Ky. Speedway Continues To Add Parking

Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 6:29 AM

Road crews work on widening Kentucky 35

at the Kentucky Speedway.

Kentucky Speedway

(Sparta, Ky.) - The Kentucky Speedway is doing more and more to prevent a traffic nightmare like the one that marred last year’s first Sprint Cup race.

On Wednesday, track officials held a NASCAR preseason media tour day and announced an additional 29 acres along Kentucky 35 have been purchased to allow for expanded parking. Another 55 acres are being cleared for more parking.

The speedway is putting $11 million into the parking expansion which includes 326 acres of new parking for up to 18,700 vehicles.

A lack of sufficient parking was named as a major reason for the traffic troubles at last year’s first Sprint Cup race in Kentucky. Thousands of race fans dealt with hours-long traffic jams en route to the track in Sparta. Many fans never made it to the race.

"We want the chance to prove ourselves. You'll see when you come back, all the improvements," Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Chairman and CEO Bruton Smith said.

The State of Kentucky is also funding various upgrades to Kentucky 35 near the track. The highway is being widened to seven lanes and a new pedestrian tunnel will run beneath the road connecting the new parking lots to the track.

The Interstate 71 exit ramp at Kentucky 35 will be widened, as well.

The second Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway will be held June 30, the cap to a race weekend also featuring the Nationwide Series Feed the Children 300 and Camping World Truck Series UNOH 225.

You will hear all three races on Eagle 99.3, the tri-state’s home for NASCAR.

LINKS:

KY 35 Closes At Speedway For Construction

Ky. Awards Road Construction Contract At Track

Ky. Speedway Adding 10,000 Parking Spaces

Ky. Speedway Making Improvements

Traffic Leaves Bad Taste For KY Speedway