St. Clair making Wiscasset track work

Tammy Reynolds knew.

She had been born on a Saturday night after her father had dropped her mother off at the hospital. He went off to race stock cars at Unity Raceway. Reynolds has followed her father’s career ever since. She has been his No. 1 fan, always there through the good times and the bad.

When Dave St. Clair decided he wanted to manage Wiscasset Raceway, she knew he would make it work. “If he ran it, they would come,” she said.

For 24 years, the high-banked, one-third-mile oval that is adjacent to the West Alna Road in Wiscasset has been a roller-coaster ride for those in charge.

Track managers, each of whom have leased the track from long-time owner Wilford Cronk, have come and gone. Then the man better known as “Boss Hogg” stepped in and helped spark the track into one of the state’s more successful ovals.

“I had talked about doing it, and it had gotten to the point where I had to do something or shut up,” said St. Clair who plans to purchase the track from Cronk on Sept. 1. “I had to back up what I was saying. I’m doing it my way, but I’m trying to keep it fair.”

With racing every Friday night, and a few special 100-lap races thrown in – including next Friday’s third annual Boss Hogg 100, St. Clair has done what many others could not – make Wiscasset Raceway profitable.

“I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest,” St. Clair added. “I figured we’d be there four or five weeks and then be gone. But that first night was unbelievable. We were packed. It was a great feeling.”

Those in the know have been somewhat impressed with St. Clair’s track management skills.

“He’s treated the drivers like human beings,” said Willis Alexander, who has driven the pace car at Wiscasset since the track opened. “As a driver, he knows what it’s all about. He knows what the drivers want, and he gives it to them.”

“He’s working at it,” said Ralph Nason, who owns Unity Raceway. “He has a dream and a goal and he’s working at it. I know David, and he’s a fighter. If (attendence) starts going down, he’ll come up with something so it won’t. I’ll give him credit that is due. He’s done a reasonably good job down there, and he has a pretty loyal following.”