McHenry Family Ready to Take Charge at Lawrenceburg Speedway

Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 1:05 PM

Lawrenceburg City Council approved a resolution on Monday to execute a license agreement with STM Motorsports.

Lawrenceburg Speedway. Photo by Travis Thayer, Eagle Country 99.3.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - It was a family decision and it will be a family effort for the soon-to-be new operators of Lawrenceburg Speedway.

Although an official contract has yet to be signed, Lawrenceburg City Council approved a resolution on Monday night which states "The City agrees to execute a license agreement with STM Motorsports to operate the Lawrenceburg Speedway at the Lawrenceburg Fairgrounds for a period of four years with a renewal option."

STM Motorsports is led by Dearborn County Sheriff Shane McHenry and family.

McHenry tells Eagle Country that he, his wife, and their four kids will be heavily involved in working at the track. Many others have reached out to lend a helping hand as McHenry continues to put a team in place ahead of the 2024 season.

When Dave and Kim Rudisell, the previous operators of Lawrenceburg Speedway, announced they would be stepping away from racing at the end of the 2023 season, they called operating the speedway a 24/7/365 endeavor.

McHenry, who stays busy as Sheriff and a referee at local high school sporting events, addressed the "elephant in the room" by answering the question many may have, "how is he going time to do this?"

"Just like at the Sheriff's Office, I have a great team, but I've always kind of been one of those people that has been busy. I've done law enforcement my whole career, I've coached my son's and my daughter's sports teams growing up, I officiate a lot. So, I'm always doing something, it's just finding that balance. I will ensure people that the Sheriff's Office will not suffer and the Lawrenceburg Speedway will not suffer. I have two great teams in place in both places in case I have to be absent from one or the other things will be taken care of. I'll give 100 percent to both of them."

McHenry also spoke about his passion for racing which extends well throughout his family. His uncle, JD Largent, is a track legend at Lawrenceburg Speedway. McHenry even drove himself in the early 2000's. He reflected on winning a race on August 16, 2003, which was just three days before his son, Corbin was born. He currently races Pure Stocks.

"The kid was practically born at the track, he's been at the track. He's probably more crazy about it than I am as much as I love it," said McHenry. "Going way back my grandparents used to take me to the track all the time when I was a child. We were always huge race fans, I grew up over there. There's been a lot of talk about whose going to take it over, and I just kind of sat back and listened and at the end of the day I was kind of afraid nobody was going to step up and do it. That track means a lot to our family. I really wanted to make sure there was something in place to keep racing going for Lawrenceburg."

Looking ahead to the 2024 season, McHenry said the schedule and classes will stay pretty close to the same, which includes Sprint Cars, Hornets, Pure Stocks and Modifieds.

"It's always been a sprint car track and it will continue to be a sprint car track, but I do hope to have some late model races. It's all about balance," said McHenry

He added that plans are in the works for a couple of multi-day shows during the 2024 season.

Other plans include upgrades at the track. McHenry looks forward to having a great partnership with the City of Lawrenceburg, which owns the track. Per the resolution approved on Monday, "the City agrees to engage a professional to to create a plan for installing new dirt and resurfacing the track pursuant to the mutual wishes of the City and STM, to be completed as soon as is reasonably practical."

Lawrenceburg Speedway Promoters Retiring at Season End