NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PROPOSED TRACK NEWS/RUMORS
Websites:
none I know of
- North Calif Track News: been a while, see a story at the Sacramento Bee: Major racing can rev up major cash: But is Yuba in position to capitalize? by Gary Delsohn(2-14-2001)
- North California Track News: Frustrated by a year of delays and eager to unwrap their ultimate prize -- a 1.3-mile oval auto racetrack -- Yuba County Motorplex officials reversed ground Monday and said bringing Indy 500-style racing to the region now is their first priority. Instead of opening a 15,000-seat drag strip as the initial piece of the $83 million Motorplex sometime next summer, developers have put those plans on hold and now plan to open a 40,000-seat oval track by early 2002. The oval would allow the Motorplex to compete for more glamorous and lucrative NASCAR and CART races sooner than if they had remained on their original schedule, the project's partners announced.(SacBee)(9-13-2000)
- North Calif track news: A Yuba County judge said Thursday he will rule early next month in an environmental lawsuit against a planned $80 million auto racetrack that developers of the facility say could kill the project if the judge rules against them. Filed by property owners near the racetrack site 10 miles south of Marysville, the lawsuit accuses county officials and project developers of violating the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA. The dispute stems from how the county sought to grant development rights to Orange County racing entrepreneur Frank Arciero, who had been searching for more than a decade for a suitable place to build an auto track(Sacramento Bee)(7-21-2000)
- California Speedway Plans: A group told the Madera City(CA) Council last week that it wants to get started as soon as possible building an $83 million Winston Cup-quality racetrack just north of the city. The group, which calls itself Yosemite Motor Speedway Co., says it has a loan commitment for $82,840,851 from Morgan, Weinstein and Co., a Southern California financing company. Yosemite Motor Speedway Co.'s plans are to build a 1.25-mile speedway that could seat 55,000(Modesto Bee)(7-5-2000)
- New California Speedway? Backers are starting down a road that could end up bringing a $82 million speedway to Madera County(near Frenso CA). The proposed speedway would be built near the Madera golf course and airport, and would draw racers from the IRL --or Indy Racing League -- the Busch Grand National Racing League and NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series. The 56,000-seat site is generating a lot of excitement, but some neighbors oppose it. Speedway supporters made their first official pitch to local officials last night(Wednesday). The facility would be paid for with a private loan, but the city and/or county would still have to give it the green light. If that happens, the racing could begin by the end of next year(KSEE Channel 24 site)(6-23-2000)
- Northern Calilfornia Track News: IRL and NASCAR officials said they want to see the proposed Yosemite Motor Speedway get built before they consider holding races there. With a grandstand capacity of 55,000 and a 1.25-mile paved track, the$43 million speedway complex envisioned west of Freeway 99 in alfalfa fields just north of the Madera Municipal Airport would meet the standards of both national sanctioning groups. Yosemite Motor Speedway Inc. spokesman Barry Toepke said that the promoters of the 417-acre racing complex between avenues 17 and 18 would also want to persuade NASCAR officials to put Madera(CA near Fresno) on its Winston Cup map(Fresno Bee)(10-6-1999)
- North California Track Approved: Racing should begin in 2001 at the Yuba County Motorplex, raceway developers said Wednesday. Frank Arciero Sr. and his team made the announcement during a Marysville press conference. The press conference also was the first opportunity for Arciero to formally introduce his partner, Gerald Forsythe, an Illinois industrialist and racing team owner. Forsythe was unable to attend. Groundbreaking for the motorplex should occur next spring. By 2001, there will be grandstand seating for 40,000, a 1.3-mile banked oval and road courses inside the oval. Second-phase construction will include 10,000 seats for the 4,650-foot drag strip and expanded grandstand seating. That work should be done by the end of 2002. See the complete story was at GoRacing: New Track Set for Sacramento Area(11-19-98)
- North Calif Track: Judge David Russell listened to about two hours of arguments and testimony. He decided just one of seven issues Arciero's lawyers raised as they sought a court order to bar Hofman from interfering with the $60 million Arciero Motorplex(Appeal-Democrat)(11-3-98)
- N Calif Racetrack Lawsuit: Racetrack developer Frank Arciero wants a court order to stop Frances Hofman from interfering with his Yuba County(Calif) project, Arciero's attorney said Thursday(Appeal-Democrat)(10-31-98)
- Northern California Speedway Construction: Baldwin Construction Co. crews this week began the prep work for improving existing roads around the proposed Arciero Motorplex site, the first physical work related to the $60 million raceway project. Arciero is hoping to hold his first major racing event - preferably a CART Indy race for which he is a team owner - in the spring of 2000. Plans are for a 1.7-mile oval and 55,000-seat grandstand, the raceway offices and other related facilities and infrastructure. The phased project will eventually include a 2.5-mile road course, a drag strip, driver's school and an 18-hole public golf course. Arciero also has set aside 77 acres for a business park.(Appeal-Democrat)(10-23-98)
- Talks between concert promoter Bill Graham Presents and the developer of a Yuba County raceway appear to be disintegrating, but the Indy and NASCAR racing complex is still on track with plans to break ground by the end of this month(Sacramento Bee)(thanks Doug)(9-11-98)
- Concert promoter Bill Graham Presents and as many as four major hotel chains have approached racing magnate Frank Arciero for a stake in his elaborate raceway complex in Yuba County(Calif) since he bought the property two weeks ago. Construction on the $60 million complex could begin early next year, Arciero said Tuesday. His first order of business is to expand the two rural roads leading into the Motorplex he plans on 900 acres of rolling grassland in southeast Yuba County. Already, Arciero and his architect have crafted plans for a raceway office, bathrooms and a chapel, along with suites to be built over race car garages. No firm decisions have been made on where certain design elements will go on the property. Right now, the designs are basically puzzle pieces that Arciero is moving around on the site. The first phase of construction on the racing complex will be the 1.7-mile oval racetrack, a 55,000-seat grandstand and the road course, estimated to cost a total of $45 million. The second phase will include a drag strip(Sacramento Bee)(7-18-98)
- Developer Frank Arciero Sr. closed escrow Friday(June 26th) on 770 acres of southeast Yuba County(California) ranch land, territory he's marked for a sprawling racetrack and entertainment complex, which he expects to begin building as soon as this fall. Mike Smith, project engineer said about 500 acres of the project will house a $60 million Indy and NASCAR racetrack, road course and grandstands, but the property also is zoned for a golf course, offices, retail space and a concert amphitheater(Sacramento Bee)(thanks Mike O)(7-13-98)
- "For months, titans of the auto racing industry circled Northern California in a cat-and-mouse game over who will build a new oval-track speedway that could eventually host up to 150,000 fans. Then wealthy Irvine cement contractor and racing-team owner Frank Arciero leaped to the fore, applying this month to build a $60 million, 55,000-seat facility in Yuba County, 35 miles north of Sacramento." The story also says: "William G.
France, chairman of International Speedway Corp. in Daytona Beach, Fla., told a gathering of institutional investors in New York recently that the Sacramento area is one of three markets he is seriously considering entering, according to King. The others are suburban Chicago and Kansas City."(Sacramento Bee)(5-31-97)
