Unity Raceway is set to open on Sunday, March 5, under the new ownership of George and Sherry Fernald. The Fernalds purchased the track from Ralph Nason in 2016 and have reported they are making changes to the over 150-year-old track.

The opening race on March 5 will feature a new class for racing in Maine, George Fernald said: Any two-wheel drive, American-made, four-door car is eligible to race.

“What we wanted was a cheap class to race,” Fernald said. “There’s all kinds of these cars, and they’re cheap to get.”

To fix up a car like an Impala or a Buick for a race would cost around $1,000 if you did it yourself, he said.

Each car will have to have a number and a theme so kids can pick their favorites.

This first race will also take place on 5 to 6 inches of snow, he said, which he hopes to make an annual event.

“It’s just something different, something to break up the winter,” he said.

Fernald, 53, of Benton, started racing back in 1981, he said.

“I raced over 30 years myself there,” he said. “I just love the place.”

Photo by John Miller.