Save The Speedway Response to Speedway Opening

February 26, 2009  – North Wilkesboro, NC

 

STS Motorsports has recently learned of the plans Mr. Collins has for the North Wilkesboro Speedway, and although it seems good that there will be new activity at the speedway, we are not convinced that it is in the best interest of the speedway or Wilkes County.  As most people are aware, we have been around since 2005 trying to find a way to legitimately reopen the speedway as a multi purpose facility. 

Anyone who has seen the track should know that a patch and spray job is not going to make it safe to run 3500 pound race cars on.  When we spoke with race teams regarding testing at the track, we were told they wouldn’t even think about putting a car on the track until it was repaved due to the safety issue of the asphalt crumbling, much less a number of racecars running at speed, side by side.  The Asphalt has nearly 13 years of decay on it, and is cracked up all the way around the track.  The concrete retaining walls in places have severe water erosion to the point that if someone should crash into the wall the whole thing will crumble.  This is just the tip of the iceberg, several of the buildings on the property have severe mold damage, and there is no public sewer or water system.  Two of the public restrooms are completely useless, and need to be rebuilt.  These are just a few of the issues, from a health and safety standpoint that need to be addressed. 

STS Motorsports Inc. has written estimates to repair all of the problems at the track, including repaving, having spent the time to find out what it would cost to fix the speedway the right way to make it a safe and viable venue for racing, concerts and other events. 

We have always welcomed the opportunity to work with anyone who felt they had the means to reopen the speedway for use.  Over the past four years our company has studied the speedway, retained repair estimates, and established relationships with racing series, and other public events to be held at the track so that we could provide a turn key operation for anyone with the financial background to make the whole thing happen.  We have had no contact with Mr. Collins regarding his plans, and we do not endorse what he is attempting to do there.  

As Mr. Bruton Smith stated, the track is being leased and is still for sale.  STS Motorsports will continue to operate the savethespeedway.net website to help find a permanent owner for the track.