Raceway 7, Nielsons celebrate special times
CONNEAUT, Ohio — On Friday evening June 4 there will be a special ‘50th Anniversary Celebration’, dubbed the ‘Super Late Model Sweetheart Special’, at Raceway 7 in Conneaut, OH. That’s fine as most tracks celebrate special and significant occasions such as this however this isn’t a track anniversary celebration (Raceway 7 opened in the early 1970’s), rather it’s a special celebration in honor of Ron & Thelma Nielson’s 50th wedding anniversary. The Nielson’s own Raceway 7 and were married on June 5 fifty years ago.

Since purchasing Raceway 7 seven years ago the Nielson’s have transformed it into a showplace of dirt Late Model racing with a group of teams that have caught the attention of the industry nation-wide. In addition to assembling a strong and enviable field of dirt Late Model each week the Nielson’s have also invested huge sums of money in an effort to turn the facility from a rundown husk to the first-rate facility.

In addition, the Nielson’s also own the #28b racing team that features one of the sport’s greatest competitors and biggest championship winners from the northeast, Dick Barton. There seems to be no end to the Nielson’s love of the sport and its people. Which makes this celebration even more special as Ron and Thelma Nielson are first-rate, first-class people.

Ron Nielson is a self made man. He has worked tirelessly over the years to build successful businesses and now spends the majority of his time devoted to dirt racing. In the years since purchasing Raceway 7 Ron Nielson has become a leader in the sport. Innovative, common sense promotions, rules and scheduling, and one of the most generous weekly payouts in all of dirt racing, has thrust Nielson to the top of the heap among visionary promoters.

And still, one keeps going back to the fact that the Nielson’s, beyond the racing, are just good, honest, decent and kind-hearted people. They are ‘real’. And they have a healthy amount of respect and compassion for the competitors, fans and even the sport itself. And that respect that the Nielson’s have shown the dirt racing community comes back ten fold.

“When he was in business for himself he started with nothing more than a pick up truck collecting garbage and when it was all said an done he was collecting garbage in nine different cities, had his own landfill and had 70 some trucks on the road at the time,” stated Dick Barton. Barton drives the Ron Nielson owned, The Bolt Place, Raceway 7, Quik Lube sponsored GRT Race Cars/Malcuit Racing Engines #28b.

“So he has some business skills and thank goodness for me he enjoys racing (laughs)! And actually, there are a lot of folks that should be thankful that he took his passion and success and turned Raceway 7 into a nice facility.”

“They are just genuine people. They are not flashy, they are not overbearing, they are just common people with simple interests and modest desires.”

As for his skills as a promoter, Barton also awards high marks in that area.

“Innovative,” stated Barton. “Not afraid to take chances. What he has done is compared notes at all the different facilities he has gone to and implemented the stuff he’s liked in his own facility. Business wise, they have got to be successful people and have successful lives to be in the position they are in. I’ve already alluded to the fact that they are genuinely self-made.”

And Barton never fails to offer how grateful he is to have Nielson as a car owner.

“They just don’t come any better,” said Barton. “They provide us with whatever we think we need. There are times when maybe we’re maybe a little bit afraid of asking for something or the other and when we do finally get up the nerve to finally say something he’ll say, ‘Geez, I’ve been watching that and I thought we needed that a long time ago’ (laughs)! He’s pretty keen on what’s going on in this business and you better be if you’re going to be a track owner along with being a car owner. But he recognizes a lot of things that you don’t think he would.”

The Nielson’s also have made friends with their staff members at Raceway 7 and through their kindness and respect for their abilities, the staff members have a dedication and loyalty not seen in great quantities elsewhere.

“When one thinks of a race promoter in general, one comes up with a person that is it to make a quick buck,” offered Rich Berry, Race Director at Raceway 7. “But there are people who are in racing for the best interest of the sport. And that certainly is the case with the Nielson family.”

“When he purchased Raceway 7, it was an aging facility that needed a lot of work. Since he purchased the track in the late 1990’s, basically the concrete wall on the front stretch is all that has not been replaced. Everything is new, concession stands, grandstands, pit buildings, the tower, everything.”

“I can’t imagine what he has spent to do all of the work that he has. Not everything that he has done was a necessity. He could have gotten by with some patchwork on some things, but he went the extra mile. He rebuilt everything because he wanted the fans to have a nice place.”

“The walkways throughout the grandstand areas are all paved. The place gets pressure-washed every week. They go the extra mile for the fans, because they care.”

And away from the racing Berry confirms that the Nielson’s, as just people and away from racing, are among the best.

“Mrs. Nielson is a special lady,” commented Berry. “She has to be to put up with the character that she married. Actually most people would be surprised to know that she hasn’t been at the track during the races for a couple years now. The reason is that she worries so much about keeping everybody happy that it was affecting her health. So she stays at home during the races and watches the grandchildren and stuff like that.”

“Ron is just unique, that is the only way I can describe him. At an age where most people retire to Florida to spend their days on a golf course, he bought a race track! I really enjoy being around him. He is always joking around with people, he is something else. I appreciate the trust that he shows in me to do my job at the track on Fridays. I do a lot, and I would do more if I could. And I do it all because they are the special people that they are.”

“As everybody involved in racing knows, the scale where you balance what the fans want and what the racers want is delicate. He is on both sides of the fence, with his ownership of the 28B Late Model. He does a superb job of giving both the best. “

“The Late Model payoff is far and away above what any other track in the area pays. And he doesn’t have to pay as much as he does. I heard one promoter call his purse ‘crazy’. So why does he do it? Because he cares.”

“He goes out of his way to make things nice for the fans, even if it does mean costing him money. Take this past Friday for an example. A big line of storms were heading for the track. Common knowledge among promoters is to cancel in bad weather. But he waited it out, to see if the storms wouldn’t hit as hard as they were expected to. He gave every effort to race as he always has. If there is any chance to get to race, he will do it.”

“The anniversary race will be a special one. It will be one to celebrate two special people, and all that they do for the sport of auto racing.”

As far as the working conditions at Raceway 7, Berry’s opinions are shared.

Ron is one of those promoters who stands behind his employees,” stated Jim Balentine, the assistant flagman. “If there is any problem you can go to him and he’ll take care of it. He’s quiet and laid back and tries to stay out of the limelight but Ron has been great and I’ve known him a long time and he is very supportive of us. Some nights we cannot go green because Ron is on the race track telling the drivers to move up to run in the cushion and he has no radio so we cannot communicate with him and we have to wait until the boss is off the race track.!”

The Nielson’s philosophy of treating their teams and fans well is pretty much unanimously acknowledged by those who frequent the race track.

“Ron has a great passion for the sport,” said Rich Gardner, a dirt Late Model racer who drives the Toby Jordon owned #1 Swartz Race Car. “He shows that in everything that he has done that involves racing. I remember when he was running Fords way before anyone else was, and it was before the parts were really available like they are now for the Fords. He kind of pioneered the engines for dirt racing, now you can find just about any engine builder offering them, I know Ron spent a lot of time and money on them because he was determined to make a Ford work.”

“That’s the way he is with his race track, he had his own ideas on what he wanted in a race track and through his passion for the sport has spent long hours and loads of money making Raceway 7 into one of the top dirt tracks around. And he doesn’t act like some ‘big time’ business tycoon, he is very down to earth and very approachable, he’s just like one of the guys.”

And the Nielson’s work in promotions and the renovation of the track hasn’t gone unnoticed throughout the industry.

“Ron & Thelma Nielson have taken Raceway 7 to a different level,” explained Mike Farr, an industry insider and former racer. “I use to race at Speedway 7 back in the early 80’s when Dick McLaughlin ran it and it was an awesome race track back then. And since Ron & Thelma Nielson have taken it over it’s now one of the premiere dirt tracks in the country and the competition level up there is unreal. There’s some local dirt Late Models that can win any where on any given night against anybody.”

The philosophy at Raceway 7 has also attracted many drivers and teams that live far outside the immediate area.

“Mr. Nielson is an awesome man!” exclaimed Lora Markham, wife of Ryan Markham, who drives the Ernie Norton owned #co2 Rocket Chassis. “I can’t say enough good things about him. Ryan and I have always enjoyed racing at Raceway 7 because he cares about his drivers and fans. That’s why we have called Raceway 7 home for the past several years, even though the drive is so long. He always makes you feel welcome to be there, like you are part of the family.”

“I remember last season we had missed several races due to engine problems and they first night we were back he came up to me and said ‘It’s nice to have you back’. That meant the world to me! He is just really wonderful and Ryan and I have a lot of respect for him and we appreciate the hard work and dedication he had put into running a great race track!”

The Nielson’s have even more ‘cheerleaders’ for the work and dedication they have given to put new life into Raceway 7.

“When I learned in March 1997 that he was buying Ace High Speedway, my first thought was to get ready for some great things,” commented Jay Pees, track photographer and track announcer. “My instinct was so correct. Each week there were subtle, yet significant changes in the way things were done there. Not all of them worked, but he was always willing to try something new when it was apparent that changes were needed. He is very pro-active in the track, yet in a very quiet way. He does not wear a radio, yet gets his message across when he sees something wrong. He seldom steps in, rather letting his employees make the decisions. And he supports his employees in those decisions, even if he might not agree with them. He will talk about it with the employee later. A very fair man to work with.”

“And he can be rough in his approach. I had never done any announcing before he decided he needed an on-track announcer part way through the 1999 season. When I got to the track that night he was at a vendors booth holding the remote mike. Being a smart aleck, I asked if he was the new on-track announcer. He just looked at me and asked, very deadpan, ‘Think you can handle one of these things?’ Still being the smart aleck, I responded that I could do anything that needed done at a race track! He got a bit angry and shot back ‘Dammit, I’m serious’. I had no choice but to reply that I was, too. I got a good laugh out of that, but I am the track announcer today!”

“Mrs. Nielson is one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met. Quiet, but she too, can get her point across. They’re a perfect match, He very much in charge, she, very much in love with the man she trusts in all matters. Mr. and Mrs. Nielson are almost a throwback to the ideal ’50s family, with three daughters forming a family that is close, familial, yet friends on a base level. They work very well together and always for the common good. They are the kind of family one would want for neighbors.”

“I really enjoy working for the Nielson’s. They are always fair and always interested in their employee’s welfare. It’s working with friends, not for bosses. When I see any of the family at other tracks, I always feel as though they are family. And at “work” I am always among friends. There are lots of tracks running Friday nights that I would like to attend, but as long as the Nielson’s are at Raceway 7, I will be there on Fridays.”

Say what you want but there is no denying the fact that Ron Nielson has transformed Raceway 7 in Conneaut, OH into a showplace for dirt track racing in general, and dirt Late Model racing in particular. Take a quick look at the weekly dirt Late Model line-up week in and week out and you have sanction quality throughout the field.

The Nielson’s have three daughters, Pam (David) Lenigan, Melody (Bob) Fitch and Stacey (Dennis) Tice and four grandchildren. And each one is as dedicated tot heir parents as their parents are to them, their track, their team and the fans of Raceway 7.

Next Friday June 4 the 50th Anniversary Celebration ‘Super Late Model Sweetheart Special’ will be a 50-lap, $3,000 to win special event that will attract a vast majority of the top dirt Late Model teams from across the northeast region. The 50-lap main event will also be a Northern Xtreme qualifier and four other divisions will be on hand.

Regardless, it will just be a great time to spend time with some of the country’s best drivers and fans as they celebrate a special day in the lives of two extraordinary people who have helped make dirt Late Model racing better, Ron & Thelma Nielson. Two people who I have the very utmost respect and admiration for.

For more info on Raceway 7 visit: http://www.raceway7.com

©2004 Doc Lehman/Dirt America

http://www.DirtAmericaOnline.com