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By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer
Salem Motorsports, located at 2593 West St. Rd 56, Salem, is alive with the sounds of high-powered cars.
They have several large action events like, King of the Asphalt, Drag Grudge, Drifting, Saturday Night Street Fights, and Test and Tune. A faculty that once was an airport runway is now a 1/8 mile drag strip.
The event May 11 was "Cars N Coffee and Drag Racing".
The morning started off with a car show. Among the cars on display was Vernon Hacker’s pristine 1954 Buick Skylark convertible. The chrome of this car shined from bumper to bumper. Close to him was David Fordyce’s 1951 Crosley. Fordyce has had this car since 1970 and has four others Crosleys at home. These cars were surrounded by expensive Corvettes and Camaros.
Ben Martin and Todd Osborn help run this faculty, along with a group of investors.
Gate admission was $5 this Saturday.
The park has a nice cafeteria, where Melissa Price will fix you a meal from the menu. There are booths where you can sit down and enjoy your food.
This particular Saturday, Salem Motorsports was the site of the launch for the YMCA Bronco Raffle. The Bronco has a MSRP of $34,115. Raffle tickets are $100 each, and 2000 tickets will be sold.
Eddie Gilstrap Motors currently keeps the car in safe keeping when not on display.
This fundraiser, according to Kristy Purlee, Washington County Family YMCA Chief Executive Officer, is for the four-million-dollar expansion to the YMCA facility. They have quietly been raising funds and presently have $1.2 million. They are also working on grants.
The plans are to raise $2 million at a time.
Raffle tickets can be purchased at The Washington County Family YMCA, located at 1709 N. Shelby St. Salem.
Janie Ulmer, who has served on the executive staff of the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) for the last two years, has announced her intention to leave this summer. Ulmer was approved last evening by the Hamilton Southeastern Schools Board of School Trustees to become an assistant principal at Fishers High School. Her last day with the IHSAA will be June 30, 2024.
Ulmer joined the IHSAA August 1, 2022, as an assistant commissioner and administered the sports of girls basketball, girls gymnastics, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. She also directed the IHSAA’s sportsmanship program.
“Working with students has always been my passion, and I am grateful to once again to have the opportunity to lead in a school,” Ulmer said. “I have truly valued my time at the IHSAA and have not only grown professionally, but personally as well. I have been blessed to work alongside a very knowledgeable and committed team who are passionate about what they do and the education-based system that they protect.”
Janie has served the student athletes of Indiana and the membership of the Indiana High School Athletic Association with exemplary dedication and passionate service in her role as assistant commissioner,” said IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig.
“On behalf of our Board of Directors and staff, we thank Janie for her leadership and offer our best wishes for success in the future.”
A career educator prior to arriving at the IHSAA, Ulmer spent five years with Hamilton Southeastern Schools, the last two as the principal at Hamilton Southeastern High School (202022) in Fishers. From 2017-2020, she served as Director of the Hamilton Southeastern Fishers Academy (HSEF), an off-site alternative education program she helped launch for both Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers high schools. In that role, she managed all functions of the program including staffing, development of academic programs, student services and facilities.
Prior to that, Ulmer spent 24 years in the LaPorte Community School Corporation in northwest Indiana. She was Director of Virtual Learning, an alternative high school within LaPorte High School, from 2012-17. And from 1993-2012, she taught mathematics to seventh and eighth graders at Kesling Middle School in LaPorte.
Ulmer is a 1989 graduate of Valparaiso University earning a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with a minor in Secondary Education. She went on to earn an Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from American College of Education in Chicago in 2012. She is an alumnus of LaPorte High School where she was a member of the Slicers’ varsity girls basketball team, later serving as an assistant coach, and helped in a supporting role with the baseball team under late Hall of Fame coach Ken Schreiber.
Ulmer is engaged to Christopher Hagenow and she has two adult children – Zachary (Maria) Ulmer and Kate Ulmer - and two grandsons – Elliott and Everett.
By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer
The Salem Speedway, powered by the Hoosier Lottery, was blessed with great weather for the May 5 races. It did not lack for yellow flags and accidents.
During practice driver Mike Sharp spun in turn 3 and collected Marcus Elliot and last year's GAS champion Heath Helton. It ended the day for all three.
The day started peacefully as Track Chaplain Rob Lee gave the invocation, and then the National Anthem was played.
There were 32 Crown Vics on the small track for the first event. A yellow flag in the 25-lapper was throw on lap 22. This led to a shootout with Zack Cecil taking the checkered flag. Second was Jacob Robertson, and in third spot Nick Payne.
The Legend car was next on the same track and the caution flags began, so many in fact the race was cut to 18 laps instead of 25.
Xavier King prevailed and finished first. Right behind him in second was Sam Johnson. Charging through the pack after a spin for third place was Clayton Bohanon.
Then the fast action started on the big ½ mile 33-degree banked track with the growing number of the Salem Super Cars division. Twelve very fast cars took 25 circuits around the track.
Joe Cooksey led the way with a challenge from Brian Rose, winner of the last race. Rose was second and Todd Kempf third.
The next race was the Crown Vics on the big track with 33 Crown Vics taking to the track.
Ronnie Basham led the whole way but was heavily challenged on a last lap by then second place Dillion Kaelin. On the back stretch Kaelin actually got ahead of Basham, but taking the low side Bashan came back to lead and win the 75-lap race.
Basham was disqualified at a previous race because the computer port that was not blocked by a plastic tie. The tie keeps anyone from plugging in a high-performance enhancing devices.
The last race was the powerful Great American stocks (GAS) on the banks for 75 laps of action. The early leader was Brian Bayer, who built a good lead before the yellow flew because of debris on turn 1 at lap 19. He was reeled end on the restart but still lead.
On lap 22 Conner Popple, the fastest qualifier, and Wayne Edwards collied, ending their day.
On lap 46 Bayer was hit by David Bayens in the second-place car. Bayens took the lead and held it to the end of the 75-lap event. On his bumper and challenging him was veteran driver Chuck Barnes Sr. His son, who had a very fast car came from the back after making a pit stop under the yellow, finished third.
Yellow flag laps do not count.
The next race will be June 8 for the King of the High Banks. The Midwest Modifieds, Vore’s Compact Tour, and a CRA/GAS series Street Stock challenge will be featured at the next event at the speedway.
Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery officials have announced that the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers will return to support Salem Speedway for the upcoming 2024 season as the title sponsor of the highly anticipated return of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial to the famous High Banks. The event will take place on Saturday, September 7th and will be sanctioned by the Auto Value & Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores 500 Sprint Car Tour based out of Anderson, Indiana, home of the famed Little 500.
“We are very excited to sponsor the return of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial to Salem Speedway this season,” remarked Steve Motsinger with the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers and Eddie Gilstrap Motors. “We are also very happy to support the return of Sprint Car racing back on the High Banks. Open wheel racing is what made this track famous, and we are very proud to help continue the great history of this racetrack!”
“We really appreciate the continued support of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers at Salem Speedway,” commented Nick Bohanon, owner of Salem Speedway. “No one has supported this track over the years like the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers and Eddie Gilstrap Motors, we appreciate their support and look forward to what is going to be a huge event on September 7th!”
Read more: Kentuckiana Ford Dealers to Sponsor the Return of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial
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Latest Washington County Mugshots
The following individuals were arrested recently by local law enforcement agencies. Those listed, in most cases, are just facing charges at this point, and are to be considered innocent of those charges unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges are often dropped or lessened. Mugshots are collected from local law enforcement agencies on Mondays and are public records.
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