Lake View Motor Speedway, South Carolina

In collaboration with Dillon County Theatre Association in South Carolina, Liz Herlong's Broadcast Journalism student Jadyn Watson produced this story about the Lake View Motor Speedway. It features interviews with Charles Miller and Brandon Montgomery talking about why the track was built and how it's changed since 1980.  Lake View High School aired a different segment about the area each Wednesday morning on the Gator TV Morning News broadcast as part of a series called, "Way Back Wednesdays." It was created for Museum on Main Street's Stories: YES program.

Jayden Watson: One of the few options of entertainment in the town of Lake View is the Lake View Motor Speedway.

Charles Miller: [0:14] I'm Charles Miller. I'm the previous owner of Carolina Speedway in the town of Lake View, and to my knowledge, the track was built and opened in 1980. In 1980, 1986, Jay Asbill built and operated the track a few years.

Brandon Montgomery: [:50] The first race was ran approximately around 1981. Mr. Jay Asbill and Wayne Brewer originally built the track out of a cornfield, out in the middle of nowhere. Mr. Asbill ran at Dillon Motor Speedway. He and the owner at Dillon at the time had a conflict over some rules. He said "Well, I'll leave and go build my own track."

Brandon Montgomery: [1:27] Mr. Wayne Brewer will tell you, I've heard him say multiple times that, Mr. Asbill wanted it very banked, referring to the corners. He would get in his El Camino and drive around the track, and if he didn't think it was banked enough, he would tell Wayne to add more dirt.

Brandon Montgomery: [1:56] And then after them, that's when Bobby Taylor Oil Company and David Taylor bought it. That's when the track really kind of, kind of really took off and - Races on Friday, Saturday, and some Sunday afternoons. When it would rain out on, on Saturday nights, it was not unlikely to see him come back on Sunday afternoons after church to run the event.

Charles Miller: [2:37] That time they had plans to close it so in that June of 1997 I purchased the speedway and - And incorporated it as Carolina Speedway and ran the track from '97 through 2017.

Brandon Montgomery: [3:10] 2017 it was bought out by Mr. Scott Tripp, of Mechanical Systems Technology at Myrtle Beach. He came in, completely renovated the place. So in 2019, we look forward to the season coming up in 2019, hoping for a lot of big things. We got a lot of plans that we want to fulfill here.

Jayden Watson: [3:36] Although the Speedway has experienced many changes over the years, it still remains a vital part of the community and continues to be cherished by all.

Asset ID: 8547
Themes: Crossroads, small towns, history, sports, entertainment
Date recorded: 2019
Length of recording: 3:56 m
Related traveling exhibition: Crossroads: Change in Rural America
Sponsor or affiliated organization: Dillon County Theatre Association, Dillon, South Carolina
More information: https://museumonmainstreet.org/blog-node/south-carolina-students-kickstart-conversation-around-change: https://museumonmainstreet.org/blog-node/south-carolina-students-kickstart-conversation-around-change