The Great Princeton Speedway Water Truck Heist

I've heard of people stealing cars.

I've even heard of people stealing tractors. But a speedway water truck? That one is a first.

If you grew up around Princeton, some would say that the old water truck at Princeton Speedway is almost as much a part of race night as the dirt track itself. It's been making laps around the speedway for a long time, keeping the dust under control before the green flag drops.

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WHAT THE????

That's why so many people were left scratching their heads after learning someone allegedly stole the legendary Speedway water truck Wednesday night from the Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds.

According to the Mille Lacs County Fair, the truck was taken from the Speedway and crashed at the service gate before slamming into a pole near the main entrance. Thankfully, a Fair Board member who had just arrived was not hurt.

THANK YOU PRINCETON POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Fair Board thanked the Princeton Police Department for responding quickly, along with neighbors who witnessed what happened and the security cameras that captured the incident.

The good news is the damage won't affect this year's Mille Lacs County Fair. Repairs to the entrance are already being planned, and organizers say they'll be ready to welcome visitors August 5th through the 9th.

HOW'S THE WATER TRUCK?

As for the water truck? The crew at Princeton Speedway says they've already gone to work getting it back up and running. In a Facebook comment, they joked it wasn't exactly how they wanted to spend their day, but they expect the truck to be ready for race night.

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WE CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER...WHY?

The story sparked plenty of reactions online. Some joked that maybe someone had one too many drinks after the races. Others wondered if it was supposed to be a joy ride. One commenter summed up what many longtime race fans were thinking: "That thing has made more laps than anything out there."

WERE THEY GOING TO PUT OUT FIRES UP NORTH?

Honestly, that's what makes this whole thing so strange. This isn't some flashy sports car or expensive piece of equipment. It's the Princeton Speedway water truck. Unless someone was planning to start their own dirt track...or suddenly decided they needed to water down the neighborhood...or maybe they were headed up north to put out the fires at the Boundary Waters...it's hard to imagine what the plan was, and I can't help but ask...what were they thinking?

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, and it sounds like both the fairgrounds and one of Princeton Speedway's most recognizable pieces of racing history will be ready to roll again.

Now let's hope the next laps that old water truck makes are the ones it's supposed to...on the track. The next time you see the old water truck make a lap, maybe give it a cheer!