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New speedway managers By DAWN SLADE The Princeton Speedway is undergoing some changes at the quarter-mile dirt track this year. Ritz Villebrun is the speedwayís new operations manager. He was hired by the Mille Lacs County Fair Board on Jan. 27. Villebrun, who is also the fire chief in Princeton, in turn hired Scotty Harder as the trackís promotions manager. Villebrunís wife, Janelle, will be the speedwayís office manager. Some anticipated changes are already being implemented, while others will start when the race season begins in April. One of the modifications to the upcoming race season will affect the 100 plus drivers, who should be happy to hear that management plans on increasing the payout to the winners. To do so, pit fees are being raised from $15 to $20. With an average of 550 people entering the pit area every Friday night, the track could see a weekly increase of over $2,500. General admission is increasing also. Adults will now pay $9 to see the races, instead of $8, while children ages six to 14 and senior citizens will continue to pay $5. Admission for kids under age six is still free. Tickets can be purchased in six-packs and 10-packs at a 20 percent discount. When fans head to the track this upcoming season, theyíll be purchasing tickets from the main office, rather than at ticket booths scattered throughout the speedway. Villebrun says he will continue to maintain a high quality track as former manager Jay Rittenour did. But, heís already facing the challenge of finding a track maintenance person. Kim Webb (the "Dirt Track Magician") resigned after 10 years of maintaining the speedwayís oval track. Other improvements the new management is hoping to incorporate include better lighting for the track, a new sound system and revamping the junior fan club. On occasion, the junior fan club members can expect to participate in a pedal car race during intermission - with trophies for the 10 lucky fans selected from the crowd. Villebrun and Harder want to get families more involved during intermission and stress that Friday night races at the speedway are family events. And the sponsors should expect a little more "bang for their buck" this year as well. Harderís goal for the year is to double sponsorship. He also plans on working closely with those sponsors on their particular race night and promoting their businesses throughout the evening and the race season. The handicap accessibility will also be upgraded not only in the general admission area, but also in the pit area. Safety is another concern. The plan is to rearrange the pit area to make it more safe. The two are quick to point out that though there havenít been any serious injuries or problems, safety is still a priority. "Safetyís always a concern," said Harder. "Anywhere you can make safety even one percent better, itís worth the effort." The "No Tolerance Rule" will be enforced. If a driver spins out on his own and causes a yellow flag, the racer will be black-flagged from the race, which means heís out of that race. Also, if a driver intentionally hits another car, that driver heads to the back of the pack. A second intentional run-in means the driverís black-flagged. But, itís the track officialsí job to watch the race closely and make sure everyoneís racing according to the rules. With a shift in management comes a change in officials and the speedway is looking to hire two more track officials and a photographer. The speedway has gone through its share of managers with disagreements between the fair board and management. Will the new management team "fair" better? Villebrun and Harder say the fair boardís been very open and willing to talk with them about their goals and what they need to obtain those goals. But Villebrun admits, "Weíre going to butt heads in some areas, but thatís with any job." Fans will get their first taste of the racing season on Saturday, April 12 with a practice day. The season opener is scheduled Friday, April 25 with races starting at 7:30 p.m.
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