Memorial event to honor local legend Frederick
ELKINS — A special race this Friday at the Elkins Raceway will honor a local legend.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. for the first Red Frederick Memorial Race, and organizers hope it will become a huge annual event.
Ivan Lowell “Red” Frederick passed away in January at the age of 89. He was a well-known and very popular stock car driver/owner who was passionate about dirt track racing, according to his son, Chip Frederick, who is one of the organizers of the memorial race.
“That was just his passion. He loved the sport of racing, the competition,” Chip Frederick said in a phone interview Wednesday. “He was very, very popular among the fans.”
Red Frederick first started racing in 1952, and had a successful career through 1985. He had many feature wins and championships, Chip Frederick said, and he was inducted into the Wall of Legends at Elkins Raceway in August 2015.
The memorial event will be a 52-lap race for super late models paying $5,200 to the winner, with possible bonus money, plus a big fireworks display. Special T-shirts will be available as well.
“A lot of people have been helping me spread the word. I’d like to make this the biggest thing to ever hit the racetrack,” Chip Frederick said, noting he’s received a lot of interest and thinks many fans, family and friends will attend.
Additional information about the race is available by calling the track office at 304-636-8661. Information also is available on the Red Frederick Memorial Race Facebook page.