NASCAR and Salem, Indiana?

Question

Have you heard the news? Small southern Indiana town is going to be the next big step in NASCAR! They are moving the local airport, Salem Speedway is buying it's property and other land to the west to make a new motorplex! Going to be a track like Bristol but a 5/8th mile oval, a 1 mile road course and a drag racing strip! It's being said it'll be the biggest and up to date facility yet!

Anyone have any info on this besides what I found? Need info on funding and organization of it please.

Answer 1

Not certain, but my family grew up there and it would be pretty interesting if this happened.  I will ask around if anyone has heard/knows anything.

I would say IndianaHoosier's pretty much cleared the air, good show and thanks for the info.

Would love to see this for Salem, a lot of history with that track.

Answer 2

looks cool

sounds like a compatition for NASCARS next track

Answer 3

From a local newspaper:

Plans for expansion to include drag strip, road course...

Salem Mayor David Bower, Salem Speedway owner Owen Thompson and Salem Board of Aviation Commissioners (BOAC) President Bill Barnett confirmed that they meet on Thursday morning, May 8th, 2008 to discuss of the SalemSpeedway acquiring the Salem Municipal Airport.

According to Bower, the bulk of the discussion focused on Thompson presenting the concept to transform the Salem Speedway and airport and other unspecified properties to the west of the speedway into the next world class Motoplex.

Thompson confirmed that plans include participation from Sprint Cup affiliates along with Lucas Oil,  HAAS/CNC Racing, Toyota, and University/Purdue, University (IUPUI).

In addition several other non-automotive/racing sponsors were named.

Thompson's plans an additional road-type racing capacity in the infield of the 1/2 mile oval and adjacent locations.  Thompson went on to elaborate on plans for a research and development center and an automotive design/engineering facility operated by IUPUI.

In a telephone interview, Thompson was quite emphatic of the whole concept of the motorplex in Washington County."The various sponsors and participants don't want it in the middle of the next decade before the old airport property is availuable".  We will get Baron Hill, Denny Oxley and our United State Senators involved in this project to make sure that the Federal Aviation Administration moves ahead with the approval plans as quickly as possible for the new airport as quickly as possible.

Bower noted,"This is too important to have some one in Chicago or Washington draging their feet".

The potential economic benefits to Salem, Washington County and Southern Indiana region would be tremendous in impact.

Speculation about this project and involvement of big name NASCAR  drivers and owners has swirled for years around the Salem Speedway, finally  it is coming to fruition in a spectacular manner than rumors have indicated,  when all pieces of this puzzle falls into place.

When completed the motorplax will include the following:

~5/8 mile steep high bank oval (replacing the current 1/2 mile  high bank track that is the mother track of Bristol)

~1320 foot tractor pulling arena

~3300 foot drag strip with return lane

~1 mile road course

~Racing Museum

~3000 seat concert stand

~Luxury Suites

~IUPUI technical center

~Corporate test and product development center

~Design and machining center

Thompson said that the formal announcement of the project will be forethcomming in the very near future worldwide.