Dwayne
01-07-2006, 10:19 PM
On behalf of all the staff and members of Local Race Chat I would Like to welcome Oak Level Raceway to the site. We have a link on the front page under the track links and you can visit their forum by going HERE (http://www.localracechat.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=74)
Oak Level Raceway originally was built as a drag strip in the late 50’s(?), a portion of which can still be seen on the land adjacent to the current OLR property. The track was operated successfully for a number of years, the drag strip eventually being replaced by a quarter mile dirt oval.
The track closed in the late 1970’s. Tim Willis reopened and improved the track in the early 90’s. Bethel Mason purchased the track before the 1994 season and operated it through the 2000 season. Marvin Young promoted OLR during that period. During the Mason/Young era, the track and racing were continuously improved. Here is a picture of the track from the 1994/95 time frame:
http://www.oaklevelraceway.com/olr1995.jpg
The track was lengthened before the 2000 season, becoming a tight 3/8 mile track. Several other improvements were completed. Bethel Mason tragically passed away in November, after being ill for most of 2000. The Mason family decided to sell OLR to concentrate on their successful paving and excavating business.
Mike Schmidt purchased the facility from the Mason family in March, 2001. The Mason and Young families worked closely with Mike to get the 2001 season underway in May.
Immediately after the 2001 season was completed, a major expansion project was initiated to widen the track surface and increase the radius of both turns. The result is a significantly wider D shaped tri-oval which was ready for action in 2002 The pictures below were taken about halfway through the project.
December 2005 Oak Level Raceway was purchased by David Lee Howerton of Side by Side Motorsports in Reidsville, NC. David has plans to update every aspect of the fast and competitive 3/8ths mile banked clay oval.
http://www.oaklevelraceway.com/OLR_aerial.jpghttp://www.oaklevelraceway.com/olr_arial_1.jpg
Oak Level Raceway originally was built as a drag strip in the late 50’s(?), a portion of which can still be seen on the land adjacent to the current OLR property. The track was operated successfully for a number of years, the drag strip eventually being replaced by a quarter mile dirt oval.
The track closed in the late 1970’s. Tim Willis reopened and improved the track in the early 90’s. Bethel Mason purchased the track before the 1994 season and operated it through the 2000 season. Marvin Young promoted OLR during that period. During the Mason/Young era, the track and racing were continuously improved. Here is a picture of the track from the 1994/95 time frame:
http://www.oaklevelraceway.com/olr1995.jpg
The track was lengthened before the 2000 season, becoming a tight 3/8 mile track. Several other improvements were completed. Bethel Mason tragically passed away in November, after being ill for most of 2000. The Mason family decided to sell OLR to concentrate on their successful paving and excavating business.
Mike Schmidt purchased the facility from the Mason family in March, 2001. The Mason and Young families worked closely with Mike to get the 2001 season underway in May.
Immediately after the 2001 season was completed, a major expansion project was initiated to widen the track surface and increase the radius of both turns. The result is a significantly wider D shaped tri-oval which was ready for action in 2002 The pictures below were taken about halfway through the project.
December 2005 Oak Level Raceway was purchased by David Lee Howerton of Side by Side Motorsports in Reidsville, NC. David has plans to update every aspect of the fast and competitive 3/8ths mile banked clay oval.
http://www.oaklevelraceway.com/OLR_aerial.jpghttp://www.oaklevelraceway.com/olr_arial_1.jpg