Racing makes Salem’s Steel Valley event super

2008 Steel Valley Super Nationals

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2008 Steel Valley Super Nationals

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By D.a. Wilkinson

For one fee, racers can compete as many times as they like, then kick back.

SALEM — Before the food and libations and music and dancing, there’s the drag racing.

The Steel Valley Super Nationals at the Quaker City Raceway, just north of the city, is the attraction that brings in the racers and spectators.

Corey Ward, the promoter of the Super Nats, said the racing has grown.

“Every year it’s getting better,” he said.

This is the fourth season for the Super Nats near Salem. Before that, it was at the Canfield Fairgrounds.

The highest attendance was 32,000 in 2007, the second year for the Super Nats in Salem. Last year’s event was hit by rain, but he said attendance was still about 22,000 people.

The hours at the track are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Racing begins at 10 a.m. all three days.

For $30, a person can drive a car or ride a motorcycle in drag races as many times as they want, Ward said.

The setup is simple: A car will compete against a car, and a bike will compete against a bike. A bike and a car will not compete against each other. There are no elimination races.

A real enthusiast who is not satisfied with his time can tinker with the vehicle and ride again ... and again.

“They can race as many times as they want,” Ward said.

And it’s catching on.

Next year, Ward said, it will expand to Columbus.

Dan Swindell, owner of the Quaker City Raceway, said some new measures have been put in place to help speed people on to the raceway grounds.

The track is at 10359 W. South Range Road, just north of Salem.

Most of the traffic will be coming from the north via state Route 62. Swindell said that four lanes will be set up to get motorists going west on South Range.

A new exit has been created farther to the west on South Range to help people. It’s a short distance to state Route 45.

For more information, visit www.steelvalleysupernationals.com or www.quakercityraceway.com.

wilkinson@vindy.com