MAJOR CHANGES IN STORE FOR HISTORIC SALEM SPEEDWAY
OVAL INCLUDING ADDITION OF NEW INFIELD SHORT-TRACK

SALEM, IN, December 18 – Salem Speedway owner, Owen Thompson, announced today that phase one of a major transformation project planned for the historic southern Indiana oval is slated to begin within the next few weeks.

“We are certainly excited to announce the start of a long awaited facility renovation,” said Thompson. “The changes about to take place will unfold over the next three years and greatly enhance the motorsports possibilities for Salem Speedway.”

Phase one of the project will focus on the addition of a 3/8-mile asphalt oval in the infield of the existing .555-mile track.

“The new short-track will be configured for both oval and figure-8 racing,” said Thompson. “It will have many, many functions built into it, including connecting roads to the existing oval to facilitate road racing type events.”

No completion date has been announced for the 3/8-mile track, but a full season of racing is in the planning stages for the 2010 season.

“Weather conditions during the winter and spring months will dictate the construction schedule and completion of the project,” said Thompson. “Everything is in place to move full steam ahead with the undertaking.”

“The new short-track opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for racing at Salem Speedway,” said track general manager Richard Deaton. “It will be suited for everything from figure-8 cars to pure stocks, to Legends Cars and go-carts.”

According to Thompson, entry level racing divisions will play a prominent roll in the development of the new oval.

“We want to provide an opportunity for young and inexperienced drivers to gain pavement experience in an affordable class of cars,” said the track owner.

Deaton points out that longtime fans of the high banks need not worry about the half-mile track playing a lesser roll in the overall picture of the planned motorplex.

“The historic high banks have stood the test of time and will continue to be the centerpiece of racing at Salem ,” said Deaton.

The 3/8-mile track is just phase one of Thompson’s overall plan for the track that first opened in June of 1947. Each year over the next three years the Speedway plans to add a new facet with the culmination being the opening of a drag strip at the current Salem Municipal Airport , which adjoins the Speedway property.

Phase two of the project, scheduled for 2011, includes improvements to the existing .555-mile oval and construction of a .44-mile dirt track.

Thompson and his wife, Beverly, who purchased the track in the summer of 1995, have overseen many facility improvements during their 15 years of ownership. Major renovation projects included the construction of a 9600 sq. ft., three story structure that houses concessions, gift shop, offices, press facilities and hospitality suite.

Other improvements the Thompson’s have made include replacing the metal guardrail that once encompassed the track with a concrete retaining wall, a grandstand expansion, a widening of pit road, installation of new light towers, pavement of all roads in the spectator parking area, construction of a 2,000 square foot open air pavilion for hospitality and making the grandstands handicapped accessible with the addition of a spectator ramp, as well as other smaller projects.

The 2010 Salem Speedway season is set to open on Sunday, April 11, when the ARCA Series, presented by RE/MAX and Menards returns to the high banks for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA 200.

The full 2010 Salem Speedway schedule will be released in early January.

From our buddy Richard Deaton...

Now if you could only figure out a way to make everone sit down while the race is going on
thats why i don`t go to salem or any other blacktop track.you can`t see anything

Can you skip to Phase 2. I like the ideal of adding the dirt track.

Phase 1 sucks in my opinion. You are taking away the main reason I attend Salem. The Infield.If I wanted to see Figure 8 racing I would go to the dump that is sportsdrome speedway.

Why cant phase 1 just be to repave the 1/2 mile.

I agree that a great phase one (or only phase) would be to repave the half mile. But with all the work they plan to do in the infield it would be foolish to lay a new surface then drive a million tons of equipment across it to do the infield.

I also agree that I love the infield the way it is. But I'm sure the new plans are in place to help them have a better variety of events, offset some costs and continue to make a go of it at Salem.

Any track owner who goes forward with developing a new speedway surface at this time is a brave soul. It is far better for us than losing a speedway to housing or strip malls. For the owner it is a major expense and risk.

and even more changes

2010 JOE JAMES/PAT O’CONNOR MEMORIAL TO
FEATURE TWO DIFFERENT SPRINT CAR SERIES

SALEM, IN, Dec. 15 – The Salem Speedway “Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial” will feature an exciting new twist in 2010 reports track management. The USAC National Sprint Car Series, a mainstay of the event for over 45 years, will be joined by the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series for the 51st edition of the storied classic.
This marks the first time in the history of the event that two different sprint car series appear together on the racing program. In recent years, midgets or local stock car divisions have joined the USAC sprints for the annual race.

“We’re certainly excited to have these two great sprint car series appear on the same program,” said Salem Speedway general manager Richard Deaton. “This historic night on the high banks will provide fans an excellent opportunity to see the best-of-the-best in open wheel short-track racing.

“The breathtaking action of USAC sprints, combined with the raw speed and excitement of the Must See Racing Xtreme winged sprint cars, will undoubtedly deliver a memorable night of racing,” said Deaton.

The overall Salem Speedway track record of 14.377-seconds was posted by Kevin Feeney during time trials for a 2006 winged sprint car race on the high banks.

The honor roll of past James/O’Connor victors reads like a “who’s-who” in open wheel racing history with such names as A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Bob Sweikert, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Pancho Carter, Rich Vogler, Kenny Irwin Jr. and Tony Stewart gracing the list of former winners.

Originating in 1953 as the Joe James Memorial, in remembrance of the popular California driver who lost his life in a racing accident, the event was renamed the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial in 1958 following the death of O’Connor in that year’s Indianapolis 500.

The 2010 sprint classic, set for Saturday night, August 14th, will be topped off with a 30-lap feature for the MSR Xtreme Sprint Series and the 50-lap James/O’Connor Memorial for the USAC sprints.



****Hey Shortbus, try sitting in the first row instead of the top row, that way nobody will stand in front of you

Kudos to the thompson's for taking such a huge financial risk in the middle of this terrible recession. I don't mind the infield track, really it should wait until after the track is resurfaced. That 1/2 mile surface is in dire need of new asphalt, possibly progressive banking. Open up a few new grooves in the corners. I was on the construction crew that repaved winchester back in 1995, i can tell you that paving a high banked track like that is no joke. The stress on the equipment, men, and the owner's checkbook is incredible. Good luck to the thompson's as they move forward with their plans. I hope it all works out for them, i love that place.

Hopefully, screwing up this infield with another race track doesn't have the same impact as it did the one up in Indianapolis. Personally, I think messing iwth the infield is one of the biggest mistakes Tony George ever made. I've spoken with several people who saw their first race of any kind when in that infield when a race broke out during the party. Many of them buy seats in the penthouse today.
However, I saw my first race ever at Salem and have been saddened to see the racing surface deteriorate as it has. If this is what is needed to fix it, so be it but I fear you are gambling with one of the things making the track unique.
Jim Morrison

If they do away with the swingset in the infield I know of one little boy who won't be pleased.

At least there is still one behind the bleachers.

My earliest memories of Salem involve running around in that infield. Lots of people have a picnic in that infield during races.

All of the bean counters, staff reductions and marketing gurus in the world cannot repair the damage done to the atmosphere at Indianapolis. It used to be the most unique event in the world. It had a special magic that everyone else in racing envied. Now, it's just a race.
God forbid that ever happens at Salem. I still get goosebumps walking into that place.
Jim Morrison

you guys refering to the dump in Jeffersonville, might want to make another trip down there. They just finished repaving the entire place. In the process of putting up new walls. In the last few years they have put in a new hospitaity area. lot of new improvments down there!