Commissioner Not Backing Down On Road Rally

Crawford County District 1 Commissioner Rob Cummings is not backing down on his opposition to the 100 Acre Rally in the Wood event returning to his area.

The commission, which included former Presiding Commissioner Leo Sanders, said two years ago that the county would no longer allow its roads to be used for the road rally after several complaints from the March 2021 race.

Jim Ealer addressed commissioners Nov. 7 on bringing the rally back to Crawford County for 2024 and 2025.

According to minutes from the meeting, Cummings said he was not in favor. 

He received support from Presiding Commissioner Steve Black and District 2 Commissioner Jared Boast. 

Cummings said that he did not want the race on county roads and that he had still not received an answer on liability issues on non-designated roads.

The race, according to minutes, will not happen on Cummings’ watch.

The commission made their decision to end the rally April 20, 2021.

More than $5,000 worth of damage was done to county property during the event.

The 100 Acre Wood Rally has typically been held across Washington, Crawford and Dent counties. The race is part of the American Rally Association. 

Back roads are used for the event, which lasts for two days. Drivers log more than 100 miles.

The race was staged in the county for more than 30 years, but the 2021 event was the breaking point for commissioners.

Sanders said then that he talked to Prosecuting Attorney David Smith, who suggested ending the race on county roads.

“The liability has always been there,” Sanders said.

A testing day fiasco led to commissioners making their call.

Drivers using Cherry Valley Road for testing. In previous years, Westover and Hobo were used.

There were 32 houses on Cherry Valley Road, and none were notified that drivers would be out.

Curt Faigle of the road rally said it was a miscommunication. They did not notify homeowners, but also didn’t want crowds showing up.

Mike Pendleton, a former sheriff’s deputy and resident on Cherry Valley Road, said he began receiving calls around 6:30 a.m. that drivers were on the street.

It caused confusion amongst residents. They called 911 and Pendleton said dispatchers were never made aware that rally drivers were out.

Two dogs were struck by rally drivers and several people had their driveways blocked, according to Pendleton. One woman had a doctor’s appointment, but couldn’t back out.

Commissioners received word about the chaos and Cummings ordered the racing to stop.

Those in support of the rally tried to convince commissioners to bring the event back for 2022. In July 2021, commissioners restated that they weren’t changing their minds.

Sanders told the Independent News that he received more calls against the rally than for it and that he didn’t see an economic benefit to it.

Pendleton addressed commissioners Nov. 14. He said two years ago he collected a petition of people opposed to the rally.

Pendleton was disappointed that Sanders never presented it to the rally representatives.

District 1 Foreman Danny Brown said he had a copy of the petition and would be providing it to Black upon his request.