Cayuga Motor Speedway
Stock car racing track.
Tuesday, August, 19, 2014 - 3:03:46 PM
Cayuga Motor Speedway looking to race again for 2015 season
Shawn Smith, The Sachem
After five years without racing on the big oval at Cayuga Motor Speedway, things are about to pick up at the "Canada’s Crown Jewel"
The first steps to returning the speedway to its former glory have been taken, and new track owners Jerry Montour and Kenny Hill are planning to have the track up and running by June of 2015.
A meeting was held on Wednesday, August 13 between multiple parties involved in the process of resurfacing the track and preparing it for the upcoming season. Included was North America asphalt specialist Bob Harrington, former owner Bob Slack and Randy Slack, media director for the Pro Modified Racing Association Tim Miller and COO of Cayuga Motor Speedway Frank Marchionda,
"We reached out to NASCAR and they suggested Harrington," said Marchionda. "Our plan for next year is to be racing."
For that to happen, the new layers of asphalt need to be laid this fall. Harrington suggested that racing next year would not be out of the question.
"The track looks to be in pretty good shape considering how long it’s been sitting," said Harrington.
Machionda has reached out to the NASCAR Canadian Tire racing series and they have expressed interest in holding an event at the track next season.
There are currently no plans of holding weekly shows at the track, instead having five to six special events per year. The plan is to emulate what many US tracks have done, marrying racing events with concerts for a well-rounded experience.
Next year, Cayuga Motor Speedway is hoping to hold the first annual Jukasa music festival, which Marchionda referred to as the "Coachella of Canada".
New owners Hill and Montour are looking to make a considerable investment into the community through Cayuga Motor Speedway, and hosting these special events could provide the county with a major economic boost. Not only will it attract thousands from out of the county, but it will also offer local businesses the opportunity to expose their products to new potential customers.
"We want to compliment the other local tracks in the area," said Marchionda. "We want to host special events."
Harrington made clear the importance of properly laying the new asphalt, and went through the specifics of what needs to be done.
The new asphalt proposed for Cayuga Motor Speedway has styrene in it, which helps with the flexibility and durability of the asphalt.
"What it does is raise the softening point of the asphalt higher than the sun can heat it up," said Harrington.
There are major aspirations for Cayuga Motor Speedway, but the first step is to make sure the track is of a first class.
"We want to make sure the track is good for drivers," said Marchionda. "If we get the drivers, the fans will come."