The most famous Great Lakes Stock Car race around

OOC: This is an essay written by Kenny Myatt about a Street race that somewhat folded the shape of the Great Lakes Stock Car Series, (Which would end up splitting into the ARC and RSOA series.

The greatest Sports car street race ever created
-By Kenny Myatt

Contrary to what a lot of racing scholars believe. The foundations of stock car racing in the great lakes region did not begin on the 1/2 mile Sandusky Speedway. But rather on an island in Lake Erie not far from Sandusky called Kelly's Island. A group of car collectors wanted a place where they could legally race their cars on tracks similar to European street circuits. However no city or township would ever approve a Street race. Until Kelly's Island, which at the time was a small tourist island approved the event. Thus the Kelly's Island Road Race was born in Season -58. The races took place on an 8.3 mile course that took the racers around the western edge of the island, then down the most eastern, North/South road on the Island, around to the road that hugs the southern border of the island.

The racing on it was never the most competitive, due in part to the width of the roads, which were mainly two-lane roads. Kelly's Island was one of the most beautiful locations for a race track. A small Lake Erie version of Amaria, can describe it. The track was very interesting because it hugged the coast line, then dove inward toward what is now known as the Kelly's Island State Park. And then drove by the Glacial Grooves which were carved during the prehistoric ice age that created the island itself. As well as driving by a quarry and through some woods, all in just over 8 miles.

My grandfather was one of the chief stewards of the race, and I remember him telling me that they really didn't have much for a chief steward to do. Racing was relatively clean and respectful. The drivers raced like true gentlemen. The race was eventually stopped by the Mayor of Kelly's Island in Season -50 after a summer tourism boom that the island was receiving. Recent attempts to revive the race on the local airfield have always fallen through however a reunion event however has happened in recent years.

I have been to the island as recent as last year, I make it an annual tradition with my wife and now kids. Kelly's Island is a fantastic place, however the auto races are a distant memory. The island does have a couple of markers up where the important turns and events took place. I doubt we will ever see racing back on the island again, however without Kelly's Island, I doubt the ARCSOA Elite Series would be here today.