I-30 Speedway closing

[AllenK]

Copart claims another track with a long and storied history. The rumours abounded about I-30 Speedway in Little Rock,Arkansas closing for years,but they really picked up speed in the last week as rezoning documents hit the internet. It appears to be a done deal.

66 year history and over 60 in the same location. It was only a matter of time as the suburbs and other development kept surrounding the track. I saw where the asking price for the track and land is almost 8 million dollars.

https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/sep/01/lrs-i-30-appears-set-for-its-final-flag/

[ftfiowa]

only 9 tracks left in arkansas now!

[Josh Bayko]

Copart is going to be a much worse neighbor than a race track. The people near that track are going to find out the hard way soon.

[Barbecueboy]

You are 100 % right………they will be rethinking this after a year or so.

[HoosierDirtFan]

CoPart is the same company that bought Grandview Speedway in Pennsylvania. It’s on the tracks Facebook page. So this is Grandview’s last season as well.

[slmcrewchief99]

First time I went there was 1971. Lots of history for sure. This place will be missed.

[BTExpress]

The same MO with both I30 and Grandview. Historic tracks with aging owners. Both tracks would need an infusion of capital to upgrade the facilities. Easier for the families to accept a big fat check for their retirement than try to find someone who would invest to keep it a race track. Unfortunately I think we will see a few other tracks go down this same path in the future.

[huskerdirt]

I-80s sale to CoPart will be finalized soon.

[huskerdirt]

Copart is going to be a much worse neighbor than a race track. The people near that track are going to find out the hard way soon.

This. I used to work by a CoPart, the same one buying I-80. After 3pm on Fridays, the road be cluttered witb people trying to tow there sh!t home. If they couldn’t tow it, they would just leave it on the side of the road or at the truck stop across the street. Not to mention people sniffing around area pretending to be lost. It wasn’t uncommon to show up on Monday and have a sneaky suspicion someone tried to break in or was snooping around.

[Raceready]

Also probably had Lot Lizzards lurking around as well ! ! ^^^^^^^^^^

[racingfool32]

CoPart bought the old Concord Speedway

[AllenK]

Last night was it. It's a done deal. I hadn't been in several years,but it sucks to see such a historic track close. It's gonna be strange to drive by there with the track gone.

[JimBo]

Yeah, this is sad, but a sign of the times I guess. The MARS series used to run there a couple of times a year back in the early 2000's when it was based out of Arkansas. I've also been there for the Short track Nationals sprint car racing.
The facilities may not have been the best, but the track was the raciest in Arkansas. It will be missed.

[Flathead]

Definitely a sad night last night being the last race there. The track will definitely be missed by many. It was the best run and the best promoted track in the state hands down. But I don’t blame the owners for wanting to sell, everyone deserves to retire someday!

Lots of history at that place too. Mark Martin raced there as a teenage kid and whipped the grown men, been quite a few drivers that made it to nascar races there too over the years, NDRA raced there back in the day and had some great races, wasn’t nothing to go there on a regular Saturday night years ago and see Jerry Inmon and Don Hester there, and every big name sprint car driver has raced there more than once, plus the Burt Reynolds movie White Lightning was filmed there.

[AllenK]

Jimbo and Flathead,

Batesville has the best facilities,and is the biggest and fastest track in the state. Diamond Park probably has the best surface,and is no slouch when it comes to speed.

However,when prepped right, I-30 was probably the raciest track in the state overall.

They also brought the big series to town less an hour up Interstate 30. The last few times I went it leaned towards dry and dusty,but in the mid-nineties to the early 2000s the racing was pretty awesome.

I hate to see the place close. It was worth way too much to turn down that offer. I know what my relatives would say if we were offered 8 million for our land. Sell and don't look back!

[One Man Gang]

Batesville, Diamond Park, Riverside, Crawford County, Old Number 1. Who else is left in Arkansas that is still running ?

[AllenK]

Central Arkansas Motor Speedway,Centerville,and also Crowley's Ridge?

I don't know if Texarkana will open back up either.

[JimBo]

I'm up here in the Northwest corner of the State, and there is nothing up here except Crawford County. West Siloam has completely remodeled and will open next year, but that's on the Oklahoma side. I used to go to Monett Speedway in Missouri since it is the closest track to me, but they no longer run late models weekly. I usually go to Luca Oil Speedway in Wheatland Mo.

[AllenK]

I've heard that Steve Landers,who owns multiple car dealerships and is running for mayor of Little Rock,has pledged to bring a track back to the area somehow. He has the funds to do it,and probably the connections. He was in attendance the other at the final race.

Somebody stole the "No Crybabies Allowed" sign from the track before the Clay family could get it. They were not happy.

[JimBo]

Be sure and check out Ben Shelton’s Vlog of the final race on Flo. It is well done and heartfelt.


The author of this post has no affiliation and has not been compensated by Flo sports for this post. 😉