Canaan Fair Speedway Sold, Will Not Open in 2014
Posted By Tj Ingerson On August 27, 2013
Categories: Regional
PHOTO: Dick Therrien, who has managed the two-track Canaan Fair Speedway, will oversee the final few races in the history of the track before it is closed after this season. (Eric LaFleche/VLFPhotos.com photo)
CANAAN, N.H. -- Canaan Fair Speedways will not open for the 2014 season of racing after current owners Chick and Sandy Henry have sold the two track facility to Dartmouth College professor Tillman Gerngross.
According to a recent news article in the White River Junction-based Valley News, Gerngross was quoted stating the facility will be upgraded, but no racing will take place in 2014. Stock car oval racing may never return in fact, as Gerngross was also stated that “he favored building a road course to race vintage cars.”
Five events remain planned on the schedule, three at the quarter-mile clay oval and two at the one-third mile asphalt oval. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season will conclude on Saturday night, August 31 with a $1,000-to-win, 100-lap Late Model event.
Scott MacMichael holds a slim 16-point lead over Donnie Lashua in the Late Model standings headed into the final event. Mike Willis, Jr., was crowned the champion in the Crate Modified class in the division’s one and only year at Canaan.
“This Saturday night, we will say a tearful goodbye to friends, racers, crews, fans, sponsors, and a race track we all love,” Dick Therrien, Canaan Fair Speedway General Manager, said in a press release. “We have all worked so hard to make this into a show place for auto racing here in the Northeast and this is home.
“Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and sadly, this will be (our) last race in the history of the asphalt here at Canaan. We invite all racers to participate one last time, as well as all the fans we can put into the place. It would be awesome to sell it out.”
The Granite State Pro Stock Series have leased the asphalt facility for a 100-lap Pro Stock event on Saturday, September 14.
The Canaan Dirt season will conclude with three, big events. On Friday, August 30, the Sprint Cars of New England will kick off their “Triple Crown Weekend” festivities with a 30-lap feature event, plus it will be the final point counting event for the Modifieds. Randy Howe holds a 52-point lead over Ryan Avery headed into the final event.
One week later on Friday, September 6, a $1,000-to-win Modified race will take place in the Spencer Rocke Memorial Classic. The Sprint Cars of New England will also be on hand for a point counting event.
And perhaps, the largest event in Canaan Dirt Speedway history will conclude its current tenure on Saturday, October 19, with a $2,500-to-win, 100-lap Modified race that will also be a point counting event for the Northern Modified Challenge Series. A $2,000-to-win Sprint Cars of New England event will also take place, as well as a $1,000-to-win Bear Ridge Sportsman Coupe event and a $300-to-win Super Street/Limited Late Model event. Kevin Chaffee scored the big win one year ago.
Green flag will fly at Canaan Dirt Speedway on Friday, August 30 at 7:00pm, while the same will happen at Canaan Fair Speedway on Saturday, August 31 at 5:00pm. Vermont Motorsports Magazine will have more, including driver reaction, in the next few weeks.