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State of the Speedway - Day 1

A lot has changed at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway since 2023. On June 30th of that year, the Cress family purchased the facility from the Miley family. The property was to become the home base for a landscaping and tree service company, with a clear understanding that the speedway would continue to operate as an active and evolving facility. We believed the facility was worth protecting as both a racetrack and a platform for community involvement and live entertainment, and that belief is just as strong today.

Twenty-four hours after signing the paperwork, racing continued on the half-mile dirt oval without pause or interruption. Drivers and fans returned to a facility where noticeable work had already begun, and work hasn’t stopped ever since.

We learned quickly that operating a weekly racing program at a high level requires more preparation, coordination, and discipline than most people realize. We underestimated how much goes into a single race night, let alone the grind of an entire season. We also underestimated the strength of this community. The number of people willing to step up, contribute, and support the speedway’s success is humbling. The early response from drivers and fans reinforced that continued investment was not only necessary, but justified.

As we prepare for our 48th season of racing, we believe it is important to speak directly to our drivers, fans, partners, and community about where we stand and where we are headed.

Rather than condense everything into a single announcement, we will outline the current state of the speedway across several focused areas. Each reflects a core part of our program: facility improvements, weekly racing, marquee events, community impact, and long-term vision.

We begin where progress must always begin, with the foundation.

Day 1 - Investing in the Foundation

From the beginning, we understood that meaningful progress had to start with the facility itself.

One of the first steps was an immediate investment in track equipment to improve race day preparation. Because the speedway’s ownership also operates a landscaping company, we were able to utilize and allocate equipment that immediately strengthened our preparation capabilities. That access allowed us to elevate our standards quickly and bring greater consistency to race day operations. While we still have equipment that is, to put it lightly, past its prime, we continue to keep it running to support our weekly operations.

We recognized that track conditions play a tremendous role in show efficiency. Our goal is to put on an entertaining program that moves with purpose and does not drag on unnecessarily. Proper track preparation is essential to that. When the surface is right, races are completed more efficiently, and the entire program benefits.

That said, we have not gotten it right every time. The 2024 season presented challenges, and track conditions were not always where they needed to be. The inaugural Pot of Gold event was, without question, one of the most uncomfortable moments we have experienced from a track preparation standpoint. It forced us to evaluate our process, equipment, and approach.
We continued to learn, adjust, and improve. In 2025, we felt we produced some of the most consistent racing surfaces we have had in recent years, correcting grading inconsistencies throughout the oval and strengthening our preparation routine. Consistency in the surface leads to consistency in the show, and that remains the standard we continue to pursue.

Ahead of the 2025 season, we replaced the outside wall, a significant investment in both safety and long-term infrastructure. The catchfence along the outside wall of the speedway was extended through turns one and four, and plans are in place to complete the catchfence project for the 2026 season.

Improvements have also continued throughout the grandstand area. Since 2023, bleacher boards have been replaced on an ongoing basis as needed, with additional sections scheduled for replacement ahead of the 2026 season. New handrails were installed during the 2025 season to improve safety and accessibility. Additionally, the chain link fencing surrounding the grandstands will be replaced to further improve the fan environment.

We have also continued improving the fan experience through concessions. The food at the speedway has always been well received, and we have worked to build on that foundation. The full-service bar, known as the Real Nutz Vodka Club, continues to operate each week, now featuring rotating drink specials that add variety to race nights. New menu items have also been added to the Checkered Flag Food Court and have received strong feedback, including the hot sausage sandwich and macaroni and cheese bowls, which have quickly become fan favorites.

Our expectation for all of this is not perfection overnight, but steady improvement each season. It may not always be flashy, but we believe it is the right way to continue growing and strengthening the speedway. To us, growth without sustainability is just noise.

Updates in lighting, internet, and other utilities are still in the works. Some of which can be expected throughout the 2026 season. We look forward to sharing those updates with you all as they become available.

With that foundation continuing to strengthen, our focus naturally turns to the backbone of this facility — weekly racing. We’ll share more on that tomorrow for day two.

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