The Unity Raceway racing program schedule for this Sunday, September 10, has been canceled out of concerns for track owner George Fernald’s health.

Fernald was hospitalized for nine days in late August with internal shingles, complicated by both meningitis and encephalitis. He returned home on Aug. 24, where he has been receiving treatments since.


“It’s pretty discouraging,” Fernald said on Tuesday morning, announcing the cancellation of this weekend’s racing.
Unity Raceway will hold its next scheduled event on Sunday, September 24, at 1:30 p.m. — including Wildcat, 6-Shooter, Flyin’ 4, Enduro and Wicked Good Vintage Racers divisions.

Doctors expect a recovery time of six to eight weeks for Fernald, who remains extremely sensitive to light, noise and physical stressors as a result of the illness in his nervous system. He spent nearly a week receiving intravenous fluids at home, where he remains resting for more than 20 hours per day.

“As much as he loves the place, he’s been told that he has to avoid stress while he recovers,” Fernald’s wife, Sherry, said. “He could have a relapse, and we obviously can’t have that.”

Following the event on Sept. 24, Unity Raceway will close its season — its final season of asphalt racing — with the annual Long John Weekend, Oct. 21-22, capped by a 117-lap Late Model feature event.