WILLIAMSTON, SC :: Anderson Motor Speedway has been a part of Sylvia Porter since she was born. It’s in her blood. Her father built the track and she now owns the track and serves as the promoter of the South Carolina bullring. Now, the long offseason is concluding and she’s preparing to open the gates at the track for its 50th season of short track racing action. She’s never been more excited.
“We’ve had about 60 cars practice in the offseason,” Porter said about preseason testing. “We sell parking spots and I’ve sold over 50 of them. I think we’ll have good counts in our local classes and maybe 15-20 Late Models. If practice is any indication, we should be okay. We run Late Models every other week and have 10 races along with the SouthEast Super Trucks, UARA and PASS so we have 24 events and six divisions each night so it should be a good one.
“We just finished some repairs here in the track and in the pit area which had been all graven in the past. We’ve put some patch basins in so we don’t have to call the races when it rains because of drainage problems. We’ve had those drainage problems as long as I can remember. It has been colder and really wet. We just finished the asphalt because we had to wait until it was warm enough. Thankfully, it’s all done but it came down to the wire.”
Anderson Speedway has been a part of Sylvia Porter’s life as far back as she can remember.
“The speedway’ been in the family my whole life,” Porter explained. “My dad (Rupert Porter) built the track in 1963 and we paved it in 1987. It’s been paved ever since and I took it over a while ago. My father passed away a few years ago. I worked for him for a couple years after I got out of Charlotte. I worked for NASCAR after going to school and it gave me experience to do what I’m able to do on the public relations side. My dad got sick in 2005 so I came home and I’ve been here ever since. He passed away in 2009 so it’s just my mother and myself.”
Porter says Anderson’s been blessed to experience a rise in car counts and hopes she can do more to fill the stands.
“We’ve been very blessed,” Porter stated. “The car counts and the crowds continue to increase and that’s a good thing. I feel like, last night at practice, it was so cold down here and we had 20 cars at trackside parking just watching practice. I’m getting a lot of phone calls asking about when we’re opening and when the Late Models run and when the Trucks are coming back. The phones are lighting up and people are expressing interest so hopefully that’s an indication that we’ll have packed bleachers.”
Porter also mentioned that the track does a lot for the youth in the area.
“We do a lot of stuff for kids,” Porter commented. “We have Ronald McDonald, bike races and different mascots. In August, we do a book bag giveaway. One of the high schools has a reunion here and they give us a donation and we give away free backpacks with that. We also have face painting at every event. This weekend, we have Easter egg giveaways. We’re giving one boy and one girl (an egg with a prize). They put their name in a hat and their names are randomly drawn. The drivers, before every race, we let them toss a Frisbee or baseball and we give the fan that catches it $100. This week, we’re throwing a carrot in a stick in the stands and give them $100. We’ll also have 50 gold and 50 black balloons for our 50th anniversary.”
Along with the local program, Anderson Motor Speedway will host eight touring events. The X1-R Pro Cup will visit twice as will the UARA-STARS Late Model tour. The SouthEast Super Truck Series will visit the South Carolina bullring on three occasions and the PASS South Super Late Model Series will visit on Independence Day Weekend.
“I enjoy working with each series director,” Porter remarked. “I like the touring series when they come in because they give the fans something different. They get to see the trucks. They come three times. UARA comes twice and PASS comes once. It all filters down and you get one special event a month.”
Along with the prestige of touring divisions, Anderson Speedway also has something unique to offer. That is the Ralph Carnes dynasty. Carnes has won five championships at Anderson Motor Speedway and is returning to defend his crown in hopes of winning a sixth title.
“It’s pretty cool and very unique to have a champion like Ralph Carnes who could drive this place blindfolded,” Porter mentioned. “I can remember being a little girl and he was racing here. He’s always raced on asphalt here. It’s pretty cool. It builds a more competitive field. Everyone’s competitive but they all get along pretty well and that’s what’s cool at the sport. You race each other but if something happens in your family or you need a part for your racecar, these guys are always there. They’re like my extended family.”
Porter is excited about the 50th season but regrets that her father isn’t around for the track’s golden anniversary.
“It makes me feel old even though I’m only 40,” Porter said. “It’s cool and I’m proud for my dad and I’m sad he’s not here to see it. I’m proud we can be here and in this community and get along with our neighbors. I respect them and they respect me and we get along. I’m excited and pumped up. Let’s try for another 50 years.”
Anderson Motor Speedway’s golden anniversary goes green on Friday Night, March 29th.
