Kathy Hughes Ready To Take Grove Reigns

Kathy Hughes Ready To Take Grove Reigns

By Brad Vores April 24, 2008

Kathy Hughes might need an introduction to the racing community but she doesn’t need an introduction to how to run a business.

And she isn’t all about making a ton of changes unless it makes life easier.

And she may be a breath of fresh air to the Central Pennsylvania racing scene.

Hughes, the daughter of the late Morgan Hughes will step up to the plate to continue the racing tradition that her father began 37 years ago every weekend at Williams Grove Speedway. It’s what her father wanted and she plans to carry the torch and then some.

“The only thing I can tell you right now is that we are going to run it like it is and maybe just fine tune everything and that’s about it,” said Hughes, 52, who resides in the Philadelphia area. “It’s a good track, that’s what everybody tells that so why mess with something that’s fine.”

While she may not know all the ins and outs of running the day to day operation of a dirt track, she does know how to operate successful businesses.

She owns two bar/restaurants in Philadelphia. Tattooed Mom’s is located on popular South Street while SugarMom’s is located in Olde City.

“I’m very familiar with the restaurant business and I have two of the most successful bar/restaurants in Philly,” she added. “I studied food and beverage management from Harrisburg Area Community College and graduated from there.”

She also worked at Williams Grove Amusement Park, operating the food stand for 25 years.

“I worked across the street for 25 years of my life, running the food stand at the park,” she said. “That’s why I went to sleep and didn’t go to the races. I was frying chicken all night.”

Unlike her father, who began more active in the daily operation of his speedway during recent years, she doesn’t expect to be at the track every weekend. She knows she has a management team already in place that can continue to run the track as they have been.

“Noooooo,” Hughes said when asked if she will be on hand every Friday night for the sprint car races. “We will all work together and I must have already talked to Justin (Loh) 15 times today. But I did get a king size bed just so you know,” she joked. “Sleeping on a single one when you are visiting dad is fine but sleeping on a king size when you are working is better.”

Like I said, a breath of fresh air.

She has three changes in mind right off the bat at the Grove. Are you ready for this race fans?

“I am making the speedway better accessible for the handicapped, putting a tarmac where there should be for easy rolling and donating the 50/50 money to charity,” she said. “It’s too easy, I know. But I’m not selling the place and blah, blah, blah. I’m just doing what Dad wanted. He wanted the track to go on and I’m doing that. He always told me I needed a new toy so this is my new toy but in a good way. I’m a workaholic and I do a lot of community work. I’m very involved with stuff like that.”

Hughes donated last Friday night’s 50/50 money to the Bethesda Project for the homeless and will continue to donate to different charities every weekend.
So go away with the track being sold rumors and everything else.

“It’s the little things in life that make everyone happy,” Hughes added. “I never change anything until I know what’s going on and I always change things to make life easier for everybody. Whether it’s for my employees, or my business, there’s no reason to make changes just to show you are in charge.”

Hughes met two of the most instrumental in sprint car racing at her father’s funeral-Tom Deery from DIRT Motorsports and Guy Webb of the All Star Circuit of Champions.

“I met Tom and Guy and they were there for me at the funeral and were really good to me,” she said. “I know they are important in the business so that was nice and meant a lot to me.”

Hughes might not look like your average dirt track owner. She has bright pink hair and is very eclectic and flamboyant. But in my two talks with her, she has been nothing but pleasant, comical, to the point and quite frankly, her wittiness will easily put a smile on anyone’s face.

As I said, a much needed breath of fresh air to the local racing scene. When you see her at the track, introduce yourself and thank her for continuing the tradition that has made Williams Grove Speedway into one of the most famous race tracks in the world.

WHATS HAPPENING
The biggest race of the early season is on tap tomorrow night at Williams Grove as the 410 Sprints go in the Tommy Classic, a race in memory of the late Tommy Hinnershitz. The race will feature time trials and pays $6,000 to win. It will be the final 7:30pm start for the season.

The Grove returns Saturday with the first of three consecutive Saturday Night Series programs featuring the Super Sportsman, 358 late models and street stocks.

In just it’s season race of the season, Bedford Speedway will play host to the Lucas Oil Dirt late Models series for the first ever time. The event pays $50,000 to win for the super late models.

Path Valley Speedway returns with Micro sprint racing tomorrow night with the 1000 Sidewinders, 600 and 270 Micros all in action along with the 305 sprints and stock cars.

Trail-Way Speedway hosts the $1,200 to win Spring Championship for 358 Sprint cars Friday night and then back in action Saturday with micro sprint racing on the farm.

It will be Williams Grove Old Timers Night Saturday at Lincoln Speedway as the 410 Sprints are joined by the 305 Sprints and thundercars with a 7pm start time.
A regular night of racing is on tap Saturday at Port Royal with the 410 Sprints, late models and stock cars while up the road at Selinsgrove Speedway, it’s another regular program headlined by 358 Sprint cars.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Series invades Hagerstown Speeedway Saturday night for the $10,000 to win Stanley Schetrompf Classic for super late models.

Susquehanna Speedway Park returns Saturday with a regular night of 358 late model and stock car racing while the URC Sprint series heads to the New Egypt Speedway for their third race of the season.

PIT STOPS
Kudos to Williams Grove Speedway for renaming its biggest race of the season-the Williams Grove National Open-to the Morgan Hughes National Open presented by Cleveland Brothers. Mr. Hughes is the reason the event pays a whopping $50,000 to win and is one of the top five sprint car events in the world. It’s also only fitting that it will be show live on SPEED TV for the first ever time in event history. Mr. Hughes would be so proud…

Sprint car driver Cory Haas sustained second degree burns to his ankles last Friday night at Williams Grove. The team is preparing the 410 Sprint car competition tomorrow and Saturday but a decision whether Cory will be able to race should be made today. We wish Cory a speedy recovery…

Gerald Davis won night number two of last week’s Winchester/Hagerstown Shootout for late models at Winchester Speedway. He defeated Darryl Hills, Jason Covert, Andy Anderson and JT Spence. Interesting note was that Ronnie DeHaven, Jr., who actually was leading with about 10 laps to go, tangled with the lapped car of Tony Crim. DeHaven rammed his race car into the side of Crim’s car under caution and was disqualified from the race…

The World of Outlaws were rained out last weekend and return to Huset’s Speedway in South Dakota tomorrow night and then stop at Knoxville Raceway on Saturday. Stevie Smith plans to be on hand with the Outlaws this weekend…

The All Stars swing back in action this weekend with a Friday night date at Lernerville Speedway and then Saturday at Eldora Speedway. Lance Dewease will be back out on tour trying to strengthen his points lead on the tour…

Steve Francis captured the big $50,000 paycheck in the Circle K Colossel World of Outlaws event last weekend at the Dirt Track at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. He led all 100 laps over Chris Madden, Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens and Dale McDowell…