“This is the last chance for the Speedway to survive.” Tasha Porter Kummer spoke those words when speaking to The Pickens County Chronicle about having signed a $3.7 million purchase agreement for the historic Greenville-Pickens Speedway. “I really can’t stress enough that this is a short time frame, and, if this is not accomplished, the site will be bulldozed,” she said. “There’s no other option. It will be bulldozed. I really want businesses to know that right now is the time to get on board and really make an impact on the historic value of the track, and it would be great publicity for a business to jump on board right now and be a part of the resurrection instead of the demolition.”

Kummer, founder and President of The Real Historic Greenville-Pickens Speedway movement and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is well acquainted with, and very passionate about, the beloved racetrack, located in her hometown of Easley. She is the first female to win a late model race in the Limited Late Model division at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

The time frame for the purchase is short. “Although I can’t disclose the exact date, it’s shorter than a year,” she said. “It’s pretty urgent.

“I have been having meetings with corporations and businesses. The money will be raised by generous donations from corporations and partnerships. I’m not expecting the citizens to do this, but a lot of people wanted to contribute and wanted to be a part, and they were asking me how to donate, and that is why I made the link available. If they go to the website, www.therealhistoricgps.com, the donation link is on there.

“I feel sure that this is going to happen. It’s getting a lot of positive feedback, and a lot of things are going on behind closed doors. I fully intend to secure the purchase. But, in the event that something out of my control were to happen, that I could not purchase, the donations would be given to another racetrack that is in need, and that will be documented, and people would be able to call and verify that. And sponsorships from businesses would be given back. Sponsorships aren’t done through the donation link but with me directly, and those would be returned. I fully intend to secure the purchase, but people do ask ‘what if’, so I don’t ever want people to think that I’m pocketing anybody’s money, definitely not.”

Greenville-Pickens Speedway opened in the 1940’s as a dirt track and was paved in 1970. It is the second oldest track sanctioned by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and is the site of the first nationally televised start to finish live NASCAR race, held on April 10, 1971. The race was filmed by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). Many well known drivers, legends in the field, have raced at Greenville-Pickens Speedway through the years.