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Cleveland County Speedway
LAWNDALE, N.C. (April 9) - After almost 3 years of negotiations with Steve Mason of the formerly named Thunder Valley Speedway in Lawndale NC, now named Cleveland County Speedway and Motor Sports complex, Duane Goins, long-time speedway announcer and entrepreneur has agreed to assume day to day managing duties at the newly re-named facility in Lawndale NC.
He has an extensive background in the racing business from prepping tracks to promoting to announcing weekly shows and has called races for various racing series at some of the most famous venues in short track history.
"Mr. Mason & I have been talking since July 2005 and finally both our situations seemed to meet in a place where we could come together and I believe Mr. Mason is committed to making a run at turning the facility into a viable player in the motor sports activities of different types in Cleveland County and hopefully later on the entire Southeast."
"We are not just looking at the car races, but expanding into motor cross tracks and possibly go cart & legends car racing in the infield of the speedway with an eye on the new 'drifting' trend that is taking the country by storm. We also have the perfect setting for outdoor music concerts outside the speedway and plan to take a hard look at those possibilities."
"I like to call my list of background experiences not a resume, but more of a tour of different tracks, racing families & great experiences as time and situations presented themselves. I have worked for all types of people in all types of situations, from those that are legendary to some that did not last very long for various reasons and one-off special events."
"I plan on continuing to travel on Saturdays and a few Fridays with the Carolina Clash Series in 2008. I think we have worked out a non-conflicting year between our schedules & I have four more events with the Joe Gibbs owned Arena Racing USA Series that races at Cricket Arena in Charlotte so at the current time I am very busy, but it keeps me sharp."
"Mr. Mason is starting on his 4th year at the Lawndale facility and has shown he has the staying power others have not had in the past. He has learned a lot and I hope to be able to guide him & this facility slowly back into the major player in motor sports that it can be along with being a proud neighbor of the Cleveland County communities."
"We look forward to working in concert with the Cleveland County Sports Commission to further promote tourism to Cleveland County. We hope to reach out in the community and gain the attention of the youth of Cleveland County with special programs tailored to them ."
"At the moment we are working with concession, tire and fuel people as well as touring series and getting the rules for the weekly racers adjusted for maximum car count."
Opening dates are tentatively slated for April and are based on the weather and the massive amount of work that is currently going on at the track, including totally re-working the 3rd and 4th turns & backstretch. A wall is planned to circle the entire track. "We welcome the public to stop by and keep tabs on all the work and improvements that are taking place"
The 'Twister 100' will be first up on the schedule Feb 28-March 1st and is being staged by an independent promoter that plans to lease the track
Big plans already on the 2008 schedules has the Carolina Clash super late models at CCS on May 2nd, with $5,000 going to the winner. This event will be running in conjunction with the 8th Annual 'Skyler Trull Memorial' on Saturday May 3rd, with $10,000 going to the winner. A $5,000 bonus will be paid to a driver winning both events and should be the incentive to draw in drivers from all over the country along with some massaging of tire rules to help draw cars & fans.
With the Fourth of July falling on Friday in 2008, a big celebration is planned with the Southern All Star East Series at the speedway for a $3,000 to win event in conjunction with similar events at speedways in the area on Thursday and Saturday. Other events including picnics and fireworks are in the planning stages. The Southern All Stars East tour will be back on August 1st.
A new website is under construction and planning continues at the speedway. Billboard advertising is available in various types of tiered prices and contracts.
Duane Goins can be reached at HighMaintenance2099@yahoo.com
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