Michaels Family Returns To Take Over Mercer Raceway

By DAVID L. DYE Herald Staff Writer

FINDLEY TOWNSHIP — When his father first bought Mercer Raceway back in 1994, Edward Michaels remembers the facility was in poor condition.

“There were even trees that were growing up through the track,” Edward said.

Eventually they restored the track to working order, with Edward and his brother Earl helping while their father ran the enterprise. However, their father sold the business in 1997.

Since then, the racetrack went through a series of owners until last November, when Edward purchased the track and brought it once more into the Michaels family.

“My dad started racing in the ‘60s, and my brother Harold was a race car driver too, so I guess I never got the racing out of my blood,” Edward said.

The facility was built in the 1800s for the Mercer County Fair and later hosted horse races. Mercer Raceway Park held its first car racing season in 1952.

When the season starts again this year, it will hold racing in modified lite, big block modified and sprint car classifications. Edward said the track is a traditional source of entertainment for local residents.

“The closest mod lites track is probably about three and a half hours away from here,” he said.

Tickets are $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors and free for kids 13 and younger. The racetrack’s kitchen menu will include staples such as hotdogs, hamburgers and hot sausages, while prices are set with families in mind, said Kathleen Hairhoger, Edward’s fiancee and office manager .

“If you have a couple and they have two or three kids that they want to take somewhere, then things can get expensive by the time you’ve paid for tickets and gotten everyone something to eat,” Hairhoger said.

Also returning to the track will be the Kids Club, which offers kids ages 13 or under activities such as coloring contests and giving young guests the chance to meet the drivers, Edward said.

“You want to keep things family-oriented and let the kids get involved because it’s the kids who are going to keep racing alive,” Edward said.

Mercer Raceway will again have fence parking, where spectators can watch the races from their vehicles along the fence. This too, provides an example of the continued interest the racetrack holds in this area.

With 50 spots available for reservation, the new owners contacted previous space-holders before opening them up for this year. Out of those 50, only three spots were sold to new customers, Edward said.

“It just goes to show you how loyal folks are, when there were only a couple races last year yet they’re still willing to come back,” Edward said.

The track’s first major race of the year will be March 30, with a grand opening scheduled for April 27. More information including schedules and ticket prices can be found at the Michaels Mercer Raceway’s Facebook page and website at mercerracewaypark.com.