“Biting The Dust: A Long Goodbye
To Mount Pleasant Meadows”
Click here to read “Biting The Dust: A Long Goodbye To Mount Pleasant Meadows”
What does life look like for the racetrack locals when something that forges their identity isn't there anymore, and hasn't been for years?
It took a while, but Joe unpacked those thoughts with his own experiences at his home track of Mount Pleasant Meadows, along with some of the dusty oval’s most unique characters.
This story, published on the Paulick Report website on July 22, 2019, documents how the closure of a rural racetrack in central Michigan affected the lives of trainer Nate Funnell, jockey Lee Gates, and jack-of-all-trades Scott Csernyik - all of whom called the track and its surrounding community home throughout most of the track’s nearly three decades in business - and the unique challenges they faced forging ahead.
It also serves as a first-hand account of the author’s experiences at the track when it was operating, when it was torn down, and when it was finally time to move on from a property that helped nurture his love for the sport.
The story took about five years to write, from the announcement of the track’s closure in February 2014 to the day it went live on the Paulick Report - pieced together in airports and restaurants, over long nights and lunch breaks, and listening to a lot of songs by The Weakerthans, John Mellencamp, and Bruce Springsteen.
On a related note, a Spotify playlist of influential songs played on repeat throughout the writing process can be found at this link. Consider it the story’s soundtrack.
It meant a lot to bring the story of Mount Pleasant Meadows and its people to a wide audience, but “Biting The Dust” took that exposure even further when the story earned a 2019 Media Eclipse Award, the highest year-end honor in North American turf writing, in the Writing: Feature/Commentary category.
Getting a 6,000-word story published about a long-dead bullring in the middle of nowhere was a victory in and of itself. Turning a lifetime’s worth of support and inspiration into the profession’s biggest prize, and bringing the people from that bullring to a place in the spotlight never seen by the track before was a dream come true - the culmination of a lifetime of love for a sport and one of its most remote outposts.
Click here to read “Biting The Dust: A Long Goodbye To Mount Pleasant Meadows”
What readers said about “Biting The Dust”
“Pardon my language, but this is F’ing good—especially if you’re a racing fan who grew up with it, survived track closures and cares about racing on all levels.”
- @JerseyTom, Twitter
“This is a treasure. The details are so beautifully observed, like the height of the vegetation in the paddock stalls for horses with higher gate numbers. This is all I love about racing, all I loved about little Timonium, a similarly funky place, when I was a kid. Just wonderful. I'm saving it. Joe Nevills, thank you.”
- Laura Hillenbrand, Facebook
“A nostalgic and affectionate memoir that recalls the 29-year history of a small racetrack in a remote area of Michigan. Written with agility in first person, it has enough facts and details about the track’s heyday and the effects of its closure to suit historians, along with enough personal recollections from several sources to add warmth and humor. The writer exhibits a fine command of descriptive language every step of the way. Nicely done.”
- Judge’s Comments, American Horse Publications Equine Media Awards
“For any racing fan who has had to endure the closing of their “home” track, this piece by @Joe_Nevills will resonate. Joe takes a different approach and also covers how the closing affected those who put on the show. It’s a must read.”
- @Captain47, Twitter
“One of the best articles I have read that clearly illustrates the power of place to the life and death of a race track.”
- Peggy Gripshover, Facebook
“Great story but almost a tear jerker...I've been to countless tracks all over and this one by far was the smallest and most rustic but still glad I went and sad to hear of its demise. One of the most touching articles I've read on this site. Well done!”
- Jimmy Ski, Paulick Report Comment
“One of the coolest former tracks I’ve visited and Joe brought its memory back to life in this article.”
- @Asaus2323, Twitter
“Loved this Joe. This track always had a huge appeal to me but I unfortunately never made it. Great piece of writing.”
- @LDMcPherson, Twitter
“That was an incredible heartfelt piece. - Loved it, and felt it hit home.”
- Ed Meyer, Facebook
“I didn’t know whether the right reaction to this would be “tears” (as I miss MPM and all the great people) or the “heart” as I loved MPM and all the people. I chose the “heart” as I loved this tribute!!!! Great job Joe Nevills!!!”
- Brian Nielsen, Facebook
“Please take a serious read here. So many lost their livelihood. A great read. Joe as always captures things perfectly.”
- Nicole Holst-Ruvalcaba, Facebook
“Joe, wonderful story. I was riveted. You paint a vivid picture.”
- Pink Royal, Paulick Report Comment