors open at 8 a.m. each day at the strip. Drag racing begins at 10 a.m. and the gates close at 5 p.m. On Thursday, there's on-site registration at the raceway from noon to 5 p.m., followed at 6 p.m. by a kickoff cruise with Boardman sponsors and a pizza party at Wallaby's in Salem.
The nationals that had been at the Canfield Fairgrounds resulted in heavy traffic on U.S. Route 224 as hungry and thirsty participants and spectators hit the streets after the show.
Salem's tourism board hopes to capture some or even more of the Nationals' business.
Corey Ward, promoter of the Nationals, said he expects about 25,000 people over three days: That's about 8,000 on Friday, 12,000 on Saturday and 5,000 on Sunday.
Daniel Nye, a member of the Salem tourism board, expects the city will have about 30,000 people over three days. Nye said the crowd will include people who won't be at the Nationals for various reasons.
Ward believes that Salem and Boardman will probably split the crowd as some spectators and participants go north while others go south.
Preparation
Salem has created its own cruise route through the city, which is basically the length of State Street. Nye said cruisers will undoubtedly find other streets to take.
Ward said new this year at the Nationals is Harley-Davidson Day on Saturday that is sponsored by Warren Harley-Davidson and Harley-Davidson Buell of Salem.
In response, Salem will block off Penn Street between East State and East Pershing streets to accommodate motorcycle parking. City events will be based at the city lot at that intersection.
Nye said there will be a disc jockey and a variety of entertainment every night. Other restaurants in the city and even churches are having events either at the parking lot or at their church, he added.
Justin Palmer of city council's economic development committee, said the goal is to bring more business to Salem. Even modest spending by car and motorcycle enthusiasts will pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the city's economy.
wilkinson@vindy.com