WARSAW — A representative of the Kosciusko County Fair Board has responded to allegations made by a new group that has launched an advertising campaign criticizing the fair board’s stated reliance on resuming motorized racing at the fairgrounds.

Sheal Dirck, the fair board’s treasurer, issued a statement Friday, May 30, criticizing the anonymous group, which has also launched a website and a Facebook page questioning efforts by fair leaders to say that re-starting motorized racing in necessary to restore the fair board’s financial viability.

Property owners have filed suit asking that a court restore the ban on racing. The fair board is defending its efforts to revive motorized racing despite an agreement reached 29 years ago to cease racing.

The suit was filed last year and is pending in Kosciusko Circuit Court. There are no current hearings scheduled in the case. In the most recent move, the plaintiffs sought a permanent injunction and a motion for partial summary judgment. The defendants have since filed a response. Those requests have been taken under advisement by Special Judge Stephen Bowers.

The new group, through its website, Facebook page and advertising, downplays the amount of money the fair board has historically generated from racing prior to the ban.

Dirck contends the campaign is based on “false and misleading information.”

On the surface, it is hard to take their attack seriously since they refuse to put their name on it, Sheal wrote, adding that the fair board, in contrast, displays the name of its directors on its website, and offers contact information.

“If you want the real facts, we encourage you to attend one of the monthly stated fair board meetings on the second Monday of every month or talk to a current fair board director,” the statement read. “If you want to find out the fake facts, go to your local coffee shop, social media or warsawfairfacts.”

The group, in its campaign, uses statistics it claims are from forms submitted over the years by the fair association to the Internal Revenue Service.

In his news release, Sheal did not attempt to refute figures presented by the group.

The group contends racing revenues have amounted to very little of the fair board’s overall budget throughout the years.