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on May 18, 2015 at 4:30 PM, updated May 18, 2015 at 4:35 PM
Some expressed concern last week when news surfaced that western Pennsylvania gem Lernerville Speedway had been sold to Tomson Scrap Metal, a local company that has a number of businesses in the region.
There is no reason to worry. Lernerville Speedway will continue in its current capacity and is in good hands moving forward.
Tomson Scrap Metal is entrenched at the Sarver facility. The family has had a box at the speedway, sponsored cars that have competed at the track and believe investing in the community is important.
"The one thing is that if you control it, you can control the way it goes," Ted Tomson, a partner in the family-owned business said. "It's nice to have someone local own it that understands local people and issues.
"Don Martin's trucking company hauled our scrap, and the speedway has been a major part of the community for a long time. We want to keep it that way."
The Tomson family purchased the speedway from the Vicis Capital Master Fund Trust — a hedge fund investor with the World Racing Group — for $1 million consideration, according to the Butler County Recorder of Deeds.
The World Racing Group purchased the speedway from Don Martin's family in 2005 before switching over to a lease situation with Vicis.
This acquisition adds to an already stout Tomson family ownership profile. They also control the Brackenridge Heights Golf Course, Stanson Paper Processing and are heavily involved in harness racing.
Tomson owns four farms where horses are born and raised. And according to Ted Tomson, there is no plan for a fifth on the grounds of Lernerville Speedway.
"The World Racing Group will lease the track the rest of the year," Tomson said. "We live up to our agreements when we get involved in something.
"We're going to take it over next year. We own the facility, and we are going to operate it. If it was going to go away, we wouldn't get involved."
Continued Tomson, "I want to visit my grandkids here, not in Atlanta or Texas. People leave because there are no jobs, and these businesses provide jobs for them. Hopefully, we can persuade them to come in and be a part of our organization."
Lernerville Speedway hosts a Friday night program featuring the 410 Sprint Car division. They are joined by the Super Late Models, Big Block Mods and Sportsman/Stock.
A number of sanctioning bodies also hold special events at the speedway. The All Star Circuit of Champions, World of Outlaw Sprint Car and Late Model Series' are on the season slate.
That likely won't change in the future. As for the facility itself, any decisions concerning the structure will be made over the winter months.
"We're keeping [the program] the way it is with the racing we have," Tomson said. "It's been shown that it works by the people who have been running it.
"It's a Friday night event. It's not seven days a week, and you have to be careful you don't have too many big events.
"Lernerville is a fabric of this community. It fits our other businesses and allows us to invest in the community."
