I remeber a few years back that NASCAR was considering building a ractrack in Upstate New York.?

Question

Are they still considering building a track in the Albany/ Saratoga area.....what do you think....should they build in that area and get rid of Watkins Glen...

Answer 1

I haven't heard that one yet .

Answer 2

A road course adds a little excitement to the mix and Watkins Glen is deep in the history of Nascar as well as Indy racing.
When Nascar comes to town, we roll out the red carpet and treat our "temporary residents" to some hometown hospitality.

Answer 3

Keep Watkins Glenn. Nothing wrong with letting the drivers turn thier steering wheel the other way. I like having a couple road tracks in the mix and having the drivers utilize a different set of racing skills.

But if the majority of people prefer the cookie cutter oval tracks every single week so be it.

Answer 4

I agree get rid of the wild tracks like Watkins Glen and add a track in New York, but thats never going to happen. If they build a track in New York, They are taking out the 1st New Hampshire race, which peole in my family attend. I would love to see a new track in New York, but I don't want to see New Hampshire gone! :(

Answer 5

I'd love it. I don't like road races like the Glen--hard to see all the action, and I think they're kind of boring, even if my man Tony Stewart is good on the road. But I live in NYC, and people would be surprised how many fans are around here!

Answer 6

That would be awesome if they built a new track in New York...umm should have lights....Saturday night race!!!!...I'd love that.........I haven't been able to get to Watkins Glen....and I live in NY state.....my hubby is always saying its better to watch that race on TV....but one of these days I"m going to get my butt there and see for myself.........I think they should build one in the Catskill area.....just kidding that's greedy/or selfish of me cause I live in that area and would really love it....

Answer 7

the long island track was nexed at least for the time being due to the locals. I don't remember an upstate NY track

Answer 8

NASCAR In New York? Not So Fast...

AP story via Yahoo! Sports:

ISC scraps plans to build NASCAR track on Staten Island

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer
December 4, 2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- International Speedway Corp. scrapped plans Monday to build a track on Staten Island, stalling NASCAR's dream to bring a race to the New York area.

``While we are disappointed that we could not complete the speedway development on Staten Island, our enthusiasm for the metropolitan New York market is in no way dampened,'' ISC president Lesa France Kennedy said. ``We continue to view the region as a prime location for a major motorsports facility.''
France Kennedy heads ISC, the publicly traded sister company of NASCAR -- which was founded by her grandfather and currently chaired by her brother, Brian France

Both companies badly want to expand NASCAR into the New York metropolitan area, and moved toward that goal in 2004 when a subsidiary of ISC paid about $100 million for a 440-acre former oil tank farm on Staten Island. The company later bought another 236 acres to gain the necessary land for a race track.

The goal was to build a 0.8-mile state-of-the-art track that would have accommodated 80,000 fans and had the New York City skyline as its backdrop.

But the proposal has been met by severe resistance, including a a hotly contested April public meeting in which tempers reached dangerous levels -- forcing police to end the meeting over safety concerns.

Residents complained of traffic tie-ups and argued that the two major roads leading into the property would likely need major renovations to handle the increased loads.

Environmental concerns were also cited by opponents of the plan.

ISC's decision to call off the plan was immediately trumpeted as a ``monumental victory for the people of Staten Island,'' by New York City Council Minority Leader James S. Oddo.

``For months, many a Staten Islander thought this project was a `done deal,' `` Oddo said. ``In the end, the interests of Staten Islanders as expressed in an earnest and unwavering fashion ... prevailed.

``After all was said and done, NASCAR was simply an inappropriate fit for S.I.''

ISC cited an ``inability to secure the critical local political support that is necessary to secure the required land-use change approvals'' in ending the Staten Island project. In all, the company said spent about $150 million on the project:

-- $123 million for land and related improvements.

-- $11 million for costs related to the development of the speedway.

-- $16 million for capitalized interest and property taxes.

ISC said it may now sell the land, which it believes will be worth more than $100 million and described as the largest undeveloped acreage in the five boroughs of New York City.

The company said the decision to abandon the effort will result in a non-cash, pretax charge results of approximately $75 to $85 million, or $0.90 to $1.02 per diluted share after-tax.

France Kennedy expressed disappointment over not getting a chance to present the entire proposal to residents.

``We clearly believe that if we had been able to proceed through the full public process, the significant benefits this project represents would have generated a more positive reaction,'' she said.

NASCAR and ISC have long targeted both the New York and Pacific Northwest as areas it would like to expand into. Initial plans to build a track north of Seattle were thwarted, and ISC has since chosen a 950-acre site across the Puget Sound in Kitsap County, Wash.

ISC hopes that funding legislation on the Washington project will be submitted sometime in January.

The New York project is now uncertain, with ISC forced to find new land and an accepting public if it plans to continue.

France Kennedy said ISC, which owns 11 major tracks and hosts more than 100 annual events, said the company would move forward.

``Due to the considerable interest and support for NASCAR racing in the region, we remain committed to the pursuit of a motorsports entertainment facility development in the nation's number one media market,'' she said. ``We believe a facility in this area represents a significant long-term opportunity for our company, and is one component of several broader strategic growth opportunities ahead for ISC.'



I know thats a long explanation but thats what I could find... My question is, why not! Get rid of Dover until they fix that place up... Why, when we have 43 cars, do we only have 42 pit boxes???

I would say build it in New York put up lights and lets get after it

Answer 9

I think it's still in the work's,but I thought it was on staten Island??like they dont have enough traffic problems!

Answer 10

Wouldn't know, I live way down south.