Natural Bridge Speedway Ownership Changes Hands...

The ink is still wet on the deal that will transfer ownership of the historic Natural Bridge Speedway from current owners, Larry and Karey Ramsey, to GW and Tish Fitzgerald.  After eight years of owning and promoting Natural Bridge Speedway, the Ramseys are stepping down as owners.

The Ramseys were instrumental in developing Natural Bridge Speedway into the premier racing facility for fans and competitors alike.  Notable improvements included widening the racing surface, installing new walls and guardrails around the track, a state of the art scoring system, implemented mandatory race receivers for driver safety, and building the Sunoco Fall Classic into a $10,000-to-win event that attracted some of the nation’s best super late model drivers.  “The past eight years have been rewarding for Karey and me.  We could not have done it without the support of our sponsors, competitors, fans, and employees. 

Those that support Natural Bridge Speedway are some of the most loyal and dedicated in the business, we are all like family.   Karey and I have enjoyed our time at the speedway, but this opportunity came along, and we felt it was best for us to step down.  We want what is best for everyone involved and we have always wanted to take Natural Bridge Speedway to the next level.  Owning and promoting a racetrack is a huge undertaking that requires a tremendous amount of time and energy.  In order to get to the next level, we felt we had to find a new owner.  We think we have found the right people to take Natural Bridge Speedway and racing in the Shenandoah Valley to the next level,” stated Ramsey. 

GW and Tish Fitzgerald have promoted Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro, VA for the past four years.  They will continue to operate Eastside Speedway, in addition to the track at Natural Bridge.  Currently both tracks race on Saturday night.  Though planning is in the early stages, the Fitzgeralds plan to have one track race on Friday and the other track complete on Saturday night.  “We want our competitors and fans to have the opportunity to race both nights.  Our goal is to have consistency at both racetracks.  We plan to increase the late model purse to $1,000-to-win weekly at Natural Bridge. 

We ask that both the fans and competitors be patient with us this first year.  We have a schedule complete for Eastside Speedway, but now that we have purchased Natural Bridge we will need to make some adjustments.  Though this may be confusing initially, we believe everyone will be pleased with the end result.  Larry and Karey, their sponsors, and their employees have done an outstanding job at Natural Bridge.  We look forward to working with them to make this a smooth transition for everyone involved, including the community surrounding the speedway.  The 2013 seasons at both Natural Bridge and Eastside will have something for everyone.  This is a win-win situation for all involved,” stated Fitzgerald. 

For more information fans and competitors should visit the websites for each track in the coming weeks.   Please visit www.nbspeedway.com or www.eastsidespeedway.com for the latest, most up-to-date information.