New Paris Speedway facing setbacks after burglary

NEW PARIS, Ind. – The owners of the New Paris Speedway feel sick to their stomachs after someone allegedly broke into the track and stole tools and equipment worth thousands of dollars. 

According to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect(s) broke into the Sppedway sometime within the last two weeks and took multiple power tools, power washers, lawn equipment, a space heater, a 100 ft. extension cord, hand tools, used mattresses, and a generator. 

The owners estimate the speedway is out $10,000. 

“Basically all of our tools are gone, a lot of the grounds keeping equipment and then the tower and the pit office were both vandalized,” said co-owner Angie Gingerich. 

Gingerich says her business partner uncovered the burglary last Friday. They think it happened sometime within the last two weeks. Gingerich said she and her partners were on a business trip in Florida so no one was around. 

“We’ve put in so many hours of labor so far, and we’re going to have so many hours moving forward, and that someone would come in and be so malicious in terms of the vandalism and … we’re going to have to figure out how to make up this money somehow,” said Gingerich. 

Gingerich say she and her partners bought the New Paris Speedway in October. She says they want to bring the track back to its glory days. She says they have a list full of improvement projects and ideas that involve the community.  

“We’ve had so many people in the community that are excited about this change that,” said Gingerich. “To find out that there’s someone in the community that would just be so spiteful and vengeful you know and try and ruin the track for everyone, it was just sickening.”

She says that list will now be delayed because of the alleged burglary. 

“I mean $10,000 could have, you know, bought a new set of bleachers so we had better seating or it could have improved the tower and we’ve got clearly some fencing that needs to be fixed,” said Gingerich. “Some of those things are just going to have to be postponed.” 

The owners think the burglar(s) had keys because there were no signs of forced entry at the ransacked buildings. 

The owners asked people to keep an eye out for the listed tools and equipment. There is a reward for information leading to an arrest. 

If anyone knows anything they’re asked to contact the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office.