It’s racing season at Delmarva Motorsports Park
One look at the faces studying sheets of paper tacked on the back of a small building, steps away from the steep-turned quarter-mile dirt oval, tells the story. It’s all fun and games until the green flag starts whipping; then, in contests of speed, nerve and meticulously tuned machines, the quest for checkered flags and season points becomes a serious pursuit.
For J.T. Knight of Smyrna, who’s just turned the corner into his teens, a victory in a 270-Micro class feature race May 8 “felt real awesome.”
Two races later, Shawn Weber of Cambridge garnered her second career win in the Pro-Mod Light car that she calls Evil Woman. With a tight smile across her face, Weber sat in her car for several minutes after driving into the pit area where her family and friends congratulated her. Nearby, her son Adam readied for his race in another family-owned car. She shook her hair out of a close-fitting helmet, accepted a cigarette from a friend, and allowed the tension of the race’s controlled but frantic pace to drain slowly from her mind and body.
“I’ve always been competitive,” she said. Classic understatement.
At 43, Weber is at the older end of the spectrum of racers who love the sport at these tracks. The name on the side of her son’s car is a combination of the names of her four children. “They’re 23, 21, 11 and 4 years old,” she said. “It makes life interesting.” Then her eyes flashed, making connections. “The racing – it’s a way of getting out all your anger toward men in one night.” More of the tension eased as Weber laughed.
Then she confirmed what track owner Walt Breeding says is his goal with Delmarva Motorsports Park. “We’re all like one big family here,” she said. “They’ve all helped me. It’s good for your confidence when others push you.”
Racing in the warm months
The racing season at Breeding’s track runs from March 1 through Nov. 1. Several hundred fans line the fences to watch hundreds of drivers and crewmembers compete in the evening’s races between 6 and 10 p.m. “We open the gate at 5 p.m. and get everyone back out by 11,” said Breeding between races last Friday. “On Wednesdays we race go-karts and on Sundays we do motocross.”
For $8, spectators get an evening of live entertainment. Vendors at the park sell hot dogs and hamburgers and other food and drink. In the pits, there’s fuel and parts for sale.
It’s not uncommon to see pick-up truck, loaded with families and coolers, backed to the fence with people of all ages hanging out, laughing and talking, and hooting and hollering when the racing rolls into high gear. There’s all the excitement of crashes and flips and spinouts on the steeply banked turns, with yellow flags flapping and lights flashing to signal caution. But there’s also an overarching sense of safety and responsibility in the roll-barred and safety-caged cars, the fire-retardant drivers’ uniforms, and the rules and expectations of the track. No one wants to see anyone get hurt.
“We’re family orientated,” said Breeding. “At least three-quarters of the cars racing are owned by families and driven by family members or friends. And, I’ve built 95 percent of the cars racing here tonight.”
Eighteen years ago, Breeding formed the Scale Car Racing Association, sanctioning the cars and their racing in the United States. The cars in all of the scale-car divisions are powered by motorcycle engines and are roughly three-quarter versions of full-sized stock, NASCAR and grand prix racing machines. “The great thing,” said Breeding, “is that these cars offer a cost-efficient way to enjoy racing. In that respect, tough economic times are good times for us. For $1,000, a family can get a car and be on the track competing. We have two divisions: youth for those 10 through 14, and adult. Our oldest driver is 60; most of the families come from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, on the peninsula.”
Breeding builds a variety of racing cars at his shop in Frederica. “It’s all I’ve ever done; it’s how I make my living. Some little boys want to be doctors or astronauts – I always wanted to be a racer. I started with go-karts and in the ‘70s and ‘80s moved up to modifieds and late-model races. Traveled a lot. I eat, live and sleep racing – it’s all I do.” Three years ago, Breeding plunged in deeper when he purchased the 25-year-old Delmarva Motorsports Park.
Track General Manager Buck Buckholz owned a track in Tennessee with Breeding. After too many years, and too many hours, with not much money in the journalism business, Buckholz moved east to help Breeding with the Sussex track. “It’s one of the best tracks I’ve ever seen,” said Buckholz. “And the youth program is like nothing else I’ve ever seen in the country. It’s the only track I know of that lets 10-year-olds race. It gives the kids and their families something to do; these days, that’s the most important thing.”
HOW TO GET THERE
From Georgetown, travel west on Route 18/404 past Del Tech’s Owens Campus and Elmer’s Market. Take a left on Gravelly Branch Road. Travel a few miles straight on until you come to Coverdale Road where you make a hard right turn. The track will be on your left. From the coast, the trip takes about 40 minutes. Don’t speed. Leave that to the drivers at the track.
