it is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of MILDRED BLYSTONE, whom with her husband Carl, and son Jerry, and Don Goodwin created RACEWAY 7 back in 1969-1970. Mildred passed away on Sunday August 24,2014. The Blystones picked out around 45 acres of farmland in Monroe Township,Ohio on ST RT 7 just south of Conneaut Ohio to build their field of dreams for a track that was fair on rules,a good purse for the drivers and excitement for the fans. The first race at Raceway 7 in June of 1970 brought just 13 cars but a jam packed grandstand with cars parking all the way out ot Rt 7!!! The next week the pits were full of cars and people were parking ON RT 7 and across the street at the fire dept. The Blystones held the annual Late Model 50 lapper in Sept with hall of fame drivers such as Herb Scott, Ron Blackmer, and Tom Jarrett won with fields of over 50 card for the special. They also created the Sportsman Modified 100 lapper which drivers such as Lou Blaney, and Tom Johnson beat the best in the business around the area. If you were not at Raceway 7 on a Saturday night before 6PM you would not have a seat as the grandstands were jam packed full each week. Mildreds husband Carl passed away in 1978 and she along with the family forged on with the speedway until 1981 when local businessman Ed Crawford and Dick McLaughlin purchased the speedway from them. Mildreds son Jerry helped out many years after it was sold with track prep and passed away suddenly in 1994. Mildred Blystones last visit was when we had the 40th anniversary reunion on August 6 of 2010 when we honored her at intermission. She was so happy to be there and see her former racers who supported her and her family. We are honored to have know her...we are honored to continue at the track that they built...and we are devastated on her loss. We are sure the Blystone family is now building another Raceway 7 in heaven and all the drivers who have passed on are now building cars to race at it. May god be with the Blystone, Grettler, and Goodwin family and to all who were blessed to know her--- Jim Balentine Jr.-Raceway 7 announcer
Posted on: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 18:32:27 +0000
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