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Steel Valley Super Nats back on track
Steel Valley Supernationals 2009
Gallery
SALEM — City officials and businessmen have changed their plans for separate cruising events next summer.
Mayor Jerry Wolford said Thursday that the city will have an event that will run June 24-27.
Promoter Corey Ward also will have a fifth annual Steel Valley Super Nationals that will return to Quaker City Raceway that weekend.
That event has been named the 2010 Stadium GM Superstore Steel Valley Super Nationals. It will run June 25-27.
The move fixes the breakup that occurred earlier this year after the fourth Super Nats. For four years, Ward ran the Super Nats at Quaker City Raceway north of the city. But after last year’s event, Wolford announced that the city would run its own program earlier in the month with Dan Swindell, raceway owner. That event was to be June 10-13.
Ward then planned to have a new event at Canfield Fairgrounds.
Now, Wolford said, the city event, the “1st Annual Quaker City Downtown Weekend Cruise” will take place during the Super Nats.
Wolford and Steve Andres, the city’s safety-service director, said the city will have a variety of events.
Ward has signed an agreement with Swindell for next year’s event. Swindell could not be reached to comment.
Ward said the 2010 event is expected to draw crowds of more than 20,000 people and more than 2,000 types of vehicles.
“The Mahoning and Columbiana markets are hot spots for motor enthusiasts, and we look forward to working with the city of Salem and Quaker City Raceway as they host this premier automotive event,” Ward said.
Ward has canceled the plan to move back to Canfield Fairgrounds, but with the new agreements, the Super Nats will continue for additional years.
“We’re back to the status quo,” Ward said.
Wolford said he’ll begin a series of meetings next month to plan the city events to take place in conjunction with the Super Nats. The mayor expects to have several parades, including one with motorcycles.
wilkinson@vindy.com