Maine native and former NASCAR driver Ricky Craven is the new owner of Hermon’s Speedway 95.
Craven and racetrack owner Del Merritt reached a deal on Sunday, according to a press release from the track. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Merritt will stay to help run the operation through the 2025 season, which ends Oct. 12. He’ll help advise the track into the next year. Craven, a Newburgh native, plans to renovate the facility in the coming years, according to the press release.
“Mr. Merritt is optimistic that the plans of the new owner will elevate Speedway 95 to become the premier racing venue in Maine,” the company said.
Craven said both his parents won races at the racetrack in the 1970s.
“Today is a monumental day for me and my family. I have been friends with Del for decades and admired the dedication he has given for his track, team and all associated with Speedway 95,” Craven said. “I am dedicating the rest of my life to a track that has been part of my DNA for many years.”
Merritt has worked at Speedway 95 since 1968 and has been sole owner for the past 15 years.
Craven, originally from Newburgh, was a NASCAR driver for 20 years, and a longtime FOX TV analyst.
He won two Cup races, the Old Dominion 500 in 2001 at Martinsville Speedway and the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 in 2003 at Darlington Raceway, where he beat Kurt Busch by two-thousands of a second.
