Jim Cressmen in today's LFP has some interesting info on Delaware's improvement plans:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Motorsports/2008/01/24/pf-4790461.htmlDelaware plans overhaul
Speedway owners hope $2 million in upgrades help land a NASCAR Canadian Tire event.
By JIM CRESSMAN, SUN MEDIA
With a new 35-year commitment from the landlord, the operators of Delaware Speedway will now commence with an ambitious $2-million renovation.
Those plans, along with other initiatives for the 2008 season, will be discussed tonight at the drivers' meeting, scheduled for the Delaware Community Centre at 7 p.m.
Included in the changes are paving the racing surface, a new poured concrete wall around the half-mile oval, new lighting and improved spectator features such as new grandstands, washrooms and private suites.
Once completed, these changes, particularly to the racing surface, will likely see Delaware land a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event.
"The major part of it, we're probably a year away," Delaware race director Jeff Wilcox said yesterday.
"I really don't want to commit to a timeline. It's not my money. It's between the owners and other investment, but there are people who want to see it done sooner than later.
"Our top priority is getting our stage fixed up, which is our speedway. We've had companies in to look at the surface and they're confident that we can repair some of the worst spots and just pave over top and have a track that will last another 30-plus years."
Wilcox said he has been told NASCAR "wants to see something happening with the facility, mainly the walls and racing surface, and once that happens I think they'd want to talk to us on a long-term plan" for the Canadian Tire Series.
The track's operators are Arlen Scherba of Sombra, who has a 40-per-cent share, Dave Meldrum of Stratford, 10 per cent, and John Sheppard of Scarborough and Dave McDonald of Freelton, near Guelph, who own a company that controls 50 per cent.
That group took over from Tony Novotny in November 2000, ending his 21-year association with the track.
Wilcox said the operators needed the long-term agreement with landlord Nick Spivak, who has owned the property since 1972, before starting any major projects.
"We've had a lot of talks with the landlord over the winter and he wants that to be an oval track for another 35 years," Wilcox said.
To that end, Spivak's grandson Mike Spivak has been appointed the landlord's liaison to assist with the long-term update.
The current lease runs through 2010 on paper, "but the leases basically have been indefinite," Wilcox said.
"Nick just likes to write it every five years so he can go over the paperwork. But what he told me is as long as somebody wants to operate the track as a going concern, he wants it to be there."
The drivers will also hear about a proposal to change the traditional weekly purses and year-end points funds.
"There's been a lot of talk in the industry about taking the year-end payout and dividing it out over the season so those competitors can have that money in their hands each week," Wilcox said.
"So we've got a proposal that we want to run by the racers and see what they think, but we've taken a substantial amount of money that we normally pay out at the end of the year and we've put it into the weekly purse.
"At the end of the year there still will be a payoff, but it just won't be as big as in the past. This way, if a guy can only race five times a year he's going to make more money. If he only races five times a year he's not going to get a year-end payout anyway."
Delaware's 57th season is scheduled to open April 26 with an enduro event. The first regular night of weekly stock car racing is May 2.
Delaware and Merrittville Speedway in Thorold are the oldest stock car tracks in Canada.
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