Speedway

The drivers who have won points championships at Clarksville Speedway read like a who's who list.

Tony Albright is one of the most decorated dirt track drivers in the South, and added to his distinction when he won last year's Crate Late Model series at the dirt track.

Other drivers that have built their reputation around the clay oval track include Carnell Parker, Caleb Ashby, Eddie Pace, Terry English, Clayton Miller and Jeff Purvis, a member of the National Dirt Track Hall of Fame.

The lure to race around the quarter-mile red-clay oval track remains as strong now as it did when the track opened decades ago. And the style of racing remains as distinct as the personalities that have won championships.

Each Saturday eight divisions — UMP Late Model, UMP Open Wheel, Crate Model, Pro Street, Street Feature, Mini Sprints, Mini Mod and Pure Mini Stock — highlight a night of racing that begins with warmup laps and wraps up with the roar of motors powering the feature events. The racing season opens in March and runs through mid-November.

The track routinely draws drivers from Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Alabama, and has remained a regular stop among the top dirt track touring series including the USCS Outlaw Mini Sprints, the USCS Sprint Cars and the UMP Summer Nationals.

In the past, the track has also drawn NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader to compete against the area's top dirt track drivers.

William Scogin, owner of Clarksville Speedway, has kept fans drawn to the track through innovative marketing and promotions, and more importantly racing, which includes a championship points system similar to what is used by NASCAR on its three racing circuits. During a period when dirt tracks have struggled with finances and fan interest, Clarksville Speedway has remained a strong and vibrant racing site.

The speedway facility is also home to a vibrant and busy drag strip, which has become a venue for drivers seeking a safe option from the streets, and want to test the power of the car and their own driving skills.

But the Clarksville Speedway complex is not exclusive to racing, the vast layout has become home to what was once the North Tennessee Fair. The Fair at Clarksville Speedway includes all of the traditional sounds and sites of a fair including a midway, vendor tents, food and music. Last year's fair included the first Queen City Barbecue Cookoff.