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140-560: Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly known as the Atlanta International Raceway from 1960 to 1990) is a 1.540 mi (2.478 km) quad-oval intermediate speedway in Hampton, Georgia . The track has hosted a variety of sanctioning bodies since its inaugural season of racing in 1960, including NASCAR and IndyCar . The track has been owned by Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI) since 1990, with Brandon Hutchison currently serving as

280-502: A 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) oval for legends car racing within the track's frontstretch, 44 luxury suites, and upgraded garages. The first tire tests on the new surface were run in September by Bill Elliott , and it held its first races in November. In July 2005, a F2 tornado caused by the remnants of Hurricane Cindy hit the facility, causing an estimated $ 40 million in damage to

420-419: A stock car division from 1956 to 1984. * The inaugural season featured two subtitles: Pacific Coast (won by Sam Hanks ) and Short Track ( Troy Ruttman ). From 1958 until 1962, USAC sanctioned a road racing championship. It was held for sports cars from 1958 to 1961, and adopted Formula Libre rules in 1962. TORC: The Off-Road Championship was founded in 2009 by motocross racer Rick Johnson and it

560-403: A " roval " (a blend word combining "road course" and "oval") is an oval track racing facility that features a road course in the infield (and/or outfield), that is usually linked to the oval circuit. This type of course makes for a multi-purpose track, and allows the facility to be used for both oval and road racing. A typical combined road course consists of the oval portion of the track, using

700-400: A " roval ". As part of the 1997 reconfiguration, developers added a 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) oval on the track's frontstretch to accommodate legends car racing . Atlanta Motor Speedway is next to the concurrent U.S. Route 41 and U.S. Route 19 , along with Georgia State Route 20 . As of 2015, the track had a reported capacity of 71,000, with recent estimates being unknown due to

840-484: A " roval "; the road course held its first races in September 1992. That same year, Marcum resigned from his position, with vice president of events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ed Clark, replacing him. In 1993, Clark announced a three-year plan to expand capacity to 180,000. Along with the announcement, plans for a new condominium complex, totaling 112 units, were made. Groundbreaking on the complex, named Tara Place, started on June 1, and although it saw initial poor sales,

980-577: A $ 500,000 dragstrip . In 1967, rumors about the potential sale of AIR to various prospective buyers were reported, including driver and businessman Curtis Turner and then- Atlanta Braves owner William Bartholomay . Weaver later died on February 16, 1968. The day before his death, Weaver appointed Jack Black to replace his position as president of AIR. Throughout the facility's first few years, most of its NASCAR-sanctioned races were plagued by rain delays, leading to financial troubles. In addition, according to Macon News writer John Krueger, AIR leadership

1120-510: A 1/8 mile version. Perhaps the most unusual concentric oval facility is Dover Speedway- Dover Downs . The one-mile oval track encompasses a 0.625-mile harness racing track inside. Oval tracks usually have slope in both straight and in curves, but the slope on the straights is less, circuits without any slope are rare to find, low-slope are usually old or small tracks, high gradient are more common in new circuits. Circuits like Milwaukee Mile and Indianapolis Motor Speedway have 9° banking in

1260-513: A 300-mile (480 km) race that was scheduled to first run in late 1959. However, after bad weather plagued the track's construction, the first race was delayed until June 1960. The latter, traditionally called the Atlanta 500, was first run in 1960. The race ran annually in the spring until 2011, when the race was moved to the Bruton Smith -owned Kentucky Speedway . Ten years later, the second race

1400-601: A 500-lap or 400-lap distance. Short tracks in many cases have lights installed and routinely host night races. The short ovals still form the backbone of NASCAR in the feeder series. Three race tracks of this type are also represented in the Cup: Bristol, Martinsville and Richmond. Tracks with potential for future cup races are the Iowa Speedway built in 2006, the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway used until 1984 in

1540-564: A common points structure for a season-long championship. The 2012 season did not award a national champion, however the respective regional champions were honored at USAC Night of Champions. National Champions Regional Champions USAC started the Speedway Motors Lightning Sprint National Championship in 2017 for local tracks running Lightning Sprint cars. The points format counts the 12 best races at USAC sanctioned tracks. Pirelli World Challenge ,

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1680-422: A concentric 1/4-mile oval layout. The 1/4-mile layout became a popular venue for legends car racing . The name "legends oval" was derived from this use. They have also seen use with go-karts, short track stock cars, and other lower disciplines. This idea was adopted by numerous tracks including Texas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway , Las Vegas Motor Speedway , and Iowa Speedway which has

1820-419: A crash including driver Terry Schoonover claimed the life of the first racer at the facility during the 1984 Atlanta Journal 500 . Partly as a result of Schoonover's death, then-general manager Mike Helton announced the construction of new walls. In January 1986, Helton announced $ 3 million in renovations ahead of the 1986 The Winston . Two years later, the facility went through its second repave in 10 years;

1960-604: A hospitality area. Later that year, Clark stepped down from his position as general manager, handing it over to assistant general manager Brandon Hutchison. In late 2019, Clark announced a proposal to build a $ 1 billion entertainment complex if the state of Georgia legalized gambling. A hearing in the Georgia House of Representatives was scheduled in January 2020, with the Henry County Board of Commissioners later voting in favor

2100-565: A lack of driver input from SMI leadership. The repave was completed in late December, and the first tire tests took place the next month. Since the track's inaugural season of racing in 1960, the facility has held two annual NASCAR Cup Series weekends per year for most of its history: the Ambetter Health 400 and the Quaker State 400 . The former, traditionally called the Dixie 500, was initially

2240-461: A length of one mile or more. Since the introduction of the intermediate oval, Superspeedway is an oval race course of 2 miles or longer. There are six active superspeedways in the United States, the most famous being Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway , both 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long. These tracks were built in 1909 and 1959 respectively. Indianapolis Motor Speedway

2380-492: A light rain. Some tracks (e.g., Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA) have "rain or shine" rules requiring races to be run in the rain. Safety has also been a point of difference between the two. While a road course usually has abundant run-off areas , gravel traps, and tire barriers, oval tracks usually have a concrete retaining wall separating the track from the fans. Innovations have been made to change this, however. The SAFER barrier

2520-608: A local 5% "amusement tax" on gate receipts, misleading debt figures, and an increase of ad-valorem tax by fourfold had made him back out of the deal, essentially sealing the facility's fate of bankruptcy. Atlanta International Raceway officially filed for Chapter 10 bankruptcy on January 19, 1971, becoming a ward under the orders of United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia judge Sidney Oslin Smith Jr. The court later appointed attorney R. Neal Batson to run

2660-445: A lot of oval tracks, which neither have a classical geometric shape nor still represent a modern tri-oval in the strict sense. While these courses still technically fall under the category of ovals, their unique shape, flat corners, hard braking zones, or increased difficulty, often produces driving characteristics similar to those of a road course. Some facilities feature several ovals track of different sizes, often sharing part of

2800-408: A new grandstand was constructed, adding 21,000 permanent seats. The reconfiguration started a year and a half later, turning the track from a 1.52 miles (2.45 km) true oval into a 1.54 miles (2.48 km) quad-oval. The decision at the time drew criticism from drivers, including Dale Earnhardt , John Andretti , and Johnny Benson Jr. The renovation itself cost $ 30 million and added 37,000 seats,

2940-449: A notable exception. Many 1-mile dirt ovals were used by stock cars or champ cars before race tracks with dirt surfaces were removed from the racing calendar in the early 1970s. Many of these racetracks got the nickname "Fairgrounds” — for example Arizona State Fairgrounds , California State Fairgrounds and Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway . The origin of these racetracks was in harness racing , which commonly used 1-mile tracks. Also,

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3080-402: A prospective buyer looking to purchase AIR, Charlotte Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith , began. Although the facility was expected to have been sold within the month, by the next day, both men denied that the sale had gone through; Smith reported delays in the sale due to "small snags", and Nix outright denied a closed deal. Four days later, Charlotte Observer writer Tom Higgins reported that

3220-543: A race at the Trenton Speedway in New Jersey , eight USAC officials, plus the pilot, were killed when their 10-seat Piper Navajo Chieftain crashed during a thunderstorm 25 miles southeast of Indianapolis . Killed were: The incident closely followed the death of Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman. The plane crash came at a time when Indy car owners and drivers were demanding changes from USAC. Aside from

3360-537: A race track were trying to tell people who did how a race track ought to be run." By the running of the Dixie 500 in August, American Raceways oversaw numerous major executive changes. The race itself was under threat of being cancelled when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) demanded they pay $ 35,000 as a partial payment on their delinquent taxes, which totaled over $ 58,000. As part of a last-ditch effort to save

3500-405: A road course, there are many different lines that can work on an oval track. The preferred line depends on many factors including track conditions, car set-up, and traffic. The oval track driver must choose which line to use each time they approach a corner. On a short track in a 25-lap feature race, a driver might not run any two laps with the same line. Both types of racing place physical demands on

3640-506: A sale was imminent, which Nix again denied. In early March, Smith claimed that he was waiting for Nix to agree to the deal. Two months later, although his earlier offer stalled, Smith stated renewed hope at purchasing AIR. After another two months passed, AIR released a press statement that declared that Smith's second offer was most likely going to be accepted by AIR's directors. By mid-October, Winston-Salem Journal writer Mike Mulhurn wrote that Smith had begun planning his first promotions at

3780-454: A scoring error. Bisher later criticized the facility, stating that "[nothing] was ready, there was dirt everywhere. It was like a county fair in the boondocks ". Two weeks later, another annual NASCAR-sanctioned race, the Atlanta 500 , was confirmed to be run in late October. On the same day, a attempt to overthrow Lester by an opposing stockholder group led by T. Walker Jackson and A. E. Deermont

3920-417: A single accident. This type of accident is often called " The Big One ". Oval track racing requires different tactics than road racing. While the driver does not have to shift gears nearly as frequently, brake as heavily or as often, or deal with turns of various radii in both directions as in road racing, drivers are still challenged by negotiating the track. Where there is generally one preferred line around

4060-461: A stand-alone road course layout(s) in the infield not directly linked to the oval layout, or otherwise using only a short portion of the oval. Combined road courses combine the high speed characteristics of ovals with the technical precision of road courses . It allows road racing disciplines the unique experience of being held in the stadium style atmosphere of an oval superspeedway. Numerous combined road courses saw widespread use with sports cars in

4200-680: A statement of approval for a statewide referendum on the issue on the 21st. However, the bill, now titled Senate Resolution 841, was viewed as a long shot; SR 841 needed a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly along with a popular vote, with Georgia historically holding a hardline stance on anti-gambling due to religious influence. In March 2021, the proposal saw revived support when Georgia saw increased support for online sports betting, with Clark now campaigning to legalize gambling. However, by 2022, although Hutchison and Clark maintained they were still campaigning for

4340-419: A stock sale to the general public, with 479,550 shares being offered at $ 4 each; along with the announcement, the duo stated hopes of hosting NASCAR and United States Auto Club (USAC)-sanctioned races. King later stated hopes of expanding the facility's uses to include "almost any conceivable outdoor show", with developers hoping to host four major races annually. With the announcements, it was slated to become

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4480-446: A variety of ways. The inaugural championship, 2005, was decided by a two-race series (one dirt, one pavement). Subsequent national champions were determined by a single "national championship race" held at various locations. This format was used until 2010. In 2011, a points system was instituted to determine the national champion. Counting only a drivers twelve best finishes, the system allowed drivers from multiple regions to compete under

4620-574: Is USAC's Competition Director. When the American Automobile Association (AAA) withdrew from auto racing after the 1955 season, citing the Le Mans disaster and the death of Bill Vukovich at Indianapolis as contributing factors, both the SCCA and NASCAR were mentioned as its potential successor. Ultimately, USAC was formed by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman . It became

4760-467: Is a phenomenon found on fast, high-banked superspeedways. It occurs when the vehicles racing are cornering at their limit of aerodynamic drag , but within their limit of traction . This allows drivers to race around the track constantly at wide open throttle . Since the vehicles are within their limit of traction, drafting through corners will not hinder a vehicle's performance. As cars running together are faster than cars running individually, all cars in

4900-512: Is earned in USAC racing when a driver claims all three national championships (silver crown, sprint car, and midget car). Only two drivers, Tony Stewart (1995) and J. J. Yeley (2003), have achieved the triple crown in a single season. Six other drivers, Pancho Carter (1972–78), Dave Darland (1997–2001), Jerry Coons Jr. (2006–08), Tracy Hines (2000, 2002, 2015), Chris Windom (2016, 2017, 2020), and Logan Seavey (2023-2024) have claimed each of

5040-692: Is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship , and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500 . USAC serves as the sanctioning body for a number of racing series, including the Silver Crown Series, National Sprint Cars, National Midgets, Speed2 Midget Series, .25 Midget Series, Stadium Super Trucks , and Pirelli World Challenge . Seven-time USAC champion Levi Jones

5180-545: Is the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama . Built in 1969, it is 2.66 miles (4.28 kilometers) long, and holds the current record for fastest speed in a stock car, lapping at an average of 216.309 mph (348.116 km/h) and reaching 228 mph (367 km/h) at the end of the backstretch. Daytona and Talladega are the pinnacle of stock car superspeedway racing, where restrictor plates are mandated by

5320-479: Is the end of major league auto racing in Atlanta and the end of AIR". The 1971 Atlanta 500 saw a crowd of around 57,000. While below the number that was claimed to be needed, Batson viewed it optimistically, although warning that "we're not out of the woods". After the race, three groups displayed interest in buying the track, including Howard. In May, Batson was replaced by lawyer Stacy Cotton as trustee, with Walter Nix later being appointed as general manager. Within

5460-569: Is the predominant form of auto racing in the United States. According to the 2013 National Speedway Directory, the total number of oval tracks, drag strips and road courses in the United States is 1,262, with 901 of those being oval tracks and 683 of those being dirt tracks. Among the most famous oval tracks in North America are the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway . Pack racing

5600-449: Is very common as vehicles may travel two and three abreast. This forces drivers to use strong mental discipline in negotiating traffic. There are drawbacks, however. Should an accident occur at the front of the pack, the results could block the track in a short amount of time. This leaves drivers at the back of the pack with little time to react and little room to maneuver. The results are often catastrophic as numerous cars may be destroyed in

5740-661: The MotoGP races were run counter-clockwise, with some reconfigured corners to fix corner apex problems. Michigan was also an example of a clockwise combined road course. Another example is the Adelaide International Raceway in Australia which combines a 2.41 km (1.50 mi) road course with an 0.805 km (0.500 mi) speedway bowl. The Bowl forms a permanent part of the road course and also runs clockwise. At many tracks, multiple configurations are available for

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5880-433: The 1960 Atlanta 500 , but parts of the track still remained unpaved. A new scoreboard, touted as the "world's most modern" by The Atlanta Journal , was installed nearly two years later. By mid-1963, after further renovations, Weaver announced that the facility was able to make $ 179,046 (adjusted for inflation, $ 1,781,897) in profit for the year, displaying financial success. In 1965, Weaver announced preliminary plans to build

6020-462: The 1971 Atlanta 500 , securing a loan from the First National Bank of Atlanta. Five board members also pledged to raise $ 175,000–200,000 for the race to run. The race later found itself to be crucial to AIR's survival; with a crowd of 65,000 or more being claimed for the minimum number needed for its survival, former general manager Hal Hamrick stated, "If the fans don't turnout for this one, it

6160-427: The 1979 Atlanta 500 , the first fatality at AIR occurred when Dennis Wade, an 18-year-old mechanic for Dave Watson , was hit by Watson after he spun on pit road, killing Wade. Within the year, Winston-Salem Journal writer Mike Mulhurn reported that a group directed by Hogan tried to oust DeWitt from his leadership at both North Carolina Motor Speedway and AIR. However, the takeover of both facilities failed. In 1984,

6300-533: The 24 Hours of Daytona . Since 2018, NASCAR has held the Bank of America Roval 400 on a combined course at Charlotte . In some rare examples, the combined road course layout is run in the opposite direction to the oval circuit. For instance, at Indianapolis the oval is run counter-clockwise, but the combined road course used during the IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Indianapolis is run clockwise. However

6440-513: The Charlotte Motor Speedway , which became its permanent home until 2020. In January 1961, the track confirmed dates for a USAC-sanctioned race in July with Indianapolis-style cars . However, after a frightened Eddie Sachs performed tire tests that saw average lap speeds over 150 miles per hour (240 km/h), USAC decided to cancel the race, with Henry Banks claiming that modifications to

6580-719: The Western States Midgets in 1982 utilizing the same cars & engines that race in the USAC National Midgets. The series solely races on dirt ovals across California and Arizona but in past raced on pavement ovals as well. The series does run co-sanctioned races with USAC's National Midget Series (including the historic Turkey Night Grand Prix race) and the Bay Cities Racing Association Midgets. Champions Source: USAC sanctions several regional 360 c.i.d. non-wing sprint car series across

6720-408: The $ 25 million facility partially opened by March 1994. Within 1994, Clark announced further renovations that were scheduled to be completed by 2000. Among said renovations were the addition of 68,000 seats, expansion of luxury boxes, and the reconfiguration of the track to become a quad-oval. Tara Place was fully completed in November of that year, with 32 of the 46 condos being sold. In August 1995,

6860-424: The 1970s and early 1980s. However, their use at the professional level has since diminished considerably, since most layouts lacked the desirable topography and competitive challenges of natural road courses. In addition, most combined road course circuits offer poor sightlines for fans sitting in the grandstands. Oftentimes the challenging infield portion is obscured or not visible at all from the grandstands that line

7000-824: The 2000s were of this type. These include the Chicago Motor Speedway and the Walt Disney World Speedway , which were built during the 1990s construction boom but used for only four years. The historic Nazareth Speedway , which was paved in 1986, was completely abandoned after the 2004 season. Physically, many mile oval still exist such as the Rockingham Speedway and the Pikes Peak International Raceway . However, these racetracks have not been used by nationally important motorsports events for years. There are only three 1-mile tracks left on

7140-507: The 2017 film Logan Lucky used the facility as a stand-in for the Charlotte Motor Speedway . As of February 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Atlanta Motor Speedway are listed as: Oval track racing#Intermediate Major forms of oval track racing include stock car racing , open-wheel racing , sprint car racing , modified car racing , midget car racing and dirt track motorcycles . Oval track racing

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7280-603: The CRL if they wanted to keep officiating the Indy 500. After USAC's attempt at a 500-mile race at Pocono Raceway  – which was boycotted by the CART teams, forcing USAC to fill the field with silver crown cars – USAC and CART eventually settled into a relatively peaceful co-existence, with USAC continuing to sanction the Indianapolis 500 and no other Championship car races, and CART including

7420-664: The Cup, and the Memphis Motorsports Park, which had races of the Busch Series back then until the 2000s. The Auto Club Speedway is to be converted from a 2-mile super speedway to a 1/2 mile short track in 2024. Synonymous with the name, a 1-mile (1.61 km) oval is a popular and common length for oval track racing. The exact measurements, however, can vary by as much as a tenth of a mile and still fall into this category. Most mile ovals are relatively flat-banked, with Dover being

7560-518: The First Georgia Securities Corporation, led by president Richard W. King, announced plans to build a $ 1 million (adjusted for inflation, $ 10,560,554), 50,000-seat, 400-acre racing facility 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta along a location near U.S. Route 41 . Atlanta International Raceway, Inc. (AIR) was formed to head the project. Two months later, King and racing promoter of the nearby Lakewood Speedway , Carl Queen, opened

7700-839: The IRL itself, which was renamed the IndyCar Series in 2003. Since 2022, the United States Auto Club has sanctioned the USF Juniors , USF2000 Championship , and USF Pro 2000 Championship series, which serve as a ladder series to Indy NXT, along with the Radical Sportscars North American Championships, Skip Barber Racing School , as well as continued sanctioning of the GT World Challenge America and Porsche Sprint Challenge North America under

7840-417: The Indianapolis 500, USAC events were not well attended, and the owners felt that USAC poorly negotiated television rights. The owners also wanted increases in payouts, especially at Indy. Though some think the plane crash was used as an opportunistic way to force change in the sport, it was merely an unfortunate coincidence. The seed of dissent had been growing for several years before the accident, and claims

7980-549: The Indy 500. After 1983, however, the Gold Crown schedule would consist of only one event per season (Indy 500), and the Gold Crown title would be regarded largely as ceremonial. The winner of the Indianapolis 500 would be the de facto Gold Crown champion, as it was the lone points-paying event. The title and the "series" were retired after the 1994–1995 season with the advent of the Indy Racing League . USAC featured

8120-555: The Lawrence LoPatin-owned Michigan International Speedway , which was built in the same year. With the deal, AIR announced an investment of $ 1 million worth of renovations for the facility, which covered a repave, a new dragstrip, seating expansion, and amenity improvements. The merger was approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in March 1969. By late 1969, after LoPatin expanded

8260-593: The Midwest and the East. * As of the end of the 2020 season The USAC/CRA AMSOIL Sprint Car Series debuted in 2004 utilizing the same cars and 410ci engines that race in USAC's AMSOIL National Sprint Car Championship at dirt oval tracks across California and Arizona. The series also features combination races with the AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship. Champions Source: USAC started

8400-510: The NASCAR racing calendar: Phoenix, Loudon, and Dover. IndyCar only returned to 1-mile oval racing with the addition of the Milwaukee Mile in 2024 after 9 years of it being off the schedule. Also referred to with the general term of "speedway", these courses are 1 to 2 miles (1.6 to 3.2 km) in length, but the term is particularly reserved for 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tracks. At the beginning of

8540-570: The United States on both dirt & pavement oval tracks. With exception to the engine, the cars used are the same as National & Western States Midget cars. The powerplants currently used are 4-cylinder production-based engines with stock internal dimensions to save costs for competitors. The series started out as a spec engine class, originally with Ford supplying their Zetec engine from 2002 to 2012, and then HPD supplying their K24 engine starting in 2013. National Championship The Speed2 Midget Series National Champion has been determined in

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8680-413: The addition of another unscheduled NASCAR race within the year, signing a $ 636,000 contract with the E. Jack Smith Construction Company to build the remainder of the track. USAC, despite encouraging words from USAC director of competition Henry Banks, reportedly refused to race at the facility unless "changes are made in the banking of the track", with USAC claiming they found "one dip especially awkward". By

8820-448: The arbiter of rules, car design, and other matters for what it termed championship auto racing , the highest level of USAC racing. For a while there was a separate series of specifications for championship cars designed to be run on dirt, rather than paved, tracks. Today, USAC sanction open-wheel racing series such as the Silver Crown Series, National Sprint Car Series , National Midget Series , and Quarter Midgets . The "triple crown"

8960-408: The back straight of the oval. As they are separate tracks, this creates a unique situation where different races can actually be run on both the oval and the full road course at the same time. Also unique is that unlike most combined circuits which use the oval track's start/finish line and pits, in the case of Calder Park it is the road course start/finish line and pits that are used. This configuration

9100-514: The cars coming towards and moving away from their vantage point. Traditional ovals (such as Indianapolis ) offered only limited linear views of the course, and required fans to look back and forth much like a tennis match. The tri-oval shape prevents fans from having to "lean" to see oncoming cars, and creates more forward sight lines. The modern tri-ovals were often called as cookie cutters because of their (nearly) identical shape and identical kind of races. Additional prominent examples: There are

9240-484: The championship and the 2010 winner received $ 40,000. Points are accumulated in the three national series: sprints, midgets, and silver crown. Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Indiana claimed the inaugural championship, topping runner-up Levi Jones by 14 points. As of 2013 it has been known as the Mike Curb "Super License" National Championship Award. USAC national drivers champions On April 23, 1978, returning from

9380-415: The circumference of the oval track, so many fans choose to view from the ground level inside the infield – leaving the grandstands mostly empty and unsightly. Many combined road course layouts have been abandoned. However, some have enjoyed extended life as venues for testing, driving schools, and amateur race meets . Since 1962, the most famous race continuously held on a combined road course has been

9520-581: The combined road course layout(s). An example of an outfield combined road course can be seen at the Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne , Australia . The Calder Park complex has a 1.119 mi (1.801 km) high-banked oval speedway called the Thunderdome as well as a separate road course. The road course and the oval can be linked via two short roads that connect the front straight of the road course to

9660-730: The company and a rebranded it to American Raceways, the company fell into financial trouble after their director of operations, Les Richter , left the company. In response, American Raceways merged with the STP Corporation . The next year, AIR directors attempted to stop LoPatin from purchasing controlling interest of the facility; by this point, LoPatin was seen as a self-centered dictator who had virtually no practical experience with racing within local Atlanta media. In June, AIR directors initiated plans to sever ties from American Raceways after numerous executives, including Black, were removed from active roles or resigned due to LoPatin's leadership and

9800-497: The company's financial troubles. However, by mid-July, American Raceways was able to purchase complete control over AIR. LoPatin was reportedly ousted shortly after from his position, with Charlotte Motor Speedway president Richard Howard deciding to assist the track so it could run the 1970 Dixie 500 . Furman Bisher later recalled, "it was run like a 10-year-old boy would run a candy store. People who knew nothing about racing were trying to run races. Stockholders who knew nothing about

9940-821: The country. USAC's West Coast Sprint Car Series was launched in 2009 by Santa Maria Speedway promoter Chris Kearns, and joined forces with USAC in 2010. The West Coast series primarily races at tracks across California while also having special event races in Nevada. USAC's Southwest Sprint Car Series was launched in 1991 as the Arizona Sprint Car Racing Association. The series joined forces with USAC in 2012. The Southwest series primarily races at tracks in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico while also having special event races in Arkansas, Kansas & Oklahoma. The Southwest series

10080-460: The crash was an immediate cause for the 1979 CART/USAC "split" are considered for the most part unfounded. Also unpopular were the attempts of USAC to keep the aging Offenhauser engine competitive with the newer, and much more expensive, Cosworth DFX engine using boost-limiting "pop off valves" and limiting the amount of fuel that could be used. Finally, most car owners banded together to form Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1978, with

10220-444: The driver. A driver in an IndyCar race at Richmond International Raceway may be subject to as many lateral g-forces (albeit in only one direction) as a Formula One driver at Silverstone . Weather also plays a different role in each discipline. Road racing offers a variety of fast and slow corners that allow the use of rain tires . Paved oval tracks generally do not run with a wet track surface. Dirt ovals will sometimes support

10360-486: The drivers, IndyCar will no longer drive super speedways outside of Indianapolis. Michigan Speedway was part of the series from 2002 to 2007, AutoClub Speedway from 2002 to 2005 and a second time from 2012 to 2015, Pocono was used by IndyCar between 2014 and 2019. In NASCAR they are still an essential part of the racing calendar. The closed and partially demolished Texas World Speedway , was the original "sister track" to Michigan. The two-mile oval, with its 22-degree banking,

10500-474: The early twentieth century had wood surfaces. Indianapolis Motor Speedway 's track surface used to be made entirely of bricks, and today, 3 feet (0.91 m), or one yard, of original bricks remain exposed at the start-finish line. Each was hand laid over a 2-inch (51 mm) cushion of sand, then leveled and the gaps filled with mortar. Before the work was completed, locals nicknamed the track "The Brickyard". A combined road course , colloquially referred to as

10640-458: The early years of the Indy Racing League , the series visited several intermediate tracks. The higher-downforce, normally aspirated IRL-type cars proved to be competitive at several of the tracks. The CART series however, mostly stayed away as the faster, more powerful Champ Cars were generally thought to be too fast for this type of circuit. This became evident at the 2001 Firestone Firehawk 600 , when drivers experienced vertigo-like symptoms, and

10780-474: The end of June, while NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. was confident that the track would be ready for racing by July 31, he stated that developers had "a heck of a lot of work to do". On July 3, Furman Bisher, a writer for The Atlanta Journal , remarked that while he was able to confirm that the facility would open on time, he wrote that the facility had only built "necessary conveniences", had costed $ 1.8 million, and that most of its original leadership abandoned

10920-531: The event of hurricanes, including Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael in 2018, Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Hurricane Ian in 2022, and Hurricane Idalia in 2023. In 2021, the Atlanta Marathon was moved to the speedway and its perimeter roads as a result of COVID-19 restrictions in Fulton County . That same year, America's Got Talent: Extreme filmed its first season at

11060-451: The facility from filing bankruptcy, they hoped to merge companies with the Charlotte Motor Speedway , led by track president Richard Howard. A deal with Charlotte was officially confirmed in December; an announcement that American Raceways had left the track's management was also made. However, a month later, Charlotte backed out of the merger, with Howard claiming that "many factors", including

11200-463: The facility throughout its lifespan, including original plans to construct a dragstrip and recent plans to construct a casino complex have been made but were either scrapped or came to a standstill. In the late 1950s, plans were made by the First Georgia Securities Corporation to build a facility that rivaled the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . After a months-long delay, the first races were held in 1960. The track faced heavy financial troubles throughout

11340-401: The facility's grandstands, condominium complex, and other amenities. The racing surface, however, was not affected, and cars were able to test on the facility in early August. The next year, developers demolished the backstretch Weaver Grandstands, converting it to a motorhome parking lot. To replace it, developers built a new portion of grandstands on the frontstretch, adding new suites on top of

11480-414: The facility, however, did not start until late November. By February 1959, Turner and Weatherly both threatened to resign from their positions and file lawsuits against the company, with Weatherly stating that they did not pay them enough for stock sold at meetings, a claim which King refuted. In addition, Weatherly claimed that he only hired to promote and did not want to be involved with selling stock, but

11620-459: The facility. The facility has been used in the production of numerous films. It was first used for movie production in 1962 movie Thundering Wheels , with driver Jack Smith being featured in the movie. Since, the facility has been used for the 1980 film Smokey and the Bandit II , the 1982 Daniel Petrie -directed Six Pack , and the 1983 Hal Needham -directed Stroker Ace . In recent years,

11760-399: The field will draft each other simultaneously in one large pack. In stock car racing this is often referred to as " restrictor plate racing " because NASCAR mandates that each car on its two longest high-banked ovals, Talladega and Daytona , use an air restrictor to reduce horsepower . The results of pack racing may vary. As drivers are forced to race in a confined space, overtaking

11900-542: The first race to be run in 1979 . USAC tried unsuccessfully to ban all CART owners from the 1979 Indianapolis 500 , finally losing in court before the race began. Both the USAC and CART ran multi-race schedules in 1979. Indianapolis Motor Speedway president John Cooper was instrumental in forming a joint body of CART and USAC with the creation of the Championship Racing League in March 1980. However, in mid-1980, Cooper forced USAC to renounce their agreement with

12040-426: The first year of Smith's ownership, he announced the construction of a new 21,000-seat grandstand along with traffic flow improvements, which had been a major issue with the facility since the track's inception. The improvements were completed by November 1991. A month later, he announced the construction of a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) road course layout that utilized both the oval and specialized infield portions, creating

12180-453: The first year of bankruptcy, AIR made around $ 188,000, showing optimistic progress. In the 1972 Atlanta 500 , a storm plagued the track, destroying numerous amenities, including concession stands and parts of grandstands. However, despite the storm, the race was able to make a profit. The next year, while making around $ 750,000 in profit, Cotton approved a reorganization plan that would allow Jim Baker and Walter Nix to own controlling interest of

12320-402: The grandstands. The number of flagship races for the track later decreased to three. A NASCAR-sanctioned race for November 22, 1959, was set in late August, with NASCAR executive director Pat Purcell stating that he thought that the facility would be completed within the next 60 days. In its USAC ventures, however, Indianapolis Motor Speedway superintendent Clarence Cagle recommended changes to

12460-535: The history of NASCAR and IndyCar, this oval size was not very common. Until 1990, there were only five examples. Two of these, the Marchbanks Speedway (1.4 miles) and the Trenton Speedway (1.5 miles), were demolished in the 1970s and 1980s, and only three—Charlotte Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway—have survived to this day. All other ovals of this type were built after 1994. During

12600-437: The late 1960s, having to enter Chapter 10 bankruptcy in 1971. Under periods of stability directed by Stacey Cotton and Walt Nix, the facility was bought out by motorsports mogul Bruton Smith in 1990, with Smith and his company, SMI, directing the facility's expansion and renovation under longtime general manager Ed Clark. The track has since gone through two major reconfigurations since Smith's purchase: one in 1997 that changed

12740-407: The layout of the track, and one in 2021 that changed the style of racing to produce pack racing seen at superspeedways . The track in its current form is measured at 1.54 miles (2.48 km), with 28 degrees of banking in the turns and five degrees of banking in the straightaways. The racing surface width varies, with a recorded 52 feet on the frontstretch, 42 feet on the backstretch, and 40 feet in

12880-408: The legalization of gambling and were still in support of building the complex, support for it essentially stagnated. Clark announced his retirement from his position of president in December 2019 which took effect in March 2020, ending a 27-year reign and giving complete control to Hutchison. After Clark's retirement, SMI CEO Marcus Smith hinted an upcoming repave and possible reconfiguration back to

13020-479: The newly formed Road Racing Division under the direction of Randy Hembrey . Beginning in 1971, all dirt races were split from the National Championship. From 1971 to 1980, the series was named "National Dirt Car Championship", then renamed "Silver Crown Series" in 1981. * As of the end of the 2022 season From 1956 to 1960, USAC's National Sprint Car Championship was divided into two regional divisions in

13160-471: The newly-built Winners Grandstand. With the addition, seating was expanded to 113,000. Four years later, the track lost one of its NASCAR Cup Series race weekends to Kentucky Speedway , another track that Bruton Smith owned. Throughout the 2010s, AMS made gradual decreases to capacity; by 2015, capacity decreased to 71,000 according to NBC Sports . Further decreases were made in early 2018, when an unspecified number of seats were torn down in order to construct

13300-415: The next year. In the 1970s and 1980s, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) also raced at the facility. In 1997, the Indy Racing League (IRL) announced plans to race a 500 kilometres (310 mi) race at the facility, starting in 1998. The race lasted for four years; the race was removed from the IRL schedule by the 2002 season. The facility on numerous occasions has been used as an evacuee center in

13440-470: The oldest oval race track, the Milwaukee Mile was originally a race track for horse racing . In NASCAR, 1-mile oval tracks are among the intermediate tracks. IndyCar rates these tracks as short ovals, since IndyCar does not usually run on ovals shorter than 3/4-mile. The 1-mile ovals have lost a great deal of their former importance for oval racing. Most of the racetracks abandoned by NASCAR or IndyCar in

13580-585: The only long, flat tracks on the schedule. Auto Club Speedway, which joined Indianapolis, Michigan and Pocono as the one of four superspeedways used in the Verizon IndyCar Series , was the site of Gil de Ferran 's qualifying lap of 241.428 mph (388.541 km/h) in the CART FedEx Championship Series in 2000 , the fastest qualifying lap recorded at an official race meeting. Due to the low number of spectators or safety concerns by

13720-558: The original oval configuration if the entertainment complex proposal passed. On July 6, 2021, a repave and subsequent reconfiguration was officially announced; the first repave since 1997. Banking was increased in the turns by four degrees to a total of 28 degrees, and the racing surface was narrowed to produce a style of racing similar to superspeedway pack racing. The decision was met with criticism from drivers such as Denny Hamlin , Kevin Harvick , and Kyle Busch ; particularly on accusations of

13860-448: The oval race tracks. As a result, the racetracks have lengths of different accuracy. The following table shows the values that NASCAR, IndyCar and CART/CCWS used to determine the lap speeds and track records. A typical oval track consists of two parallel straights, connected by two 180° turns. Although most ovals generally have only two radii curves, they are usually advertised and labeled as four 90° turns. While many oval tracks conform to

14000-514: The plan. Price claimed that if the three bought the track, the stock would lose five-sixths of its value. The court denied Price's bid in January 1975, essentially setting up control for the three. Price later appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States in May, who rejected to hear his appeal. The initial phase of reorganization that included debt payments began in July of that year. By January 1976,

14140-454: The project by its completion. The first tests on the facility were ran by Jack Smith on July 10, with Smith being told to sandbag the session. The facility officially opened to teams on July 25 for pre-race activities for the 1960 Dixie 300 ; however, the track saw immediate problems. Purcell ordered the fixing of a seven-foot flaw "between the straightaway and the pits" the same day, with no protective guardrails were installed. Rain plagued

14280-444: The race in its schedule between other CART-sanctioned races. USAC continued to sanction the Indy 500 until 1997, when the Indy Racing League (itself product of the second American open-wheel split in 1996) terminated the sanctioning agreement following two consecutive officiating controversies that year; subsequent Indy 500s (and IRL races, as USAC was also involved in IRL's racing-related matters up to that point) were sanctioned by

14420-861: The race track construction boom of the late 1990s, these tracks began to be labeled with the rather derogatory term "cookie cutter" tracks, as their differences were perceived to be minimal. In 1992, Charlotte became the first intermediate track to install lights and allow for night racing. It is now commonplace for these types of tracks to host night races. Intermediate tracks usually have moderate to steep banking. Almost all modern race tracks that are still used in NASCAR and IndyCar today are of this type. Since their size allows them to compromise high speeds with sightlines, especially tri- and quad-ovals of 1.5-mile length have become commonplace in major racing series that use oval tracks. While intermediate speedways were designed primarily with stock cars in mind, they were also believed to be suited to host Indy cars as well. In

14560-471: The race was cancelled for safety reasons. As of 2020, the IndyCar Series has only one race remaining at a high-banked intermediate track ( Texas ). These tracks began to be removed from the Indy car schedule in the late-2000s and early-2010s due to low crowds and serious crashes, including the fatal accident involving Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas in 2011. Originally a superspeedway was an oval race track with

14700-433: The repave was meant to be done the next year, but Nix decided otherwise. In September 1989, The Charlotte Observer reported that motorsports businessman Roger Penske offered to purchase the facility from DeWitt and Nix at an unspecified amount. However, on the 22nd, the duo was reported to have rejected Penske's offer. On February 22, 1990, both Charlotte and Atlanta local media reported that negotiations between Nix and

14840-447: The same front straightaway. The now defunct Ascot Speedway featured 1/2 mile and 1/4 mile dirt oval tracks, and Irwindale Speedway features 1/2 mile and 1/3 mile concentric paved oval tracks. Pocono Raceway once had a 3/4 mile oval which connected to the main stretch, and circled around the garage area. In 1991, Charlotte Motor Speedway connected the quad oval start-finish straight to the pit lane with two 180 degree turns, resulting in

14980-403: The same start/finish line, and same pit area, but a mid-course diversion to a winding road circuit in the infield (and/or outfield). At some point, the circuit leads back to the main oval, and completes the rest of the lap. On some of the faster ovals, a chicane is present on long back-straights, to keep speeds down, and create additional braking/passing zones. Some more complex facilities feature

15120-431: The second phase started, which gave creditors options for their stock. Two months later, on March 10, the track was officially turned over to a five-man board of directors, ending five years of bankruptcy. With the deal, the three owned around 52% of AIR. In 1978, AIR underwent a repave which was completed by June of that year. By the end of the year, Hogan resigned from his position as general manager. The next year, during

15260-401: The second-biggest racing facility in the United States at the time, only behind the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . The stock sale stagnated, with only $ 40,000 worth of shares being sold by the end of July. In August, drivers Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly were announced by King as racing directors within the track's leadership, replacing Queen and Ernie Troutman, whose stock in the company

15400-588: The series. The USAC also sanctions the American Rally Association , Nitro Rallycross , King of the Hammers and Great American Shortcourse . Starting in 1981, USAC scaled back their participation in Indy car racing outside of the Indianapolis 500. The preeminent national championship season was instead being sanctioned by CART . USAC developed a split-calendar season, beginning in June, and ending in May with

15540-415: The similar construction boom of the baseball/football cookie-cutter stadiums of the 1960s and 1970s, and the subsequent sport-specific stadium construction boom that began in the 1990s. Most of the oval tracks are located in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. However, there are also many oval tracks elsewhere too, as listed below. United States Auto Club The United States Auto Club ( USAC )

15680-599: The sport's ruling body to reduce the high speeds accommodated by their steep banking since 1988. Other superspeedways used by NASCAR include the Michigan International Speedway (2.0 miles), Auto Club Speedway (known as California Speedway prior to February 2008) (2.0 miles), and Pocono Raceway (2.5 miles). Auto Club Speedway and Michigan are often considered intermediate tracks by NASCAR due to their similarities with 1.5-mile tracks, while Pocono and Indianapolis are sometimes classified separately, as they are

15820-431: The three championships at least once in their careers. In 2012 Mike Curb and Cary Agajanian became the only car owners to win the triple crown by winning all three championships in the same year. USAC had awarded a national championship until A. J. Foyt won his seventh title in 1979. It has announced that it will begin awarding a national championship starting in 2010. A driver's best 25 finishes are counted toward

15960-465: The track as trustee. The bankruptcy itself was also seen as a key point that put the stability of stock car racing into question; superspeedways like Atlanta across the Southeast had found themselves in economic trouble, with car manufacturers withdrawing financial support from it. At the time of the filing, the facility found itself with around $ 1,400,000 in debt. With the move, the facility was able to hold

16100-413: The track for $ 500,000, with the duo planning to use $ 350,000 of the money to buy stocks. The plan caused some outrage among minority stockholders, who felt that the value of their stock had decreased massively with the deal. Bankruptcy judge W. H. Drake recommended the reorganization plan in June. The next month, North Carolina Motor Speedway president L. G. DeWitt joined Baker and Nix in their bid to own

16240-470: The track on the 28th, with "a bad bump in the middle groove of the first turn" being reported by drivers. To run the race, track executive Alf Lester hired 17 high school football players for a week. The race itself did not produce any major problems in the track, with a crowd of 25,000 witnessing Edwin "Fireball" Roberts winning the inaugural race. The victory was disputed by numerous drivers, most notably runner-up Cotton Owens who accused NASCAR officials of

16380-440: The track to accommodate USAC cars had not been made and that asphalt surface readings were at unsafe temperatures; up to 140 °F (60 °C). Track president at the time, Nelson Weaver, later questioned the authenticity of Sachs' fears and put out a statement that criticized USAC officials. Four years later, Weaver began renewed talks with USAC to host a race; this time, USAC awarded a race weekend in September. The race ran again

16520-418: The track to increase safety for it to have a better chance at receiving a USAC date. Construction hit its first snag when road building was delayed due to fears of explosive hazards in August. In October, 20 days of rain plagued the track's construction, with construction being left half complete. As a result, track leaders decided to postpone the race, hoping to reschedule it in December or January 1960. The race

16660-455: The track's general manager. Atlanta Motor Speedway is served by the nearby concurrent U.S. Route 41 and U.S. Route 19 , along with Georgia State Route 20 . The track has a capacity of 71,000 as of 2015. It features numerous amenities, including a nine-story condominium complex, a 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) oval on the track's frontstretch, and a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) roval road course layout upon 850 acres of land. Plans to expand to

16800-515: The track's parent company, SMI, refusing to release capacity statistics as late as 2021. At its peak, the facility held a maximum of 124,000 according to a 2010 report by the Atlanta Magazine . The facility also covers around 850 acres of land. The track complex hosts a nine-story condominium complex called Tara Place. It was completed in 1994 and features 46 units along with a ballroom. On April 8, 1958, The Atlanta Constitution reported that

16940-487: The track, unofficially confirming his purchase. Smith's purchase was officially confirmed on October 24, paying $ 19.8 million for the facility. Bob Marcum, the manager at the Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway , was appointed as general manager. With the purchase, Smith announced a plan that sought to invest $ 75 million worth of renovations to the track. The facility was also renamed to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Within

17080-599: The track. The reorganization plan was rejected by AIR stockholders; in response, Drake made modifications to appease the opposing stockholders. By the end of the year, Smith awarded the three ownership and placed Larry Hogan and Bob Latford to run AIR. However, in April 1974, leading stockholder James Price challenged the decision in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit , as stockholders voted again to reject

17220-407: The traditional symmetrical design, asymmetrical tracks are not uncommon. Additional prominent examples: The tri-oval is the common shape of the ovals from the construction booms of the 1960s and 1990s. The use of the tri-oval shape for automobile racing was conceived by Bill France, Sr. during the planning for Daytona. The triangular layout allowed fans in the grandstands an angular perspective of

17360-414: The turns and are considered low banked, superspeedways like Talladega have up to 33° of tilt in curves, Daytona has up to 32°, both are considered high banked. Atlanta is the intermediate track with the highest banking, 28°. Winchester has the highest banking of any active oval track with 37° Track surfaces can be dirt , concrete, asphalt, or a combination of concrete and asphalt. Some ovals in

17500-412: The turns. From 1997 to 2021, the racing surface was at a recorded 55 feet with 24 degrees of banking in the turns. When the track first opened as a true oval, it was advertised to be banked at 24 degrees in the turns, with the straightaways being "banked slightly". In 1992, developers added a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) road course layout that combined the main oval with a specialized infield portion to create

17640-596: The years. While some tracks use terms such as "speedway" or "superspeedway" in their name, they may not meet the specific definitions used in this article. A short track is an oval track less than one mile (1.6 km) long, with the majority being 0.5 miles (0.8 km) or shorter. Drivers seeking careers in oval track racing generally serve their apprenticeship on short tracks before moving up to series which compete on larger tracks. Due to their short length and fast action, these tracks are often nicknamed " bullrings ". Professional-level NASCAR races on short tracks usually use

17780-430: Was bought by track directors. With Queen sacked, he and King entered into a dispute over future race dates between Lakewood Speedway and Atlanta International Raceway, with both stating that they weren't willing to give up dates if they happened to run races on the same day. Groundbreaking occurred on September 17 at 1 PM EST , with King stating plans to host the first races at the facility "sometime in 1959"; actual work on

17920-689: Was built as a facility for the automotive industry to conduct research and development. Daytona International Speedway was built as a replacement for the Daytona Beach Road Course , which combined the town's main street and its famous beach. Daytona hosts the Daytona 500 , NASCAR's most prestigious race, while the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is home to the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 . The longest superspeedway in North America

18060-421: Was created to provide a less dangerous alternative to a traditional concrete wall. The barrier can be retrofitted onto an existing wall or may take the place of a concrete wall completely. Oval tracks are classified based upon their size, surface, banking, and shape. Their size can range from only a few hundred feet to over two and a half miles. The definitions used to differentiate track sizes have changed over

18200-417: Was damaged in a letter sent to 800 stockholders, which allegedly stated that Mitchell stole $ 100,000 in gate revenue. Although Lester was able to garner enough support by election day to retain the current administration, he decided to resign from his position, handing it to Nelson Weaver. Renovations were steadily made during the first years. A guardrail was eventually installed by late October in time for

18340-418: Was eventually postponed to March 27, the same day as a major race for Lakewood Speedway; however, with the track still being constructed by February, leaders opted to postpone the race indefinitely. Four months later, Art Lester replaced King as president of the facility after he obtained over $ 1 million in financial aid. In addition, the track was able to reschedule the NASCAR race for a July 31 date along with

18480-437: Was filed on September 1 by 15 stockholders who supported Lester against five opposing stockholders who claimed that they wanted to hold a special stockholders' meeting to oust the current leadership, leading to the "endanger[ment of] the corporation's financial structure". A second lawsuit, filed by director I. C. Mitchell for libel , was made nine days later against Deermont and four other stockholders that claimed his reputation

18620-412: Was formed because they felt that "Lester is not doing a good job". Lester, who was facing his second attempt to overthrow him during his tenure, angrily stated that if he was overthrown, leadership would have to pay off an insurmountable $ 562,000 mortgage payment. A vote was scheduled for September 10, with Jackson claiming that their group had enough votes to sack Lester, unlike the first attempt. A lawsuit

18760-402: Was later forced to; he also implied that the financial situation and opening date of the track was unstable, stating, "They painted us a pretty picture... that picture isn't so pretty anymore". Four months later, although stock sales saw further stagnation, the project was able to secure a $ 400,000 loan, with King claiming that construction progressed enough that construction crews started building

18900-477: Was plagued by "power struggles for several years" along with "too many chiefs and not enough Indians". NASCAR personalities, including Junior Johnson and Buddy Arrington , also stated displeasure with the facility, with a poor track surface, heavy mismanagement, and traffic concerns being key issues. Before Weaver died, he used his own finances to keep the track afloat; the stability went away after his death. Under Black's leadership, in December 1968, AIR merged with

19040-670: Was put on hold after the 2019 season and has not made its way back into the sport since then. USAC and URC Sprint Car Series promoter Curt Michael joined forces to create the USAC East Coast Sprint Car Series, with the first season beginning in 2018. Champions USAC formed the Speed2 Midget Series (formerly known as the Ford Focus Midget Series, Ignite Midget Series and HPD Midget Series) in 2002 with several regional divisions running across

19180-498: Was reinstated to the schedule, this time taking a race weekend in the month of July. Along with its Cup Series races, the track also hosts lower-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series races. In 1986, the facility held a one-off iteration of The Winston (now known as the NASCAR All-Star Race), which had originally meant to be a race that rotated facilities annually. However, after lackluster attendance, moved to

19320-489: Was started in 1990 and switched to USAC sanctioning in 2017. The championship currently races on road and street courses across the United States and Canada with seven different classes for GT cars & Touring cars. Founded by WC Vision, the series is presently owned by SRO Group . The Stadium Super Trucks series was founded in 2013 by former NASCAR driver Robby Gordon . It is sanctioned by USAC, though Gordon and sponsorship marketing company The Elevation Group co-own

19460-526: Was the site of Mario Andretti's closed-course record of 214.158 mph (344.654 km/h) which stood for 12 years. No major professional series have raced at TWS since the 1990s. The 2.5 mile Ontario Motor Speedway was known as the "Indianapolis of the West", but was bought by the Chevron Land Company in 1980 and partitioned for development. NASCAR and IndyCar use different measuring systems to measure

19600-521: Was used only twice (both in 1987) and has not been used for major motor racing since hosting Round 9 of the 1987 World Touring Car Championship . There have been two distinct oval race track construction "booms" in the United States. The first took place in the 1960s, and the second took place in the mid-to-late 1990s. The majority of tracks from the 1960s boom and the 1990s boom have survived, but some tracks failed to achieve long-term financial success. Incidentally, these two booms loosely coincided with

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