SOD to Baer Field for 2019 Jim Lipkey Memorial

ERIE, MI (December 18, 2018) – Baer Field Motorsports Park promoter Dave Muzzillo announced that Sprints On Dirt will headline the Jim Lipkey Memorial race as dirt track racing returns for one event on the 1/4 mile track in 2019 on Saturday, September 28.

Late Baer Field owner William James “Jim” Lipkey, 69, Kokomo, died October 14, 2018, after losing his battle with mesothelioma cancer. Jim joined the Army’s war effort in Vietnam and honed his sign painting artistry as the base sign painter, pin striping and air brushing flight crews’ helmets as well as recording “kill counts” on their helicopters and planes!

On returning from the war, he opened Lipkey’s Sign Service andfor the next 40 years became known statewide as the man who could hand paintthe best signs on buildings, race cars, trucks and everything else his customersasked for. He even pinstriped his father’s and brother’s caskets!

The Lipkey family, Bill and sons Victor and Jim, promoted auto racing at Kokomo, Lafayette and Fort Wayne – both indoors at the Fort Wayne Coliseum and later at Baer Field Race Track, now known as Baer Field Motorsports Park.  When Jim’s father Bill Lipkey died in 1999, Jim took over as owner of the Baer Field property

The first race on the Baer Field Motorsports Park new ¼ mile track was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 20, 2017.  Unfortunately, very heavy rains turned the track into something more like “Baer Lake,” but the track crew wouldn’t give up and surprisingly was able to get the track in shape for the Sunday rain date.  Shawn Valenti, in his Log Cabin Tavern / Triple X Chassis entry, held off Joe Swanson to take home the win.  Swanson settled for second and Landon Simon was third.

Full details about the Jim Lipkey Memorial Race will be released later.

Visit Baer Field Motorsports Park at www.baerfieldmotorpark.com and on Facebook.  Sprints On Dirt can be found at www.sprintsondirt.com and Facebook also.