Category Archives: Track News

Updates and rumors on new racetracks in Alberta!

Castrol Raceway – Road Course confirmed

Posted on June 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

New Road Course at Castrol Raceway near Edmonton, AB

Update:  Added photos of the construction!

Good news from Edmonton for all Sports Car racers and High Performance Driving Enthusiasts …. An announcement yesterday that the completion of the road course at Castrol Raceway is going ahead. Once complete it will be a 2.7 km circuit with the first phase planned to be ready for September 2011.

From the Castrol Raceway website

The Road Course will be the newest addition to Castrol Raceway, which also boasts a ¼ Mile IHRA sanctioned Drag Strip, 3/8 Mile clay Oval and a 10 Acre Pro Motocross Track.

A Road Course has been in the works on the Castrol Raceway property since it was first built 20 years ago.  “With the commitment of Wakefield Canada (Castrol’s Canadian parent company) to remain the Title Sponsor and partner of the race track, it seemed like the ideal time to build,” said Rob Reeves.

If all goes according to plan, the Road Course will be fully completed within three years.  Phase one is currently underway and will consist of completing the first 1.4 km loop of track with the hope of being operational by the end of this summer.  Phase two will see the completion of the second 1.3 loop, and phase three will bring it all together.

An article from the Edmonton Journal.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Open+road+course+latest+addition+Castrol+Raceway/4985210/story.html

Photos of the construction happening!

Road Course construction at Castrol Raceway near Edmonton

 

 

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Alderman Ric McIver’s “Block Party”

Posted on April 13, 2010 | Leave a comment

Alderman Ric McIver is holding a “Ric’s Block Party” on:

Wednesday April 21, 2010
5:00 – 8:00 PM
803 – 24 Ave SE.

Tickets are $150 and fall under the municipal election rules. Dinner and refreshments will be served.

His official announcement will be made before or at the Block Party.

It’s time for us to step up and support a person who has been supporting us and the motorsports community in Calgary for the last 2 years.

I’m planning on attending … See you there?

www.ricmciver.ca

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Race City – Two More Years

Posted on February 9, 2010 | Leave a comment

Just saw this …. not sure what happened to 2015 …

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/story.html?id=2541535

Race City Motorsport Park

CALGARY – Race City will run for two more seasons and then shut down at its current location, after a tentative agreement was reached by its owner and the city.

“Basically it’s a compromise we proposed to them in December,” Race City owner Art MacKenzie said Tuesday morning. “It’s a shorter-term commitment from the city.

“It gave us some security and the ability to operate as a viable business, as opposed to paying a million dollars in rent, literally, so we can run economically for the next while.”

Late Monday night, city council approved a proposed settlement but details are to remain confidential until it is signed.

Race City and the city have been battling about the speedway’s southeast site following a dispute over its lease.

The track has occupied 64 hectares of city-owned land since 1985 and while the current lease expires this year, MacKenzie believed he had done the necessary work to extend it to 2015.

However, the city disputed that, arguing it needed the land back to prepare for the Shepard landfill expansion.

Last fall, in an 8-7 vote, council directed administration to go back to the table with MacKenzie to find a way for Race City to operate until 2015, despite being told it would cost the city $3 million because of additional work required on the site.

MacKenzie said the city wanted to hike the facility’s rent to more than $1 million from $37,000.

Tuesday MacKenzie said of the two-season deal, “I’m happy to be able to get some agreement. I can get on with the business of trying to run a business.”

He added he will also begin looking for a new location for Race City.

Ald. Ric McIver, who has championed the race track, said he can’t comment on details because the agreement isn’t finalized.

“Council did give instructions to administration to complete the deal that’s been negotiated,” he said. “There was strong support from council at this time. I’m optimistic we can conclude this in an amicable and successful way.”

MacKenzie said he expects to have the track open for racing in May.

kguttormson(AT)theherald.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

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Race City Lease to Continue to 2015

Posted on September 29, 2009 | Leave a comment

City council has voted to extend Race City Motorsport’s lease for another five years.

Race City Motorsport Park

The future of the Calgary racetrack at 114th Avenue and 68th Street S.E. was up for debate, because the city said it needed the land to expand the Shepard landfill site.

On Monday afternoon, however, aldermen voted 8 to 7 in favour of an amended motion by Ald. Ric McIver giving the racetrack another five years at the site. McIver argued, in part, that the racetrack provides an outlet for drivers who would otherwise race in the streets.

A regular event called “Secret Street” opens the racetrack to “street racers and drag enthusiasts” with registered and insured vehicles who pass a safety inspection, according to the racetrack’s website.

City officials estimate leaving Race City on the land will cost taxpayers $600,000 a year for event security, garbage collection and future remediation of the land, but McIver argued it was worth the price.

“The biggest reason is because it’s better for Calgary, it really is. It’ll keep the streets safer. And yes, there will be a cost. We do things every day that have a cost and why do we do them? We do them because it makes our city better,” he said.

Speedway fans held a rally on Saturday, with a reported 200 people driving downtown, some with signs showing support for the racetrack.

from cbc.ca

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