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State of the Speedway - Day 4

Not everyone who walks through our gates is “a racer.” Not everyone who attends our events grew up around dirt tracks. And that’s awesome.

A facility like this carries meaning beyond competition. It brings families together. It provides a platform for local businesses and organizations. It supports first responders, food drives, and school supply efforts. It gives young drivers a place to learn responsibility and discipline. It creates a place for people to gather.

We believe that a facility like ours has a role to play beyond racing.

Events such as our Free Easter Egg Hunt and Trunk or Treat reflect that mindset. Families come onto the property who may have never attended a race. Kids run around the property collecting eggs or candy. Parents walk the grounds and get comfortable with the space. Local vendors and small businesses participate. The atmosphere feels relaxed and welcoming.

Our Free Admission Night lowers the barrier for someone to experience weekly racing for the first time while also supporting 25FortyPGH through a food drive, where in its inaugural year collected over 1,100 lbs. of non-perishables for local food panties. Keeping the property active outside of traditional race nights is part of keeping it connected. When families feel comfortable here during community events, they are more likely to return on a Saturday night as well.

None of this happens without the people who give their time to make it work. Our Speed Team, race teams, and volunteers show up week after week, not just for race nights, but for these community efforts too. Sometimes that means being at a local park on a Saturday before a race night, or on an early Sunday morning after a late night at the speedway. Their commitment extends beyond the track.

And it doesn’t stop with the events we host on this property.

Community impact is not limited to what happens inside our gates. We see the same faces at the grocery store, at youth sporting events, and at local businesses. The people who support this speedway live here. We have seen firsthand how quickly this community responds when it matters.

In 2024, when flooding impacted families in Oakdale, our racing community stepped up to assist with relief efforts. Our Back to School Supply Night helps ensure local students return to the classroom with the supplies they need. Through the Race to Valentine’s Bingo, we support the Sturgeon Volunteer Fire Department in their fundraising efforts.

We also participate in local Touch-a-Truck events, car shows, and other community gatherings throughout our area. We do not believe the speedway should exist in isolation. If we are asked to show up, we do our best to be there. The people and organizations around us support this facility week after week. We believe it is our responsibility to support them in return, and we will continue working to do that better each year.

There is also a broader economic layer to all of this.

Beyond the community events and partnerships, motorsports in Pennsylvania represent a $2.2 billion dollar industry statewide, contributing more than $222 million in economic impact within Allegheny County alone.

Facilities like ours are part of that ecosystem.

Race teams purchase fuel, parts, and equipment. Fans dine locally, book lodging, and support surrounding businesses. Vendors and partners invest back into the community. On race nights and major weekends, that activity compounds. The impact of a local speedway reaches restaurants, gas stations, suppliers, hotels, and small businesses throughout the region right here in our own backyard.

And for families, impact shows up in another way too.

Community impact is not measured only in revenue. In a time when many forms of family entertainment carry significant cost, we remain committed to providing an experience that is accessible for families in our region.

On a typical race night, a family of four can attend using our $40 family pass and park for free. We work hard to keep menu options affordable and priced well below what many have come to expect at larger stadium venues. We understand that families are making careful decisions about how and where they spend their time and money. If we expect them to choose us, we have to respect that reality.

Racing offers live entertainment that families experience together. Parents and kids cheer for their favorite drivers or most appealing cars. They react to the same moments. They talk about what just happened on the track instead of watching separate screens.

It is noise, energy, and unpredictability. It is the rumble of engines shaking the grandstands and dust rising under the lights as the field charges into turn one. It is parents and kids leaning forward together, reacting to every restart, every slide job, every close finish. It is high fives in the bleachers and the kind of excitement you feel in your chest when the checkered flag waves.

Accessibility is not just about price. It is about giving families a place to sit together, unplug for a few hours, and share something in real time.
Racing will always be at the center of what we do. But the health of this speedway is tied directly to the health of the community around it. If families feel welcome here, they return. If local organizations feel supported, they partner. If businesses see value, they invest. We believe that cycle will help sustain our facility long term.

As we prepare for our 48th season, we are reminded often of what this place represents. Throughout this “State of the Speedway” series, we’ve had people share stories about coming here as children, about bringing their own kids today, or about attending for the first time just recently. For many, this track has been part of their routine for decades.

We understand that we did not build that history, but instead inherited it. With that comes responsibility — to protect what has been built, to strengthen what needs improved, and to ensure that families can continue to call this place part of their lives for years to come. We’ll touch more on that tomorrow for our final day of the series.

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