To the editor:

I do not wish to hinder or complicate ongoing negotiations, but with the racing season three-quarters over, my hope and prayer is that there is still life ahead for the Langley Speedway, rather than simply a land deal.

Langley Speedway would have been in its 66th racing season if it had opened this year, and it is too great a sports complex to see death knocking at its gate. The nationally recognized facility is a great asset having a worldwide impact.

Langley Speedway brings together military and local families to enjoy an evening of exciting entertainment involving some of the most competitive racing in the country.

The diversity program has brought promising drivers and crew members, who are now in the major NASCAR circuits. The speedway has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various worthy charities in Hampton Roads, as well as Victory Junction, which sends chronically ill children to camp without cost.

Langley Speedway deserves far more attention from local leaders to ensure that families will enjoy racing for generations to come. Thousands of fans feel totally helpless, as if their hands are tied, while watching what appears to be a slow death of one of the liveliest places in the nation.

I can’t stand by without offering some CPR to keep NASCAR racing alive in Hampton Roads. I say, “Don’t let her die.”

Rev. Tom Potter

Portsmouth