My name is Matt Sharkey and for the better part of the past four years Michael Woolsey, Andy Sewel and myself have been volunteering our time to capture the lives of drivers, fans and employees of Petaluma Speedway. We've had additional camera support from Michael Lindemuth, Deb Wilson, Vegar Abelsnes and Eric Odgers. Our intention has been to preserve the legacy of this remarkable speedway in Petaluma and to bring awareness to the fact that the lease is set to expire in December of 2023. One of Northern California's last dirt ovals is in jeopardy of going away forever. When they go away, they don't come back. I grew up at San Jose Speedway and Baylands. Both are now gone. My own children grew up going to Petaluma Speedway and I don't want them and thousands of others to suffer a similar fate. Petaluma Speedway has been operating at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds since 1961. There are three and four-generation families who call this track their home.

While the six of us have gladly volunteered weeks of our lives to capture these stories, we now need an editor to put these short films together, create music for them and get them to a final state. This takes additional hours and a very skilled professional. 100% of funds raised in this effort will go directly to paying an editor and for paying for music rights. We've already spent $4000 to log the hours and hours of footage and audio we've captured and to create the teaser video you see here. If you see us raising $16,000 in this campaign, please don't continue to donate beyond that, we simply want our costs covered, we're not trying to profit off of this endeavor in any way.

The films will be used in a media outreach campaign and through paid advertising in hopes of bringing new faces to the track who we hope will become part of the collective voice of advocating for the speedway to continue in operation for another 60+ years here in Petaluma. Thank you for your support.