PAST MISC TRACKS NEWS/RUMORS
- Proposed Track in Tennessee: A consulting agency working with a local property owner and planner presented the board of mayor and aldermen with a feasibility study Monday for a 300-acre motorsports park. The project, which is currently called Smoky Mountain Motorsports Park, will feature a drag strip, 5/8 mile oval and up to a four-mile road course, said Larry M. Camp of Camp & Associates consulting. According to a feasibility study presented by Camp, the project could have a seating capacity of 100,000, including 40,000 permanent grandstand seats and festival seating of 60,000. It would have on-site parking for 12,500 vehicles. The proposal also calls for a 300-room hotel on the site. The developers are asking the city to assist with the $74.4-million cost of construction of the facility, possibly using the Tennessee Sports Authority Act, the same law the city turned to when it built Smokies Stadium. The sports act allows the city to claim all sales tax proceeds from the facility, which would then be used to retire the bond used to pay for the work. If the city does take part in the project, they would hope to bring in as many different types of shows as possible, Atchley said after the meeting. Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley said "I don't think we can actively go after a big Nextel Cup when you've got Bristol 90 miles up the road, but ... there are hundreds of successful tracks all over the country that don't have NASCAR." Busch Series races or truck races could be attracted there, he said.
(The Mountain Press)(11-11-2005)
- Shower Power: Maui Shower Co. has made its Bristol debut, at Farmer Bob’s Campground off Tenn. Highway 394. The colorful trailer holds 11 shower “pods” that can accommodate up to 1,000 showers a day. “It’s a state-of-the-art, premier, multishower unit,” said Pamela Withage, who is running Maui Shower with her husband, Mike. Each private pod consists of a stainless steel shower — cleaned with hospital sanitizer after every use — and a changing area. Maui Shower’s generator is continuously running so hot water is always available. Towels can be purchased for $4 each, soap and shampoo for $1. The showers operate on tokens, bought at the trailer, that are worth $1 each. It costs two tokens to start a shower and one for each additional minute. Withage said she encourages patrons to buy $20 worth, since most people don’t know how long it will take them to shower and leftover tokens can be used any time. This is Maui Shower’s fourth stop since inception — the first three were at races and a “bike week” in Florida. Withage said they are following the NASCAR circuit, and have about 28 weeks booked this year. The company tries to set up at multiple-day events that draw no less than 5,000 people.(Johnson City Press)(4-2-2005)
- Senate Passes Corporate Tax Bill, NASCAR Tracks Included: The Senate passed a far-reaching, $136 billion corporate tax package Monday that cuts taxes for businesses ranging from film companies to bow and arrow makers while closing tax loopholes and bringing U.S. exporters in line with international trade rules. The corporate tax bill grew out of the need for Congress to respond to a World Trade Organization (news - web sites) ruling that a $5 billion annual subsidy for U.S. exporters was illegal. As a result, 1,600 American exports to Europe are being hit by penalty tariffs that now stand at 12 percent and are rising by one percentage point a month. The bill became the vehicle for the most significant overhaul of corporate tax law in nearly two decades. It includes $76.5 billion in new tax relief for the manufacturing sector, which was broadly defined to include oil and gas producers, architectural and engineering firms and film and music companies. The package also provides benefits for a wide range of groups, from native Alaskan whalers, importers of Chinese ceiling fans, NASCAR race track owners [note: or any race track owner] and residents of states without state income taxes, who would be able to deduct state and local sales taxes from their federal tax returns. The measure includes a $10.1 billion buyout for tobacco farmers. Several senators from both parties objected strenuously that the final version of the bill drops Senate-approved language that would give the Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) the power to regulate tobacco.(Yahoo News)(10-12-2004)
- Dedication of Augusta International Raceway: On Saturday, September 11th, a Memorial Dedication remembering the Augusta International Raceway, was held at the Diamond Lakes Regional Park in Augusta, Ga. What was unusual about this Memorial is that it honors a track that has been closed for over 40 years. Augusta International Raceway was a three mile road course that opened in November of 1963. The first race was a 510 mile NASCAR event that was won by Fireball Roberts. The last races at A.I.R. were held on March1st of 1964 and were USRRC sports car races and won by Dave MacDonald and Ken Miles In an eerie twist of fate all three drivers would lose their lives in racing accidents within the next two years. Two drivers that participated in those events, 1960 NASCAR champion Rex White and Ted Tidwell were present at the dedication and were awarded plaques to commemorate the occasion.(Georgia Drag Racing News with links to photos of the event)(9-15-2004)
- Happy 50 Years Hialeah Speedway...then goodbye: Tonight [June 12th] about 60 homegrown [Miami/South Florida] drivers will be at Hialeah Speedway, getting their cool cars ready for the track's 50th anniversary. Starting at 8 p.m., there will be four 50-lap feature races for the cyclone, mini stock, street stock and late model divisions and the always fan-pleasing figure-8 school bus race. Fireworks will cap off the night's celebration at a place that opened its doors in 1954. It all began when the Coury Family bought the land, which at the time was a strawberry field. But the family was approached by the Greater Miami Racing Association to build a track. The family realized there was more money to be made in racing than in the sweet fruit at the time and built a track with a 50-year lease. The lease has since expired. There will not be another 50 years. There will only be about five more months. Late this fall, at the end of this season, the track will be demolished, and construction on a new commercial development will begin, according to Drew Ogden, son of Richard Ogden, the owner of Miami-based Tropicaire Development, which is handling the project. The 28-acre tract off Okeechobee Road just east of the Palmetto Expressway is simply too valuable and too costly to be used as a local track. Taxes alone are now more than $100,000. Then there's insurance, ground-lease payments and overhead. Fans [Jayski used to go there weekly when he lived in North-West Miami] can drive through the gates of the antiquated track and feel like they are back in the 1960s. Hot dogs will be $1 tonight, and the popcorn, still made from an old-fashioned popper, is as tasty as ever. The speedway has honed some local legends such as Bobby Brack, Joe Winchell and Larry Rogero. But the speedway also produced some nationally famous drivers, including Bobby and Donny Allison. Red Farmer, Fireball Roberts and Darrell Waltrip have raced here, too. Hialeah Speedway used to be packed on Saturday nights. But the soaring popularity of NASCAR, as well as the proliferation of other things to do in South Florida, has led to sparse crowds to cheer on the hometown racers. The track once stood by itself, but now strip malls and fast-food joints line the place. One can drive by the entrance and hardly notice the tiny Hialeah Speedway sign.(see full story at the Miami Herald)(6-12-2004)
- NASCAR [Cup] Race in Ohio? A bill sitting on Gov. Bob Taft's desk could eventually lead to a NASCAR race [they must mean a Cup race, there is already a 'NASCAR' race in Ohio, at Mansfield with the Trucks] in the Buckeye State. House Bill 393, sponsored by state Rep. Sandra Stabile-Harwood, D-Niles, would add motor sports complexes to the list of sports facilities that the Ohio Arts and Sports Facilities Commission can participate in financing. A revised version of Harwood's bill passed both the House and Senate at the end of May and was forwarded to Taft for his signature. Harwood said the problems with the original bill was it required the sports owner, possibly NASCAR, and the facility, or the track, to be under a contract with the state that the proposed sport venue would be at the facility for at least 20 years. This is to ensure the newly constructed facility, funded through state bonds, would have a sport at the facility for more than two decades to help generate revenue to pay back the money borrowed through state bonds. "What happens with NASCAR is, NASCAR does not promise or commit until a facility is built, so there are some unknowns out there if we choose to go forward," Harwood said. "In the new bill, we wedded the facility owner, rather than the facility, because we can't do the facility without a team under contract with the state for repayment of the bond." Harwood proposed the bill to make changes to an existing law that allowed the state to help fund sports stadiums. The new bill added motor sports complexes to the list, after being approached by a Mahoning Valley Task Force attempting to lure a major indoor, all-season motor speedway to the area.(Wapakoneta Daily News)(6-5-2004)
- A New 'NASCAR' Track in Alabama? A group of Alabama investors is exploring opening a new NASCAR speedway in Baldwin County [on the Gulf], an estimated $350 million venture in one of the state's popular tourist areas. The group plans to approach NASCAR officials in June with the proposal. The group has hired a Raleigh, N.C.-based consultant to help with the development process, according to Rick Edwards, one of 10 businessmen from around the state involved in the venture. The group either owns or has an option to buy five sites on the Foley Beach Express, ranging from 500 acres to 1,000 acres. "Nothing is definite with NASCAR," Edwards, a developer based in Point Clear, told the Mobile Register in a story Sunday. "We got a group together and said, `Let's make a run at it.' Alabama's Talladega Superspeedway hosts NASCAR events in the spring and fall. The newspaper's efforts to reach NASCAR President Mike Helton were not successful. The plan is to incorporate a speedway with other entertainment venues that could take advantage of the 500 to 600 acres of parking that would be needed on race days, Edwards said. The sites also include extra land to serve as a buffer for the noise. "We're hoping that what we've got will be a little different than anything done in the past," Edwards said. "Our biggest concern is whether it will affect the Talladega race. We don't feel like it will. It's an entirely different market down here."(Alabama Live)(5-10-2004)
- Local NC Track still for sale: Orange County Speedway remains for sale and hopes of racing action taking place at the facility this season are quite slim. For the past two years, Orange County Speedway has been marketed as being for sale. Normal operations at the track continued for two seasons, however, the speedway officially closed down at the close of the business day on Friday, Nov. 21. And, while there has been much speculation as to potential buyers for the speedway, the track remains quiet and still for sale. Tommy Bowes, who operates Tommy Bowes & Associates Realty in Roxboro, has been contacted by Orange County Speedway's current owners to market the track for sale. Orange County Speedway, originally known as Trico Speedway, was initially a dirt track. Now a paved oval, the speedway is often referred to as the fastest three-eighths mile track in the southeast. A host of current NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series stars have competed at the facility. Through the years, the track has hosted such events as the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Goody's Dash Series.(
Courier Times)(1-28-2004)
- NC Short Track Closing? The future of racing at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC may be in jeopardy. The track, which has been for sale for the past two seasons, officially closed down at the end of the business day last Friday. If a buyer is not found soon, the roar of racing engines won't be heard from the three-eighths mile asphalt oval in Rougemont in 2004. Tuesday morning, Charlie Lamm, vice president of Orange County Speedway, along with his mother, Bobbie, were at the track gathering various equipment and items from the office area. Also present Tuesday morning were track promoter Laura Beth Young, speedway superintendent Ron Bunton and John Walters of Triad Racing Souvenirs. "We're closed," Charlie Lamm, who was standing in the entry area of the office, said. "Other than that, I have no comment. That's all you're getting from me. We're closing up." While Lamm refused to elaborate on the closing of the speedway Tuesday morning, he did indicate that the track remained for sale. The entrance marquee at the track, located just off N.C. 57 South, still displays the words "for sale." Orange County Speedway, originally known as Trico Speedway, was initially a dirt track. A host of current NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series stars have competed at the facility. Through the years, the track has hosted such events as the NASCAR Busch Series, ASA, NASCAR Goody's Dash Series, All Pro, ISMA, Sprint Winged Cars and the Hooters Cup Series. Last season, the regular weekly racing program at the speedway consisted of events for the Late Model Stock Car Division, Limited Sportsman Division, Grand Stock Division and Super Stock Four-Cylinder Division.(Roxboro Courier)(11-26-2003)
- Winchester closing: Winchester Speedway [IN], one of the most revered car racing tracks in the country, will not schedule events next season. Co-owners Jeff Jeffers of Richmond and Charlie Shaw of Lynn made the announcement Wednesday. They cited steady financial losses in the six years they've owned the half-mile paved track.(Palladium-Item)(11-7-2003)
- Track for Sale: Jackie Thacker, owner of Thunder Valley Speedway since he built it five years ago near Glenmora, LA, is trying to sell the state's only NASCAR-sanctioned dirt track. "I'm doing it for medical reasons," the 53-year-old Thacker said. "I've got high blood pressure, and (heart trouble) runs in my family. My doctor told me, 'You need to slow down a little bit. I've given it to the (Noles-Frye) Realtors, and if they can't sell it in six months, I'm going on with it next season. We've already got dates set. Our first play (practice) day is Feb. 29 and we have another March 7, and we open March 13." Thacker said the track has been appraised at "over $1 million, and I'm asking three-fourths of that: $775,000."(Town Talk)(11-5-2003)
- Atomic Speedway cancels races, might be sold: The future of Atomic Motor Speedway [Knoxville TN]appears to be almost as cloudy as the dirt that can swirl around the track. Two races this weekend have been cancelled and reports continue to circulate that Carson Branum has sold the "world's fastest one-third-mile oval." Efforts to contact track officials on Wednesday were unsuccessful and the telephone number at Atomic Motor Speedway has been temporarily disconnected.(more at Knoxville News Sentinel)(11-14-2002)
- Flemington Fairgrounds Fire - Speedway ok UPDATE but still closed: Police arrested three area juveniles for arson hours after a fire nearly destroyed the Flemington Fairgrounds and Speedway in Flemington NJ on Monday. The deliberately set blaze consumed and incinerated the 100-foot by 30-foot frame office structure, according to Lt. Mike Mangin of the Raritan Township Fire Department. "The firefighters were able to keep it from spreading to the raceway grandstand, its bleachers and four other buildings used for fair exhibits," said Raritan Township Fire Marshall John Smith. "There was some minor fire exposure to some of those buildings, but they put it out."(Trentonian)(1-29-2002)
UPDATE: Another piece of our collective past disappeared Monday when a fire destroyed the main offices and main concession stands at the Flemington Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds, once a sparkling gem emblematic of New Jersey agriculture and New Jersey auto racing, had already fallen on hard times before the fire, reportedly set by juveniles. Despite the exciting racing, the once-huge crowds, which had been declining, fell off sharply after the paving took place and the track became a financial burden to its owners. The Kuhl family -- principal owners of the property -- got tired of losing money on the fair and the speedway and threw in the towel. The property has been up for sale for some time, and the Kuhls are working to get a zoning change that might help them sell it.(NJ Online)(1-30-2002)
- Tucson up for sale: ISC has put Tucson Raceway Park up for sale. "With the growth of ISC and its larger tracks, operating a short track is not the focus of the corporation anymore," said Lee Baumgarten, director of operations at PIR and a former general manager at the Tucson racetrack. The 3/8-mile asphalt oval has been the site of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series for several years, dating back to before the dirt track was paved in 1993. It also was home to the defunct NASCAR Winter Heat Series, a circuit that helped drivers such as Greg Biffle, Ron Hornaday and Kurt Busch land big-time NASCAR rides. TRP vice president/general manager David Deery said losing Winter Heat made a financial dent in the track's profits and ultimately may have made ISC's decision easier. Deery wants to purchase TRP and said an agreement has been reached on a price. Before a contract can be consummated, the Deerys must negotiate a lease agreement with the Southwestern Fair Commission and receive approval from Pima County, which owns the land. If approved, Deery's plan is to construct a 1/8-mile oval inside the existing racetrack.(Arizona Republic)(1-21-2002)
- Portland Speedway to close? Portland Speedway will not reopen for the 2002 season, and one of the nation's oldest stock car tracks probably is closed for good. Craig Armstrong, president of Western Speedways, which operates the 77-year-old track, said last-ditch efforts to keep the twin ovals open failed Wednesday. Armstrong said one other potential operator has an interest in running the track, but would be faced with the same financial limitations Armstrong's company couldn't overcome. The track's lease is a year-to-year, with the owners able to cancel it for any reason with less than six months notice, making it almost impossible to borrow money to improve track facilities. Armstrong had a Tuesday deadline to decide whether to pursue or give up his August race dates with the World of Outlaws, the fast-growing open-wheel series that was the centerpiece of his decision two years ago to convert the track from pavement to a clay surface.(The Oregonian)(1-19-2002)
- Blaney buys track in Ohio: #77 Jasper Engines Ford driver, Dave Blaney, has become the owner of historic Sharon (OH) Speedway, the hometown track for the racing family and one of the oldest continuously running weekly racetracks in the United States. Blaney purchased the track, which began competition in 1929, with father, Lou and a group of local investors last month. Built as a home for the Central State Racing Association's (CSRA) open-cockpit dirt cars, original owners Homer McCracken and and Bill Pourbaugh began promoting midget, roadsters and the Ohio Speedway Association stock cars after World War II. Most recently, Sharon Speedway has hosted four divisions (sprint cars, dirt modifieds, e-modifieds, street stocks) on it's half-mile dirt surface every Friday night between late April and Labor Day. The Blaneys, who head the group that bought the track, have begun work on a wide-range of improvements to the track, including a change in track length (to 3/8-mile) and width (90') as well as an upgraded racing surface, plus a new 5,000-seat grandstand/concourse on the facility's backstretch.(PR)(1-14-2002)
- Hickory returns to the NASCAR fold: NASCAR-sanctioned racing is coming back to Hickory Motor Speedway, where officials say they will increase emphasis on safety. The previous track owner in Hickory dropped the NASCAR affiliation two years ago, a move that led to declining fan interest. The auto racing body said Tuesday it again will sanction the track. Sherry Houston Clifton is a co-manager of the speedway and sister-in-law of the late NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt, who was killed in a crash last February at Daytona International Speedway. The 0.363-mile asphalt oval has been a training ground for NASCAR greats such as Earnhardt and Dale and Ned Jarrett. Clifton's management team began running the track in August and will put one employee in charge of safety to make sure all drivers have approved, up-to-date safety equipment. The track also has a new rule to keep children younger than 14 out of the pits. The track also will recommend that drivers wear head restraints not commonly used on short tracks. The track is where Earnhardt won his first race on asphalt and where he met his wife, Teresa.(News and Record/AP)(1-10-2002)
- Louisville Track Gone: Louisville Motor Speedway will not reopen next year, and the property will be developed for industrial purposes, Jerry Carroll, managing partner of the auto track, said yesterday. ''We had all intentions of keeping that racetrack open as long as we could -- and we probably kept it open a year longer than it should,'' Carroll said in an interview, adding that it was his decision to close the facility. He said the property, off Outer Loop in southern Jefferson County, has become very attractive as an industrial site. The track has held BGN and CTS races in the past. The last racing event at Louisville Motor Speedway took place in September with the World 300 for figure8 racing.(Courier-Journal)(1-3-2002)
- Wisconsin Track Denied: A “multimillion dollar” proposal transforming Winnebago County’s idling racetrack into a 30,000-to-40,000 seat, half-mile NASCAR-friendly facility is now one of two shot down by officials. Either Universal or Mark Hennessy of Baraboo was to be the new promoter of the publicly funded $1.5 million Sunnyview Speedzone Raceway, coming off of three years of sluggish financial finishes. They were the only two companies to float proposals the county’s way after former promoter Odyssey Productions Inc. folded this summer. If no one else comes forward with an 11th hour proposal to operate the racetrack, it would leave a void in what county officials hoped to be a full 2002 racing schedule. It also will likely leave the county behind on its effort to resolve the racetrack’s debt, at roughly $200,000 through 2008. Little was known about the new proposals since they were discussed behind closed doors with county officials.(Green Bay Press-Gazette)(12-3-2001)
- The 'Gate' being used in Victory Lane UPDATE 2 - No More Gate: many readers noticed the while 'gate or fence' Winston Cup Officials held above Jeff Gordon so he couldn't get on the roof of the car in the winners circle/victory lane. On CNN/SI's NASCAR Plus, Benny Parsons was asked about the 'gate' and said he wasn't sure why, but that it was probably to keep the driver off the top of the car so a proper insepction could be done. Last year at California, the #12 Team was penalized for having a car that was too low and it was caused by Mayfield jumping on the roof of the car, denting the spot that the inspectors measure. Otherwise have seen nothing official on the reason for the gate(10-2-2001)
UPDATE: sources have confirmed that NASCAR doesnt want the drivers on the roof tops after the race for saftey and technical reasons(10-3/8-2001)
UPDATE 2: Benny Parsons confirmed on CNN/SI's NASCAR Plus that NASCAR took so much heat from everyone about the PVC Pipe fence they decided not to use it anymore. Ironic they stop using it and the #8 is too low, the thing they were trying to avoid, but Earnhardt Jr did not get on top of the car, so it is a moot point, but the 'gate' is gone(10-23-2001)
- Aircraft Ban at Stadiums UPDATE: Effective as of noon yesterday (9-20-01) the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has banned all aircraft from flying within 3 miles of major professional and college sporting events and any other large open air gathering. This protected "no-fly zone'' extends up to an altitude of 3,000 feet above such facilities, which by definition, include race tracks. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown, said the regulation applies to all types of aircraft including small planes, blimps, balloons and gliders. "We issued this to cover everything,'' Brown said. ``It's a blanket order so that it would include a state fair, a high school football game.'' This ban could change how we view races on TV if the helicopter that relays in-car camera signals would be out of effective signal range above the 3000-foot ceiling or prevented from remaining in the air space at that height by conflicts with scheduled air traffic. It appears blimps will also be prevented from providing their normal overhead views as well. Radio traffic between NASCAR, teams, track officials, spotters and drivers is direct and will not be impacted.(Speedway Illustrated)(9-21-2001)
UPDATE: Dover Track president Denis McGlynn said a no-fly zone will be in effect for today's race, no aircraft within 3,000 feet or three miles laterally, but said NBC's in-car camera relays should be fine as long as its helicopter stays at least 3,000 feet above the speedway(AJC)(9-23-2001)
- New Alabama Track: BTK Motor sports of Decatur, AL wants to turn a former WWII Air force training base into a place for NASCAR. The 900 acres known as Air park in Courtland is the proposed site location for a multimillion dollar motor sports park. Right now the county owned land is used as cotton fields by farmers who lease the land. The proposal is still in the early stages now. But if major corporate investors could be secured, the motor sports park could someday be a pit stop for Nascar drivers. Here's the plan as introduced to the Lawrence County Commission this week. Initially about 500 acres would be converted into a small racetrack. Then developers would like to expand the park into a 150 million dollar park with all the bells and whistles. That of course would only happen if corporate sponsors buy the idea. Lawrence County leaders are supporting the idea. They have agreed to hold off on re-leasing the land until a formal proposal is presented to the commission.(WHNT Online) AND BTK Motor Sports, a branch of the McCall Group, wants to construct a multimillion-dollar motor sport facility in the industrial park. Representatives of the group met with the Lawrence County Commission on Monday morning(Aug 13th). The commissioners did not vote, but they unanimously agreed to support the project. The county owns approximately 900 acres in the AirPark. Industrial Development Board Executive Director Evon Zills said the 500 acres on the southwest side of the AirPark are probably best suited for the project. IDB leases the land to cotton farmers. BTK's Terrance McCall said the group is looking at constructing a facility that will cost between $150 million and $200 million. "We will start with a drag strip because we can do that very quickly, but we need a more formalized business plan so we can talk with potential corporate investors," he said. BTK has been looking several years for a good location to build a motor sport facility. He said Courtland is the perfect location because almost 4 million people reside within 150 miles of the AirPark. BTK currently operates a small motor sport facility at 708 State Docks Road in Decatur. McCrispin said motor sports are one of the fastest growing sports. He said BTK also plans to build a road course and courses where just about any racing can take place. "We're not going to bring NASCAR in immediately, but that's something we will be looking at," McCrispin said.(Decatur Daily)(8-23-2001)
- Cleveland Track? Developers seeking to bring national car racing to Ohio by expanding a small race course here announced yesterday they would withdraw their request for land use variances. But Joseph Badger of Peninsula, a partner with his brother Geoffrey of Strongsville in Western Reserve Management Group, said that plans to vastly expand the Nelson Ledges Race Course would still move forward. On June 13, the Board of Zoning Appeals said the Badgers had to prove they had a legal right to the land before the board would consider the request for the variances. The Badgers do not own the land. They would need zoning variances for building height and size before they would build 500,000 square feet of retail, lodging, food and race facilities, including stands for up to 60,000 spectators. The Badgers said they wouldn't buy the land unless they received the variances.(Cleveland Plain Dealer)(7-10-2001)
- New PA Road Course: A new 2.31m road course being constructed near Harrisburg, Penn., has had its official opening delayed until the start of the 2002 season, according to track officials. Located within 200 miles of a population of over 47m, the track will host national and international motorcycle and sports car races.(SpeedVision)(6-25-2001)
- Groundbreaking in PA (not NY) for track: Lake Erie Speedway (track is in Erie, PA) has announced that it will hold a groundbreaking ceremony this Thursday, June, 28 at 5:00 p.m. at the future site of Lake Erie Speedway. The ceremony is being served as an anticipation of the receipt of all necessary permits which allow us to begin earth moving activities. The ceremony is open to the public(Racefan)(6-25-2001)
- Mark Martin's Speedway has an accident UPDATE 3: James Neaves, president of the New Smyrna Quarter Midget Racing Association, is in critical but stable condition with head injuries in the intensive care unit at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, a hospital spokeswoman said. The 35-year-old Spruce Creek Fly-In resident was injured during a caution lap when a slow moving car driven by a 6-year-old Deltona boy hit him from behind. The impact at the ankles threw Neaves in the air and he landed on his head, a Sheriff's Office report said. Robert Hart, owner of New Smyrna Speedway where the midget track is located, said it was an unfortunate incident. There was no ambulance on site nor an emergency medical technician on duty during the races. The Little New Smyrna Speedway -- geared toward children between the ages of 5 and 15 -- officially opened during Speed Weeks in February. Founder and Winston Cup driver Mark Martin, Neaves and Dye worked nearly a year to get the track operational for area kids to learn about competitive racing at a young age. Benny Ertel, spokesman for Martin, said the NASCAR driver was upset about the news and rushed to the hospital to be with Neaves' family late Sunday night when he returned from the race at Texas Motor Speedway. Martin was unavailable for comment Monday.(see full story at the Daytona Beach News Journal)(4-3-2001)
UPDATE: have heard that James Neaves is doing better, nothing official
UPDATE 2: The youth auto racing official injured at New Smyrna Speedway Sunday has been upgraded to serious condition, a Halifax Medical Center spokeswoman said Thursday. James Neaves, 35, was thrown into the air after being struck from behind by a 6-year-old Deltona boy during a caution lap. The impact from the car, which weighs about 235 pounds, threw Neaves onto the asphalt track, causing severe head injuries. Neaves is president of the newly formed New Smyrna Quarter Midget Racing Association, which built a track in the infield of the speedway. He had just finished fixing a section of the low wooden wall following an accident during the practice session when he was struck. He was transported by helicopter to the hospital's intensive care unit where he had remained in critical condition until Thursday morning(Daytona Beach News Journal)(4-6-2001)
UPDATE 3: good news on Jim Neaves - he is sitting up and having limited conversation and things are actually going quite well. The track was back racing last night(4-12-2001)
- Wall Stadium: As was announced last month, the historic Wall Stadium 1/3-mile asphalt track located in Wall NJ was sold. The Nicol family, who had owned and operated the track for more than 50 years, confirmed what had been rumored for years. A group headed up by local businessman and facing enthusiast Tim Shinn purchased the track, and planned to take over before the April 7 season opener(Open Wheel Racing)(3-13-2001)
- Track Vacuum? UPDATE: Despite progress in many areas the past decade or two, motorsport still cleans up rain the old-fashioned way: Crews drive trucks around and around the track, hoping that the consequent scattering of water and the heat from the vehicle will dissipate the water. Jet dryers – basically, a kerosene-powered jet engine towed around the track by a pickup truck – are a step up, but they rely largely on the same principles. It can take a minimum of two hours to properly dry a race track. Texas inventor George Carter believes he has a better idea. Carter, president of Trak Vak Inc., (www.TrakVak.com) has looked into the physics of wet pavement in detail, and he thinks he’s come up with a whole new approach that will save the industry time, and ultimately money. Yes, Trak Vak is towed by a truck just as a jet is. But the principle is entirely different. Instead of blowing water sideways and trying to heat it to the evaporation point as you would with a hair dryer, Carter looks at it from the other side: You just suck it up. See full story on RaceComm(2-9-2000) -- UPDATE: see a similar, updated story at SpeedVision: A Better Way to Dry Tracks? by Ben Blake(3-6-2000)
- New Florida Speedway?(not Cup or BGN): A controversial motor speedway and business park could come a step closer to development Tuesday(have seen no updates on the story yet). The County Commission was to consider an agreement with the City of Melbourne to provide sewer service to the Interchange Commerce Park and Melbourne Speedway. In exchange, Interchange will contribute half the cost, or $8,737, to build a connecting pipeline to the $12 million speedway planned. The project calls for a quarter-mile drag strip, a 3/8-mile oval race track and a 2.2-mile road course. The developers say tests they've conducted show the track won't exceed county noise levels. County officials say the track has to conform to noise performance standards if it wants to avoid fines or even shutdowns(Florida Today)(1-11-2001)
- Small Track News: Birmingham International Raceway is hooking up with NASCAR, becoming a part of a national auto racing series that includes short tracks from coast to coast. NASCAR officials will be in Birmingham today to announce the affiliation. The move puts BIR back in the fold of the nation's premiere motorsports sanctioning body and puts local drivers in line for some hefty purses(Alabama Live)(1-4-2001)
- Flemington Speedway(NJ) update: According to the Hunterdon County Democrat, dated Thursday, November 9th. The Raritan Townshp Planning Board Meeting to discuss the re-zoning of the Flemington Fairgrounds(where Flemington Speedway is located) will be held on Thursday, November 30th at 7:30pm at the Raritan Township Police/Court Facility on Route 523 just off the Route 12 Circle. The track shut down operations in early October 2000. The speedway has been used since 1915, with weekly races held since the 1950s, including CTS races thru 1998. A lack of interest in farming forced the corporation to abandon the Flemington Fair after 144 years in September. Dwindling attendance and longtime financial woes finally stalled racing. The future now lies in business, the owners say. Options for 2001 included operating weekly, once a month or discontinue. Losses have been tremendous over the last several years and the group of shareholders decided enough was enough. Auto races will not be run unless someone buys the speedway and uses it for racing. The Flemington Fairgrounds could sell for as much as $10 million if it is rezoned into a commercial district(11-27-2000)
- New PA Track: A paved 4/10 mile asphalt speedway with NASCAR sanctioning is about to become a realty for Northwest Pennsylvania near Northeast, PA(near Erie) just off Interstate 86, will be called Lake Erie Speedway. It was two years ago this past summer that Todd Melphi, a Pittsburgh native, had the idea to build a NASCAR-sanctioned track in northwest Pennsylvania. The track will be an oval with straight-a-ways approximately 360-380 feet in length and with a racing surface 70 feet wide with 6 degrees of banking. The four turns will each have compound banking beginning with the 6 degrees from the straights up to twelve degrees at the top of wall. Six thousand seats will be installed at the facility in time for opening day, currently scheduled for sometime in June, 2001. NASCAR races will likely include a BUSCH North event in 2001 and possibly a Featherlite Modified event in 2002. Negotiations are also underway to bring the Craftsman Truck Series to Lake Erie Speedway, but planning is in the very early stages for the truck series to visit Northwest Pennsylvania(Racefan Site)(11-12-2000)
- New Indiana Speedway? Columbus City officials said a proposed motorsports complex west of Columbus has the potential to benefit the local economy, but they also raised concerns about traffic, proper land use and other issues. The proposed arena will hold up to 40,000 spectators about six times a year, said a spokesman for Tellman & Associates, the company proposing the complex(The Republic). No mention of a NASCAR race in the story(8-31-2000)
- Virginia International re-opens after 26 years: Twenty-six years after being sent into disrepair, VIR has re-opened under new management and with a refined mission. It will serve as host to eight public events this year, the second of which will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday. It features 115-120 vintage race cars. The VIR management team thinks their course compares favorably with layouts at Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta, and they're not alone. Before sending its teams to the 24 Hours of LeMans, Cadillac reserved VIR for nine days of testing. Track rentals for testing will help recoup much of the investment, but there are all sorts of possibilities. It's highly unlikely that VIR will hold a Winston Cup event, but there's been interest from NASCAR's Craftsman Truck series(in part from Roanoke Times) for more info on the track see it's website: www.virclub.com(6-14-2000)
- Small Track Troubles UPDATE 2: Hialeah Speedway(outside of Miami), a track that has had local stock car racing since 1954 and the first track for racing legend Bobby Allison, has drawn fewer and fewer fans to its weekly Saturday night races and now cannot pay its bills. Barring a last-minute donation to help pay off a $91,000 debt, the club that operates the races expects to receive eviction papers this month. Unless there's a last-minute reversal, the closure of the track will end 46 years of intimate, rough-and-tumble racing action accompanied by country music and Budweiser specials. Just 10 years ago, there were Saturday nights when you couldn't find an empty seat among the 5,000-capacity stands(Jayski was one of those back in 1991-1992 before moving back to NJ). Several drivers are trying to collect money to help pay off the club's debt. Whether they will make the landlord's deadline, however, is uncertain. The club that operates the Hialeah Speedway, the Greater Miami Racing Association, leases the 35-acre property from Hialeah Speedway Limited, a family partnership. Under the terms of the lease, the club is obliged to pay the annual $91,000 property tax bill. Failing to pay violates the lease. So far, the racers have received pledges for about $45,000 and have in hand $17,000 but with a March 15 deadline rapidly approaching, many are losing faith. Even if the racers make this hurdle, the club's 49-year lease expires Dec. 31, 2002.(Miami Herald)(3-9-2000)
UPDATE: The race track is looking at two weeks of racing before the gates lock for the final time. Property taxes and what was once swamp now being a prime industrial or retail site is the big problem. If you live down in the Miami area, a way to help is to attend the track this week. Races are Saturday nights at 7:00pm/et. An escrow account has been set up through - Kevin C. Lunsford Attorney at Law, 954-467-6642(3-10-2000)
UPDATE 2: been told that Hialeah Speedway will be running on April 15th(not 18th) as a new lease has been signed and they are sprucing the track up in anticipation of this reopening(4-10-2000)
- Galaxy Motorsports buys another Track: When the green flag falls Friday night at Kingsport Speedway, the NASCAR-sanctioned facility will be operating under the Galaxy Enterprises banner. Galaxy is headquartered in Murfreesboro where the group built Twin Fountains Raceway, a quarter-mile flat track. This past winter, the company also purchased 411 Speedway in Knoxville and is in the process of acquiring Highland Rim Speedway located just north of Nashville. Galaxy Motorsports also fields a Winston Cup team: the #75 Cartoon Network/WCW/Rotozip/RedCell Batteries Ford with driver Wally Dallenbach(Kingsport Times-News)(3-28-2000)
- CT Track News: The day-to-day operations of Thompson Speedway in Connecticut are back in the hands of track owner Don Hoenig, but with his victory in court yesterday came a loss for area auto-racing fans. The 2000 Icebreaker at the historic Connecticut oval has been canceled(Providence Journal)(3-19-2000)
- Track for Fans? Bunnell, FL has begun looking at plans for a racetrack that will give racing fans a chance to get behind the wheel. The City Commission on Tuesday listened to a proposal for a motorsports park southeast of downtown on a 500-acre wedge of land between State Road 100 and U.S. 1. Unlike Daytona International Speedway, this racetrack will be targeted more toward participants than spectators. It will be a place where people can race their own sports cars and go-carts, said Felix Amon, a consultant for Ryan Kennedy of Holly Hill. Kennedy is president of the Motor Sports Group, which is making the proposal(Speed Magazine)(2-3-2000)
- Small Track News: Thompson Speedway is supposed to begin its 2000 racing season with the April 2 Icebreaker. Who will be running the show when the track opens, however, is very much up in the air. Lawsuits have been filed by owner Don Hoenig and TRAC, which has leased the the auto racing facility from the Hoenig family since 1998(Providence Journal)(1-27-2000)
- #75 Owner Buys Track: Galaxy Enterprises USA of Murfreesboro is purchasing 411 Speedway in Sevier County(TN). Terms have not been disclosed. Galaxy/Darwin Oordt owns Wally Dallenbach's Winston Cup team and also owns the Twin Fountains Speedway south of Murfreesboro, TN. It is buying the 27-acre, 2,800-seat 411 Speedway from Roger Flenniken, who has owned it since 1994.(Tennessean)(1-13-2000)
- New Dallas Area Track? Ishida Motorsports Inc./Valley View Crown Partners Ltd., bought 205 acres of land about 25 miles north of Denton, TX where it plans to develop Valley View Motorsports Park including a 2.5mile road course. The track is the second to be announced recently in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth plans to begin construction after the April Nascar races on a road course that is expected to open next summer. The two tracks don't expect to be in head-to-head competition. The planned motorsports park will cater to the (driving) enthusiast rather than the spectator(Dallas Business Journal)(12-20-1999)
- Track News: Galaxy Enterprise's deal to purchase Highland Rim Speedway has fallen through, and the Ridgetop, TN., racetrack will continue to be owned and operated by Pat and Ronnie Baucom. Last month Galaxy Enterprises announced that it had reached agreement to buy the track. The company, owned by Darwin Oordt#75 Cup Owner), currently operates Twin Fountains Raceway in Shelbyville(Tennessean)(12-3-1999)
- New Penske Track? Saw this in today's Stock Car Fans Newsletter: "Roger Penske has proposed a half mile racetrack and amphitheater for Fairview/Girard PA. The report was aired on WSEE TV 35." So I did some searching around and found a story on GoErie.com: Auto racing fans in west Erie County are excited about the possible construction of a Grand National Track in Girard.
A major racing company is reportedly interested in building a half-mile asphalt track at the site of the former Divine Word Seminary at Route 20 and Imperial Point. That's news to the priests at Divine Word Missionaries, who say they haven't been approached by anyone who wants to build a racetrack. But a public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday(June 8th) at 7:15 p.m. at the township building. Girard Township supervisor Percy McDonald told the newspaper that the race track would be used two or three times a year for Busch Grand National-type events. See more to the story at: Grand National Track could be in Girard's future(6-8-1999)
- Another Track Falls: Officials at Riverside Park in Agawam, Mass., will announce today that Riverside Park Speedway will close after the 1999 racing season. Riverside Park Speedway racing director David Deery confirmed late Wednesday that the track will close for good when the 1999 season ends Oct. 31. Deery confirmed the track and the structures surrounding it will be razed. The land will be developed into theme park. A few NASCAR drivers who have driven there: Mike Stefanik, Geoff Bodine, Brett Bodine, Steve Park, and Mike McLaughlin. See the story at: Final Lap For Riverside Speedway(Hartford Courant)(6-17-1999) -- UPDATE: More news on this at Riverside closing racetrack(Union-News)(6-18-1999)
- Stratford Speedway News: Jack Arute and Mike Joy will broadcast the 28th annual CARQUEST Spring Sizzler at Stafford Motor Speedway(CT) on Sunday, April 25th, of the 200-lap NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series event beginning at 3:15pm/et. Also, Stafford Motor Speedway and broadcast.com have announced an exclusive multi-year agreement in which all NASCAR Winston Racing Series and NASCAR Touring Series events originating from Stafford Motor Speedway will be broadcast live worldwide. The agreement makes Stafford Motor Speedway the first weekly NASCAR venue to broadcast all of its' events live over the Internet(PR)(4-22-1999)
- No Winston Cup or BGN won't race there, but I thought readers may be interested: The all-new Irwindale Speedway, located less than 25 minutes east of downtown Los Angeles, will represent a new chapter in the storied motorsports history of Southern California. Irwindale Speedway will celebrate its inaugural season in 1999. It will feature 6,500 seats and twin paved oval race tracks (banked 1/2 and 1/3 mile). The website is up at www.irwindalespeedway.com.(9-14-1998)
COOLER NEWS
- Richmond and Coolers: Richmond International Raceway will allow coolers this year, but only ones of the soft-sided, insulated-bag variety. No hard-sided coolers are allowed into the raceway. Ticket buyers were confused by a recent RIR letter explaining the new security procedures. The letter states that "no backpacks, coolers, large bags and/or camera bags" will be allowed in the grandstands. However, a paragraph later, the letter explains that fans can bring food and beverages into the grandstands in the insulated bags. Raceway officials said they had received letters questioning the cooler rule but had resolved the issue when they explained to fans that the soft-sided coolers are allowed. These bags can be 6 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches, large enough for a six pack and a couple of sandwiches. Each ticketholder can bring in one. Fans also are allowed to carry an 18x18x4 clear plastic bag into the grandstands, primarily.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(1-23-2002)
- Coolers - Fans Fight Back UPDATE: There is a grassroots movement afoot to protest International Speedway Corporation's recent safety-related decision not to allow coolers into the grandstands of its many racetracks. One of the anti-ISC organizers says the Daytona Beach company is simply using security issues as a way to wedge longtime race fans from their treasured coolers. ISC's cooler and backpack ban took effect following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. ISC has staged one Winston Cup race (Kansas Speedway, Sept. 30) since the rule was issued. ISC knows this is a hot-button topic but plans to stick to its guns for the rest of this season. NASCAR left cooler policies up to each track. In response to the cooler ban, David Talley, ISC director of corporate communications, said ISC has reduced prices on most concession items by 50 percent. The list of concession products with a lower price tag includes beer, hot dogs and soda. The company also will add 25 percent more concession stands to accommodate race fans. The ISC cooler and backpack guidelines pertain only to grandstand areas this season. Coolers are still allowed on an infield ticket. There is a message board for frustrated race fans to speak out: http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/nascarfansagainstisc. See Full story at the Daytona Beach News Journal.(10-9-2001)
UPDATE: International Speedway Corp., which has been criticized this week for a no-cooler policy, says the new guidelines for its racetracks is not a food and beverage issue. Each grandstand spectator entering any ISC track for the rest of the 2001 season will be allowed to carry in one 6-by-6-by-12 inch insulated, soft-sided bag. See full story at the Daytona Beach News Journal(10-12-2001)
- ISC Sets Security for future Events - No Coolers: International Speedway Corporation (ISC) announced today that, due to recent tragic events and continuing concerns, all of the company's operational subsidiaries will increase security at events. Some of the new procedures are:
No backpacks, coolers, large bags and/or large camera bags will be allowed into the grandstand area for future ISC events.
All items brought through the gate area (purses, scanners, small camera bags, binoculars, etc.) are subject to inspection by security
officials.
None of the above items can be left in or around the gate area.
Fans are encouraged to limit the size and type of any bag brought into the facility.
The tracks will work to minimize any inconvenience that these new practices may cause, including the reduction of concession pricing at tracks that formerly allowed coolers. Increased security must take precedence at this time and ISC will continue to focus on providing a safe environment at its future events. Therefore in addition to these new practices, ISC will implement increased security measures, including an increased law enforcement presence on site and K-9 units in some areas. As well, media, employees, temporary staffing, volunteers, sponsor representatives,VIPs, teams, and others holding a credential, will have to show a valid photo ID before entering the property. The tracks include Daytona International Speedway in Florida; Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway located outside Detroit, Michigan; California Speedway near Los Angeles, California; Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas; Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida; Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona; Richmond International Raceway in Virginia; Darlington Raceway in South Carolina; North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina; Watkins Glen International in New York; and Nazareth Speedway in Pennsylvania.Other track interests include the operation of Tucson (Arizona) Raceway Park and an indirect 37.5% interest in Raceway Associates, LLC, which owns Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway in Illinois.(ISC PR), as far as I know, this is a PERMANENT thing, No Coolers, wish to complain or send thanks? Contact ISC at their website: www.iscmotorsports.com - Contact page(sorry no email address)(9-20-2001)
