Ricky Craven: A Homecoming Fueled by Legacy at Speedway 95
The sun dipped low over the rolling hills of Hermon, Maine, casting a golden glow on the weathered asphalt of Speedway 95. For Ricky Craven, standing at the edge of the third-mile oval, the moment felt like a homecoming.
–by Mark Cipolloni–
On August 17, 2025, he sealed a deal that was years in the making, purchasing the track that had shaped his family’s racing legacy. Speedway 95 wasn’t just any racetrack—it was where his parents, Alan and Nancy, had tasted victory in the 1970s, where a young Ricky had cheered from the stands, and where he’d earned both a checkered flag and a black flag under the watchful eye of longtime owner Delano Merritt.
“This track is part of my DNA,” Craven said, his voice thick with emotion. “Today is a monumental day for me and my family.”
Craven’s journey to this moment was anything but ordinary. Growing up in Newburgh, just 15 minutes from Bangor, he was a teenager with a fire for racing, tearing up Unity Raceway at 15 and quickly rising through Maine’s short-track scene.
His talent carried him to NASCAR’s biggest stages, where he battled legends and made history with his 2003 Darlington win—a door-to-door duel with Kurt Busch that fans still talk about. But the road wasn’t without its bumps.
A harrowing crash in 1996 sent his car airborne, shredding the catchfence at Talladega, and a 1997 concussion tested his resolve. Yet, Craven always bounced back, driven by a love for the sport and a connection to his Maine roots.
Now, at 59, Craven was ready to pour that same passion into the 1/3-mile asphalt Speedway 95. He’d been eyeing the track for years, drawn by its history and his personal ties. Del Merritt, a friend and mentor who’d owned the track for 15 years, had kept it alive through decades of change since its opening in 1966.
When Merritt decided it was time to pass the torch, he chose Craven over developers who would’ve turned the land into something else. “I could’ve sold for twice the price,” Merritt admitted, “but it wouldn’t have been a racetrack.” Together, they’d guide Speedway 95 through its 2025 season, with Craven learning the ropes before taking full control in 2026.
Craven’s vision was bold: transform Speedway 95 into a year-round motorsports hub. He dreamed of a gleaming track, upgraded facilities, and new amenities—an indoor event space for community gatherings, a kitchen for fans and event-goers, and a home for his car dealership, showcasing vintage Corvettes alongside the roar of race cars. “It’s a serious investment,” he told reporters, estimating a $5 million commitment over five years. “I’m going all in.” He planned to move back to Maine, leaving North Carolina behind to be a hands-on steward of the track’s future.
The racing community buzzed with optimism. Maine’s racing scene, hit hard by the recent closure of other tracks, saw hope in Craven’s plans. Fans on Reddit speculated about the track’s revival, noting its potential to draw bigger crowds and compete with regional heavyweights like Oxford Plains.
For Craven, it was more than business—it was personal. “Both my mom and dad won here,” he said. “I got a checkered flag and a black flag from Del. In a strange way, I benefited from both.”
As he stood on the track, envisioning packed grandstands and roaring engines, Craven knew he was exactly where he was meant to be, ready to write the next chapter of Speedway 95’s story—and his own.