A Track Employee’s Dedication To Duty

By Michael Lewis, Nashville Superspeedway

After the final checkered flag flew over Nashville Superspeedway in the spring of 2011, and the decision to pause track events was established, the Wilson County, Tennessee, facility became a very quiet place.

There were no more roars from high-powered engines, no more cheers from the grandstands, no more fireworks after another thrilling race.

However, if a visitor drove by at the right time of day, they may have seen a solitary pickup truck on the property or a lone figure working on a building or grounds. It was a true labor of love, especially for a facility that no one was visiting.

Fast forward to the summer of 2020 and the announcement of the return of NASCAR to Nashville Superspeedway, including the track’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race, the “Ally 400” on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20.

Weeks later, Dover International Speedway president and CEO Mike Tatoian meets with media at the property.

“There just isn’t a significant amount of work that has to be done,” Tatoian said. “That really is a credit to the original architects, the construction company and our guys; when they put it together it literally is something that has stood the test of time. We’re really comfortable with where we are at this point and we feel like a year will be ample time to be ready to put on the big show.”

Much of the credit for that goes to Don Huebner, the only man with a key to the facility between 2012-19, who spent almost a decade maintaining Nashville Superspeedway’s buildings and grounds with no guarantee of the return of big-time racing to Middle Tennessee.

“After staying here for nine years with seeing how much potential this track has I was overwhelmed with the future of what we all can be capable of,” said Huebner, Nashville Superspeedway’s longest-tenured employee.

“My dreams for us is to be a true destination and a place everyone can be proud of.”

Huebner, a Wisconsin native, has been a Nashville Superspeedway employee since February 2001. He has been on-site for all of the track’s major events, including 21 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and 13 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events.

“I have had the privilege over the years to help in all aspects of the Superspeedway,” Huebner said. “My main job is to oversee and maintain the grounds, buildings and all equipment, as well as the setup, operations and tear down of all events.”

A longtime motorsports fan, Huebner’s favorite Nashville on-track memory was one of Carl Edwards’ elaborate race-winning celebrations, which included a backflip from his car and visit to the grandstands to mingle with the fans.

“[Edwards] wanted me to open the crossover gate so he could run up through the stands,” Huebner said. “I always had a love for motorsports and grew up going to tractor pulls and ran in a lot of demolition derbies.”

Today, with the June 18-20 weekend bringing America’s best drivers back to Middle Tennessee for events including the “Ally 400” on Father’s Day, the “Tennessee Lottery 250” NASCAR Xfinity Series race and the “Rackley Roofing 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Huebner can see his personal finish line in all the hard work that included years of mowing, spraying and repair work around an empty, 1,000-acre facility.

“I believe you have to love this business to be able to put in all the long days and hard work that goes into an event like this,” Huebner said.

“For me to be able to smell the race fuel and hear those engines fire up [is so exciting] and, most of all, you are part of making memories for people.” So as fans make their journey to Wilson County for all the roaring engines, grandstand cheers and exciting finishes, save one salute for the man who was at the track when all that surrounded the facility was silence, memories and lots of possibilities.

By Michael Lewis, Nashville Superspeedway

It was hoped that the 2020 holiday season could give Nashville a needed respite from a trying year, which included devastating tornadoes in March and a yearlong effort to battle the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

But the calm of a Middle Tennessee Christmas morning was shattered by a suicide bombing in a downtown district which displaced dozens of businesses and residents.

It is during times of recovery that organizations like the Urban League of Middle Tennessee step into the breach and aid those impacted by tragedies and circumstances out of their control.

“Helping our neighbors is essential to the Urban League of Middle Tennessee,” said Clifton Harris, the organization’s president and CEO. “We care about our neighbors – it’s the motivation behind empowering communities and changing lives.

“With your support, we are certified to provide workforce employment services over the days, weeks, and months ahead for our neighbors impacted by the Christmas morning bombing. We are stronger together.”

When Nashville Superspeedway revealed Ally as the title sponsor of its Father’s Day NASCAR Cup Series race in January, it was also announced that Ally would make two $25,000 donations to Nashville-area organizations as part of its introduction to the community.

“It wouldn’t be an Ally event if we didn’t ‘Do It Right’ by making a lasting impact through donations to support first responders — like those who saved so many lives in December’s bombing — and to an organization that has long provided necessary assistance to this community,” said Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing and public relations officer.

The Urban League of Middle Tennessee, a civil rights and urban advocacy organization providing direct services that impact thousands of people in underserved communities across the state, and Box 55 Association, which provides support for first responders, are the two groups designated for the funds.

The two entities are the first of many soon to benefit from Nashville Superspeedway’s community engagement effort, which hopes to boost many Middle Tennessee organizations in the near future.

“As we continue the rebirth of Nashville Superspeedway, we are committed to becoming a valued piece of the fabric of Middle Tennessee,” said Erik Moses, Nashville Superspeedway’s president. “From our sports and entertainment offerings to our future charitable contributions, we want to be a force for good in this community. Helping organizations such as the Urban League of Middle Tennessee and Box 55 Association that are committed to providing direct support to our neighbors and this community is the appropriate first step in that process.”

For the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, donations both big and small help it sustain its mission of enabling African Americans, other minorities, and disenfranchised groups to secure economic self-reliance, power, parity and civil rights.

“Both individual and corporate donations allow the Urban League to expand our reach and provide services free of charge to individuals in need,” Harris said. “Ongoing support from donors like Ally is critical to our long-term success.”

The Urban League of Middle Tennessee, founded in 1968, focuses on all aspects of community empowerment and development, including workforce development, education and youth projects, health and wellness, advocacy and civic engagement and minority contractor training.

“Partners of the Urban League of Middle Tennessee demonstrate a commitment to equality for all Middle Tennesseans,” Harris said. “As a partner, Nashville Superspeedway provides needed resources to help us make communities across Middle Tennessee stronger.”

“Every day, our partners help empower historically underserved communities, create and build wealth through workforce development, entrepreneurship, education, housing, and health services through signature programs and initiatives,” Harris said.

“Partnership with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee is much more than a financial investment. Partnering with the Nashville Superspeedway makes the Urban League of Middle Tennessee stronger.”

For more information on the Urban League of Middle Tennessee or to donate, visit www.ulmt.org.

Donations can also be mailed to: Urban League of Middle Tennessee Att: Clifton Harris 58 Vantage Way, Suite 201 Nashville, Tenn. 37228