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.