Supernats coming back to Canfield

CANFIELD

After a 10-year absence, the Super Nats are returning to the Canfield Fairgrounds.

The annual event, which draws about 3,000 hot rods, muscle cars and street machines from more than a dozen states, moved to Quaker City Motorsports Park in Salem in 2006. The weekend-long event typically attracts about 15,000 people per day and features concerts by national rock acts.

Corey Ward, promoter of the event, said the spacious and paved Canfield Fairgrounds are better suited to a large gathering of people, vendors and hot rods, and are fully equipped with plumbing and electricity. “It ran its course [at the Salem location] and people were always asking me, ‘When are you bringing it back to Canfield?” said Ward.

But Boardman officials are wary of the return because of past problems with the evening car cruise that choked traffic on U.S. Route 224.

The 2016 Steel Valley Super Nationals, as the event is formally known, will be June 24-26.

One of the reasons why the Super Nats moved to Quaker City Motorsports a decade ago is that the facility is a drag strip, which allowed the owners of muscle cars and dragsters to show off their speed on the quarter-mile track.

Drag racing will not be possible at the Canfield Fairgrounds. But Ward said he is launching a second Super Nats next summer that will include drag racing Aug. 5-7 at Pittsburgh Raceway Park, which is in New Alexandria, Pa., about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh.

Ward also said he will launch a third Super Nats in another state in 2017.

“The Canfield event will mainly focus on street machines, hot rods, muscle cars and car enthusiasts celebrating their love of high-performance excellence,” said Ward.

Read more about the event plans in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.