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The old oval is barely detectable on the south side of the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds. Now the cement wall has been removed and most traces of the former racetrack will soon be under grass.
Thanks to the work of local businessmen and the fairgrounds board, the area is slowly and surely undergoing a transformation.
This summer the former Warsaw Speedway site will host another NTPA Semi National Super Semi Truck Pull and a Show and Shine event, which promises to be bigger and better than ever.
"Mike (Metzger) asked if we could expand the facility," said Paul Kuhn, the fair board's vice president, "and we asked him what we needed to do."
The truck pull fills the grandstand, and the beleaguered fair board is anxious to have seats occupied.
"The event is one of the main attractions at the fair, a primary draw," Kuhn said.
It was decided to tear down the east-west concrete wall that lined the track, and estimates came in at more than $10,000.
That's where Tom, Cary and Richard Groeninger of G & G Excavating, Ellsworth and Keith Everest of Everest Excavating and Mike Loher of Loher Backhoe came in - they donated their time and labor for the project.
Bill Thomas of Thomas Tiling has done ditch and drain work, Eddie Hatfield of Hatfield Electric contributed his electrical skills and REMC provided poles.
"We couldn't have done it without them," Kuhn said. The owner of a light excavating company himself, the five-year board member put his own name in the ring as track chairman.
From the fence on the north side, just past the bleachers, a 50-foot buffer zone will be followed by a 50-foot-wide pull track laid beside a 50-foot-wide gravel road.
"The wall was a nuisance, an obstacle we had to work around during the pull," Kuhn said.
The Metzgers have sponsored the truck show and shine for six years and more than 120 entries are expected this year.
"We had 100 entries last year," Mike Metzger said. "I'm looking for 125 this year. We make them happy, word gets around and they come back."
"My goal for the old track would be more car and truck shows," he said. "They can make it more useable and I hope they can start booking more events."
The truck pulling event has been held at the grounds for more than a dozen years.
This year during fair week an NTPA sanctioned Super Farms event will be held featuring super stock tractors and pickups on Friday night.
"The truck pull and show is a great draw for us," Kuhn said, "and we're planning other grandstand events, too, including a battle of the bands Tuesday night for the youth. It will be free of charge. The kids are always saying there is nothing for them to do, so we'll give them something."
On Monday of fair week, rodeo fans will be able to see a bull riding and barrel racing show, and Wednesday the demolition derby is scheduled during the fair.
The old track area is just one of the many facilities available on the 56-acre fairgrounds. The Kosciusko County Community Fair is run in conjunction with the 4-H Fair each year. This year's dates are July 9 through 14.
Fair board members are: Bill Leininger, president; Kuhn, vice president; Tim Plummer, vice president-elect; Dawn Harris, secretary; Brent Hoffman, treasurer; and Jerry Secrist, Roy Bradbury, Elliott Enders, Frank Rhoades, Raymond Truex, Mike Loher, Dan Hampton and Brian Goodman.
