ONA, WV-The popular event that eventually led to the Ona Speedway being reopened is making a return to the speedway after a 20+ year hiatus.
The Ona Speedway sat dormant following the 1975 season. When the Ona Airpark was built on the property, then property owner Donnie Chapman hosted a car and plane show called the “Wings & Wheels.” The show was a celebration of the past and present of the speedway with airplanes and hot rods. It was this event and laps taken on the speedway by some NASCAR show cars that led to Chapman reopening the Ona Speedway in 1995. Since 1995, the speedway has operated consistent all but a few years, and has been in operation every year that it has been owned by current owners Bill & Lynn Bauer.
While the event is being brought back under a different name, the West Virginia Roar & Soar Car & Plane Show, the event will once again be a celebration of Cabell County’s home for speed, the Ona Speedway & Airpark. The West Virginia Roar & Soar Car & Plane Show, held this Saturday, September 16th, will feature a full day of family fun with a car show, plane show, swap meet, DJ, inflatables for kids, food, and giveaways. The show will run from noon until 5:00 pm with registration from 11:00 am until noon.
The car show will have the cars parked all around the historic 7/16ths mile speedway that once saw the NASCAR Cup Series race on it and Richard Petty take race wins. Entrants to the car show will get to make a slow lap around the speedway when coming to park their car. This will give car owners an excellent opportunity to get their car on the track and get some cool photo ops. For spectators, this will be a great opportunity to get to walk on the track. The first 50 entrants to the car show receive dash plaques. Planes will also be on display. Pilots are encouraged to fly into the Ona Airpark and park their planes and enjoy a fun day at the speedway.
The speedway is also hosting a swap meet that will take place in the pit area and covered space under the tech shed. Swap meet vendors can setup for a cost of only $40 and that includes 2 admission passes. General vendors as well as food truck vendors are also welcome. The cost is only $40 for each of those as well.
In keeping with Ona Speedway & Airparks theme of family fun, a jump house will also be on site for kids to have fun in. The speedway will also have a DJ and door prizes will be awarded every 30 minutes.
Admission to the show is only $7 for ages 13 and up and free for ages 12 and under. All spectators will enter through the Ona Speedway entrance, get ticketed at the Ona Speedway pit gate, and park in the Ona Speedway pit area. Entry for the car show is $10 and car show entrants will enter at the airport entrance where they will be on asphalt the entire time.
For complete event information visit www.wvroarandsoar.com.
