Dwight Jarvis calls racing a bad habit — once you start, it’s hard to slow down and stop. It’s part of the reason that Jarvis, who has raced at Claremont Speedway since 1973, was persuaded into giving it one more go.
Claremont opens its auto racing season tonight with the Richardson Memorial 50 Lap Super Street Race, the first of 20 races that will take place at the 69-year-old race track. But for the Speedway’s new owners, including area natives Phil Hayes and Jim Ambrose, this season represents something much bigger than just another year of racing. After an overly average 2015 season in terms of attendance, the Speedway’s ownership group invested more into upgrades and improvements. Now, they hope it pays off.
“We’ve spent a lot of money fixing up the place,” said Ambrose, who lives in Cornish. “Nothing is perfect yet, but we’re in pretty good shape. We just hope it brings people to Claremont. It’s the largest venue here by far. And it’s something that’s been here since 1947. … I bought it because I didn’t want to see it fold.”
Jarvis, a Claremont auto racing legend, is a big part of the Speedway’s re-emergence. Hayes and others persuaded him to come back for one more season, knowing his presence would bring interest. So far, it’s worked.
“They asked me to try it out,” Jarvis said. “I’m not sure if I’ll go for a whole season or not. But they asked me and I said, ‘What the heck?’
“I love racing … I love the excitement, the competition, the people. I just hope they don’t beat up on the old-timer.”
For Hayes, who grew up watching Jarvis race in his prime, having him back at the Speedway is everything he thought it would be.
“Dwight is one of my heroes,” Hayes said. “I spoke with him last year and he was the one who convinced us to bring back modifieds. That started the ball rolling. We’ll find out (tonight) on opening night. We have a tight field of modifieds. Dwight’s a big part of that. He’s a gentleman, that’s what I like about him.”
Claremont Speedway will have its largest pool of racers in recent memory, with 14 modified racers, nine late-model racers, 22 super street racers, 13 limited sportsman racers and 24 wildcat racers. Sammy Rameau, racing a modified, is the hot ticket this season as the 13-year-old looks to break into the racing world against the veterans.
It’s a wealth of talent that Hayes and Ambrose hope can reinvigorate interest in the Speedway and trust in the ownership group to keep the institution afloat.
“I feel like this is a turning point for the Speedway,” Hayes said. “Last year, we had a decent season. But we were new owners, we weren’t sure. I don’t think the public had confidence in us. But we did what we said we’d do.”
For Hayes and Ambrose, the Speedway’s success is not a simple business venture. It’s personal.
“It’s extremely important,” Hayes said. “I’ve put my life savings into this, I believe in it wholeheartedly. … I really think we’re going to be wildly successful.”
“It’s a personal challenge now. This season will be a very important season for us,” Ambrose added.
Pit gates open at 3:30 p.m., an hour before practices and grandstands open. Races begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 general admission; fans 12 and under are free. Pit admission is $35 for all ages.
Bear Ridge Speedway opens its 49th consecutive season on May 7 at 6 p.m. and will host its 15th annual Upper Valley Car Show at the Fireside Inn in West Lebanon from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.