Fans in uproar, claiming scam at two dirt tracks that recently closed

Paducah International Raceway and Tennessee National Raceway both closed in May

It’s not uncommon for a dirt track to close or pick up with a new owner. Dirt tracks are hard to keep in operations for a long list of reasons.

However, what is uncommon is for the track promoter to sell yearly suites, parking and/or sponsorship packages at two tracks that were only open for a few weeks in 2018.

In this example, Paducah International Raceway ran just 3 races in their 2018 season before locking the gates. However, some fans purchased year long rental of the grandstand suites for around $1,000. This was a track that was suppose to feature year long Friday night racing.

These avid dirt racing fans are sad as their beloved local track has closed down once more. At the same time, some of them are angry as they are under the impression they were ripped off, intentionally or unintentionally.

“I am in the process of getting others involved so we can go to district court,” Abby Elizabeth Miller told RacingNews.co .

“We paid $500 for a banner for the year just before it shut down,” Dustin Brown commented on Facebook.

Tennessee National Raceway officially announced their shut down on May 16th. A few weeks later, May 31st, Paducah International Raceway announced a separate cancelation of their 2018 racing season. Both of these tracks were leased by Phil Colwell.

Bob Sargent is the owner of PIR. However, in recent years, he’s only leased out the dirt track. The track had a Summer Nationals date for 2018, that event was canceled.

In 2017, Paducah International Raceway sat dormant. Ahead of 2018, there was a buzz in Kentucky about the tracks return. Yet, Phil Colwell only operated the Paducah, KY track for a handful of weeks before it was shut down, adding another shut down to the history of the speedway.

Earlier this month, I reached out to Phil Colwell who held the lease on both tracks mentioned. He was not available for comment.

However, he did shed some light on the situation in a brief interview with WPSD. “It’s going to a lawsuit. The courts will render a decision. “If I lose, I have to pay. If Bob loses, he has to pay.”

There appears to be a dispute between the track owner and the lessee. Colwell notes a lawsuit between himself and Bob Sargent. However, PIR track owner Sargent stated that he has not been served a lawsuit.

In Kentucky, consumers are protected by the ‘Kentucky Consumer Protection Act’. Do you feel like you have a claim? You can get more information here.

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Related: Two dirt tracks have ceased operations

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Paducah International Raceway | Tennessee National Raceway

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