“It’s pretty awesome,” Timm said. “It feels like we finally got to right where we need to be.”
“What makes you feel good, is that you know the track is going in the right direction,” Lingenfelter said. “I hope people realize that too, even though financially, things are doing better, we’re sticking that money back into the Speedway. … We don’t want to be just a racetrack, we want to be an event center. Everyone can hang out with your friends and family and just enjoy some entertainment.”
The bleachers will replace the smaller wooden ones there now and will go along turn one, extending up as high as the VIP suites offering a view that few dirt tracks can offer. Construction will start sometime this fall.
“You’re going to have a great view and you’re going to be back on it a little ways too, so you are going to be out of the dust, out of the dirt,” Lingenfelter said. “You will be able to go sit up there and have a really big broad view, but at the same time if you’d like to be down close and personal, and get dirty, you can still bring your own lawn chair and sit down close. It will be a good mixture for everybody.”
Expansion was something that was always discussed, but they had to wait for the right time. Ironically, the right time came during an unprecedented summer.
Originally, the Speedway wasn’t sure it was going to be allowed to have a season, but after working hand-in-hand with Buffalo County health officials, the season went on without a hitch with every scheduled race taking place. Not only did they still have a season, but the dirt track saw record numbers in attendance and driver participation.