MANSFIELD, Ohio — Justin Cranmore’s racing career started in Mansfield a decade ago and resumed at Spitzer Motor Speedway on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Cranmore was back where it all began for the second of six race weekends at the half-mile oval on the city’s north side. He competed in the hobby stock class; and judging by the look on his face in the pits, there was no place he would have rather been.
“I started out here when I was 14,” said Cranmore, who works as a technician at Spitzer, which serves as his primary sponsor. “My mom bought an old dirt car for 300 bucks and it was the biggest piece of junk. I didn’t even know how to drive a five-speed. I learned out here.
“I love this place.”
Before it was brought back to life this summer, the track hadn’t hosted an event since 2010.
“I had to drive past the track every day,” he said. “It sucked just watching it sit empty. Like a lot of guys, I’m so happy they are racing here again.”
Sunday’s event drew about 30 cars for the hobby stock class. Modifieds, Ohio stocks and street stocks were all in action as well.
“We have an awesome field,” Cranmore said before qualifying. “There are a lot of fast cars here.”
The Mansfield man races all across Ohio. He owns a track record at Sandusky.
“But this is home,” Cranmore said. “To me, this is my home track.”
Like Cranmore, Matt Leedy felt right at home Sunday afternoon. The Bellville man ran in the modified class.
“There aren’t a whole lot of people around here who have more laps around this track than me,” said Leedy, who started racing in 2000. “The last time we raced here was 2006.”
Leedy participated in the season’s first race at Spitzer Motor Speedway, but experienced technical problems.
“I’ve been having some issues with the car,” he said. “The first race out I broke the transmission. I had to have the whole transmission rebuilt since then. I’ve been having issues with fluid leaking out and when you have liquid coming out of the transmission, it starts getting on the back tires. Then you have a situation where the car is loose.
“It has been a little frustrating because it’s not like you’re getting beat by another driver. You have mechanical issues holding you back.”
Technical issues notwithstanding, Leedy was glad to be back in Mansfield.
“You’ve got a state-of-the-art facility and it’s 12 miles from your house,” he said. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
