DeGRAFF – Shady Bowl Speedway owner Rick Young is set to try racing again Saturday night – weather permitting. Young has had seven events cancelled with rain, wet grounds and cold temperatures winning out. Young will find out if seven is indeed his lucky number.

On Saturday, Shady Bowl will pay tribute to perhaps the most popular driver to ever race at the rural oval as it will be the “Neal Sceva Memorial, Remembering a Legend” night. The track will honor the memory of Sceva by running a 51-lap feature for the AMSOIL Series Street Stocks with $1,551 awaiting the winner. The favorite is seven-time track champion Rodney Roush, behind the wheel of car #7R.

Sceva, who called Urbana home, raced full time and owned a Sunoco Service Station on the north side of Urbana. He won races throughout the Midwest during his career. He was a NASCAR state champion in the early 1950s and went on to post over 600 feature wins.

Perhaps the biggest win was at Salem Speedway (Ind.) when he and Joe Ruttman dueled for the win. The duo crashed coming to the checkered, with Sceva awarded the win. Sceva battled cancer in the twilight of his career for a second time. He passed away in June of 1985. His wife Ruth passed away several years after Neal in a Florida care center. Sons Neal Jr. and David and daughter Becky survive.

The Noble Armor Coating Mini Stocks are also on the schedule along with the Wooten Automotive modifieds and Heath and Sons Farms Thunderstocks. The Indiana-based Thunder Roadsters will round out the program.

Racing will start at 7 p.m.

In an effort to help local people affected by the recent inclement weather, Shady Bowl will add an enduro race to Saturday’s program. Fans are asked to bring non-perishable items for the Tornado Relief fund. Information can be found on the Shady Bowl Speedway Facebook page.