Portsmouth Raceway Park (PRP) is a three-eighths mile dirt track located approximately 1 mile west of Portsmouth, Ohio. The track was built in 1990 by owner/operator Boone Coleman. The track hosts weekly racing events throughout the summer months, including the classes, Late Model, Modified, Limited Late Model, and Bomber. In 2009 the track hosted its first televised event, The "Big Red Book" River Days Rumble, featuring the Lucas Oil Late Model Series. The series made two appearances at the track in 2010, featuring one televised event, the two day "Pepsi 75 – River Days Rumble" paying $20,000 to the winner. In 2012 the speedway hosted the 'crown jewel' racing event, The Dirt Track World Championship. The race, the thirty-second annual running of the event, paid $50,000 to the winner and was televised on the SPEED Network and sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Series. The announcement was made during the D.T.W.C. weekend that the thirty-third annual hosting of the event would also take place at the speedway under Lucas Oil series sanction. The DTWC now pays $100,000 to win, Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, IL is the defending champion (2019).
Track history The track is built on a site that once housed a Shawnee Indian campground, but the Shawnee were run off the land by white settlers. On June 3, 1799, the town of Alexandria was founded on the site. The town would eventually move to what is currently known as Portsmouth, Ohio in 1813 because of multiple floods. As time went on the site was converted into farmland. Current owner Boone Coleman purchased the land in the 1970s.
In the summer of 1990 Coleman began excavation on the site; when asked about his intentions he replied: "My son Tim has a racecar and no place to practice!" Boone later decided to try to recover some of the money he spent building the track, and installed grandstands. The first season kicked off in late 1990 only two races were held that year. The first full season of racing was held at PRP in 1991. In 1992 the grandstands and concession areas at the track were destroyed when vandals took one of the tracks dozers on a rampage. The track crew was able to rebuild the track and was ready to race again within two weeks.
In 2000 the track was converted from a one-third mile to three-eighths mile.
Track records The current track record at Portsmouth Raceway Park in the Late Model class is held by Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver, Scott Bloomquist at a 13.840
The track record at the old one-third mile track was set by local businessman and driver RJ Conley in his popular #71C at 13.595.
Former Track Champions 1991 Mini Sprint – Tracy Hoover Modified – Richard Callihan Street Stock – Bob Dean Bombers – Duane Pick 1992 Mini Sprint – Tracy Hoover Modified – Richard Callihan Street Stock – Bob Dean Bombers – Larry Harr 1993 Late Model – Delmas Conley Modified – Marty Horton Street Stock – Rick Walker Bombers – Don Coriell 1994 Late Model – Rick Walker Modified – Richard Callihan Street Stock – Marty Horton Bombers – Tony DeHart 1995 Late Model – Charlie Seymour Modified – Marty Horton Street Stock – Phillip Harding Bombers – Tony DeHart 1996 Late Model – Bob Adams Jr. Modified – Jeff Cunningham Street Stock – Chris Blair Bombers – Tony DeHart 1997 Late Model – Bob Adams Jr. Modified – Tim Tribby Street Stock – Kenny McCann Bombers – Bubby McCarty 1998 Late Model – Bill Bocook Modified – Tim Tribby Street Stock – John Melvin Bombers – Danny Hamilton 1999 Late Model – Craig Leist Modified – Tony DeHart Street Stock – John Melvin Bombers – Bo Cox 2000 Late Model – Kenny Christy Modified – Eddie Harmon Street Stock – Tim Robinson Bombers – Phillip Kouns 2001 Late Model – Aaron Bapst Modified – Bo Cox Limited Late Model – Mike Steele Bombers – Donald Sensabaugh 2002 Late Model – Kenny Christy Modified – Eddie Harmon Limited Late Model – John Melvin Bombers – Josh McGuire 2003 Late Model – R.J. Conley Modified – Eddie Harmon Limited Late Model – John Melvin Bombers – Josh McGuire 2004 Late Model – R.J. Conley Modified – Eddie Harmon Limited Late Model – Jeff Stevens Bombers – Jeremie Bretz 2005 Late Model – Aaron Bapst Modified – Adam Jordan Limited Late Model – Jeff Stevens Bombers – Jeremie Bretz 2006 Late Model – Jackie Boggs Modified – Doug Adkins Limited Late Model – John Melvin Bombers – Shane Pendleton 2007 Late Model – Audie Swartz Modified – Rick Walker Limited Late Model – John Melvin Bombers – Shane Pendleton 2008 Late Model – Jackie Boggs Modified – Doug Adkins Limited Late Model – John Melvin Bombers – Shane Pendleton 2009 Late Model – Kenny Christy Modified – Doug Adkins Limited Late Model – John Melvin Bomber – Jeremie Bretz 2010 Late Model – RJ Conley Modified – David McWilliams Limited Late Model – Evyian Terry Bomber – Jeremie Bretz 2011 Late Model – Chris Wilson Modified – Doug Adkins Limited Late Model – John Melvin Bomber – Robbie Lewis
External links Official Site