UNITY — Monday marked the one-year anniversary since Unity Raceway resumed racing, yet track director and general manager Nick Huff is still searching for a successful, sustainable business model for the track.

“It has been an experimental year to try some new things and get a feel for it,” Huff said Thursday. “Last year I was kind of happy with myself to go ahead and do it, but I also felt that last year was a given because everybody was excited for the track to come back. We didn’t have any points races, they were all special event things so there was always a good turnout.”

Staff file photo by David Leaming Unity Raceway flagger Jeff Overlock waves the green flag to restart the first Super Stock Enduro race at Unity Raceway last May.

Portland Press Herald photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette Vanna Brackett, of Buckfield, right, and her father, Tim, listen to questions during Oxford 250 media day in Arundel on July 16, 2014.

Contributed photo Vanna Brackett's Super Late Model sits at Oxford Plains Speedway. Brackett hopes to qualify for the annual Oxford 250.

This year, however, the turnout — both fan and driver — has not been what Huff had hoped for.

“It’s losing a little (money). We’re not going bankrupt, but I just wish that it could pay for itself. It did at the beginning of the season,” Huff said. “As the year has gone on it’s been dwindling down a little bit. I have to keep the interest and spark and enthusiasm into it.”

One of the things Huff is trying is this Sunday’s fan appreciation day, where tickets will cost just $5. On the docket are five races beginning at 2:30 p.m.: A 15-lap Teen Thunder race, 20-lap Super Stocks, 25-lap Monstah Mini, 30-lap Wildcats and 50-lap Outlaw Super Series.

Huff also said he has plans of expanding the annual Long John weekend into a three-day event beginning on Friday, Oct. 9 and ending Sunday with the Long John 115.

“It’s a always been a big event people are excited for,” he said. “We’re trying to make it a three-day weekend deal, trying to encourage the camping and have our own speed week with a parking lot full of campers.”

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Each of the two previous attempts Vanna Brackett has made to be the first woman to qualify for the Oxford 250 have not gone in her favor, as a blown motor and a wreck knocked her out of contention each time.

Brackett’s car owner, Kevin Burgess, of Winthrop, has a feeling this year could be different for the 28-year-old Buckfield driver.

“The car is still in good shape. We haven’t had a bad week as far as wrecks. We stayed out of trouble all year so far so we’re still looking good there,” Burgess said. “Her brother, T.J., of T.J. Brackett Motorsports, he’s the one that works on my car weekly. He takes care of it, maintains it for me. We’re just having a fabulous year this year. Last year we struggled. We were in five or six big wrecks last year and this year we’ve just been doing great.”

Vanna Brackett is currently in fourth place in the Super Late Model season standings at Oxford Plains with 643 points. Her father, Timmy Brackett, is the leader with 719 points.

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Speaking of the Oxford 250 — now called the 42nd Annual AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull — the number of entries received for the race had grown to 60 as of Tuesday.

Locally, Manchester’s Reid Lanpher, Farmingdale’s Johnny Clark and Farmington’s Cassius Clark had all entered. Also in the field is two-time defending champ Travis Benjamin, as well as 2014 Pro All Star Series North points champion D.J. Shaw.

Mike Rowe, the current PASS North points leader, is also registered, and with a victory could cement his legacy as arguably the greatest driver in the race’s history. A victory Aug. 30 would give Rowe an unprecedented fourth Oxford 250 title — each coming in a different decade, no less — and would also make the 64-year-old the oldest driver ever to win the event.

Evan Crawley — 621-5640

ecrawley@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @Evan_Crawley

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