BUSINESS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
Hermiston Raceway gears up for season opener
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER
When Hermiston Race-
way opens on May 1, there
will be a little something for
all racing fans.
The season opens with
the Speed Tour Modifi ed
Series, then returns on May
15 with Saturday Night
Thunder, which will include
West Coast vintage sports
cars, late models, legends
and bombers.
“Every single night has
something
entertaining,”
raceway
promoter/owner
Greg Walden said. “There’s
not a weak show.”
Tickets went on sale ear-
lier this week, and are avail-
able online only.
The raceway is following
all state and county health
guidelines, and will be lim-
ited to 25% capacity, which
is approximately 1,050 fans.
Concessions will be boxed
in a to-go manner for the
spectators.
HERMISTON RACEWAY SCHEDULE
Hermiston Herald, File
Pit crew members look on as drivers make some practice
rounds in 2019 ahead of Hermiston Raceway’s Labor Day
Spectacular event.
“We had three events last
year, and the health depart-
ment limited us to 250 fans
and 250 people in the com-
petitor area,” Walden said.
“When there were only
250 in the stands, it looked
pretty thin. There is hope
if things keep going in the
right direction that we might
be able to add more fans.”
While the raceway was
shut down, Walden and his
crew made much-needed
improvements to the three-
eighths mile asphalt oval
track, and sponsors are
back on board for another
season.
“The track was built in
1967,” Walden said. “There
has really been no improve-
May 1 ............. Speed Tour Modifi ed Series
May 15 .......... Saturday Night Thunder
May 29 .......... Saturday Night Duel
June 12 ......... Racing Dynamik’s Prolate Challenge
June 19 ......... NW Super Late Model Series
June 26 ......... NW Figure 8 Series
July 3 ............. Thunder on the Hill
July 17 ........... Night of Destruction, starring Mr. Dizzy
July 31 ........... Saturday Night Thunder
Sept. 4 ........... Labor Day Spectacular
Sept. 5 ........... Labor Day Spectacular NWSLMS — Atomic 125
Sept. 12 ........ Championship Night
Oct. 23 .......... Racing Dynamik’s Prolate Challenge
ment since then. We had
about a quarter of it resur-
faced so that there is a better
surface for them to race on.”
The back side of the track,
and a 6-foot stretch between
the wall and the track, which
was a huge source of dust
when cars went through, has
been resurfaced. The start-
ing line also has a fresh coat
of paint.
“That small section was
dirt for years,” Walden
said. “The cars would kick
up dust. This will be better
for the fans in the stands.
The place has been beat up
for so long. We are treating
it the way it should be. The
sponsorships and competi-
tors refl ect that. The Herm-
iston people have been
great.”
Walden said he has busi-
nesses in line to help put on
a good show and entertain
people.
Other events on tap for
the raceway include Night
of Destruction, starring Mr.
Dizzy on July 17, Saturday
Night Thunder on July 31,
the Labor Day Spectacular
on Sept. 4-5, and Champi-
onship Night on Sept. 12.
The fi nal event of the rac-
ing season will be Oct. 23
with the Racing Dynamik’s
Prolate Challenge, featur-
ing pro lates, hobby stocks,
legends, mini-stocks and
hornets.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m.
each night, with racing com-
mencing at 6 p.m.
Walden, a former racer
who used to compete at
the raceway, has leased the
raceway since 2018 with an
option to buy.
The raceway opened as
the Umatilla Speedway on
April 30, 1967.
Umatilla Electric Cooperative
incumbents keep seats
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
Both incumbents up for
reelection for Umatilla Elec-
tric Cooperative’s board of
directors kept their seats.
Bryan Wolfe will con-
tinue to represent District
3 and Phil Hamm will con-
tinue to represent District 4.
Hamm had no challengers,
while Lee Carlson, Patricia
Maier and Danice McBee
were unsuccessful in run-
ning against Wolfe. Mem-
bers also approved a pro-
posed update to UEC’s
bylaws, which had not been
updated to refl ect current
state and federal laws since
2008.
Results of the election,
which was conducted by
mail by the cooperative’s
10,700 members, were
announced during UEC’s
annual members meeting on
Saturday, April 17.
According to a news
release, 280 members and
guests watched the lives-
treamed virtual event. The
annual report released at the
event states that UEC’s kilo-
watt-hour power sales were
up by 24% in 2020, as the
utility delivered 3.8 billion
kilowatt hours.
While UEC’s growth
in recent years has been
mostly driven by industrial
customers, the 2020 report
shows growth between
2019 and 2020 was rela-
tively equal across indus-
trial, commercial, res-
idential and irrigation
customers, with the largest
increase in revenue coming
through irrigation.
During the pandemic,
according to the report,
UEC returned a combined
$7.6 million in Capital Cred-
its refunds to members in
2020, in addition to provid-
ing utility bill relief to mem-
bers aff ected fi nancially by
the pandemic, and provid-
ing $800,000 in rebates and
low-interest loans for ener-
gy-saving upgrades for cus-
tomers. UEC also created
the Business Resource Cen-
ter in April 2020 to provide
free assistance to area busi-
nesses working to apply for
the Paycheck Protection
Program and other grants.
The report referenced
several severe weather chal-
lenges for UEC as well,
including the February
2020 fl ood and two major
windstorms.
“During the year, our
crews and operations staff
faced historic weather
events, making for long
hours and dangerous work-
ing conditions,” a joint state-
ment by Wolfe and CEO
Robert Echenrode said in the
annual report. “Through all,
our employees have worked
safely and effi ciently and
gone above and beyond to
help our communities.
“None of us could have
imagined how the coronavi-
rus would have changed the
world and our way of life.
The year proved how deep
the community spirit runs in
Eastern Oregon.”
Mark Johnson retires from
Umatilla County Fire District 1
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HERMISTON HERALD
Umatilla County Fire District #1 is say-
ing goodbye to Paramedic/Firefi ghter Mark
Johnson after 21 years with the district.
Johnson was hired by the district on July
1, 2000, after 13 years in California’s Emer-
gency Medical Services, according to a
news release. He retired from the district on
March 31.
“Mark was a consummate profes-
sional when it came to pre-hospital med-
icine, always recognized as one of our
fi nest paramedics on staff ,” the news
release stated. “Mark enjoyed people and
helping those in need and taking a huge
amount of pride in his work and para-
medic skills.”
He was awarded UCFD1’s Medic of the
Year Award in 2012, and in addition to his
work locally, also traveled the country at
times with a federal disaster team, provid-
ing medical assistance in disasters ranging
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Nickolas L. Oatley/Contributed Photo
Mark Johnson retired recently from Umatilla
County Fire District #1 after 21 years.
from hurricanes to the Sept. 11, 2001, ter-
rorist attacks.
He was honored by the district on April
14 in recognition of his long career with
UFCD1 before retirement.
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