43
Fast cars and ‘Fat N’ Furious’ stars are racing to event
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
SALEM
Thousands of people – and the quartet of “Fat N’ Furious” stars – will race into Quaker City Motorsports Park this weekend for the Steel Valley Supernationals.
Muscle cars, hot rods and all manner of street machines will converge on the raceway, which becomes a mecca of fast cars in a festival atmosphere.
About 3,000 hot rods from 15 states are expected for the three-day event, according to Corey Ward, who runs the Supernats. An additional 2,000 drag racers also will show up to test their mettle on the drag strip.
About 15,000 people will attend the Supernats on both Friday and Saturday, and maybe half that many on Sunday, said Ward. The Quaker City raceway grounds are at 10359 W. South Range Road, just north of town.
The Discovery Channel announced this week that “Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder” has been renewed for a third season, and shooting has gotten under way.
The timing was perfect. The show’s stars, and a film crew, will be at the Supernats Saturday to shoot a segment.
“Fat N’ Furious” follows the crew at Christmas Automotive in Boardman as it acquires and restores dilapidated muscle cars.
“We had been waiting for a while for a phone call from Discovery to see if we got renewed,” said Tommy Christmas, owner of the shop and one of the show’s stars. “Well, we finally got it. We are proud to continue to bring something awesome to Youngstown. Hopefully we keep going for seasons to come.”
The Supernats is now in its 10th year and seems to be accelerating. “The key to being successful with a yearly event is to stay relevant,” said Ward. “For the last decade, we have staged an event that offers something for everyone.”
As always, the Supernats ends its first two nights with rock concerts: Bret Michaels on Friday night and Warrant on Saturday. Admission is $20 at the gate (includes concerts). A weekend pass for two is available for $60.