Last Night I attended the the final racing event of the season, which hopefully was not the last event ever for the Fairgrounds Speedway. The racing was spectacular, and the "Hall of Fame" ceremonies were very moving because of the circumstances surrounding the future of this facility. Channel 2 news broadcast live from the Fairgrounds, and their presence for this very important milestone was very much appreciated. 

The local favorites raced in the first two races, and then some talent from all over the US participated in the final 200 lap race. That final race was a fitting finale which gave us a glimpse of the quality of racing in years past when this track hosted the biggest names in Nascar. If the raceway can manage to survive this latest threat from Mayor Dean we could see a lot more great local racing combined with some of these higher caliber events.

Die hard fans braved the chilly evening and were treated to a near photo finish to end the season. I usually sit right in front of the stage and start-finish line, and as I walked down the stairs to leave the drivers from the last event were still celebrating. I watched for a few minutes and then headed for the gate, stopping a few times to turn around and look at the speedway under the bright lights. I wanted to take a few minutes to commit this historic place to memory in case we lose this battle to keep the speedway open in future years.

The excitement of the races soon turned  to sadness as I thought about the possibility that all of this may be gone very soon. Over one hundred years of history just bulldozed away at the whim of a mayor who seems to think his solution represents progress. I hope that the people of Nashville show this man to the door at the end of his term. He is not a friend of this city, and has no appreciation for its history and traditions.