Cayuga Speedway
Encyclopedia
The Cayuga Speedway, also known as the Cayuga 2000 Speedway, is a racing track located near Cayuga
in Haldimand County
, Ontario
, Canada
.
. The track has held a variety of different racing groups including CASCAR
, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
, the American-Canadian Tour, NASCAR Busch North, Hooters Pro-Cup, USAC, ISMA Supermodifieds, DIRT Modifieds and the ARCA RE/MAX Series
(which is considered to be one of the developmental milestones to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series). Set on 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land, Cayuga offers campgrounds with electricity, concession booths, and free parking. In addition to racing, there are also occasional concerts held at the facility - usually conforming with either the country
or the heavy metal
genre.
On June 8, 2006, a group of developers from Toronto purchased the ⅝ mile track from its original owners and made improvements for the 2007 season, hoping to attract NASCAR
Nationwide Series (formerly called the Busch Series) to have a race at Cayuga Speedway. Instead, the race went to Montreal (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
) due to its larger population and recognition in the international community. Cooper Construction of Oakville was announced as the vendor to re-build the track. Cayuga International Speedway Park hosted the first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
race in series history on May 26, 2007.
, Ontario
. This event would earn Sammut his first ISMA win.
Cayuga, Ontario
Cayuga is an unincorporated community and county seat in the province of Ontario, Canada located at the intersection of Highway 3 and Munsee Street and along the Grand River in Haldimand County. Cayuga is about a 20 minute drive from Lake Erie and 30 minutes south of Hamilton and 115 minutes south...
in Haldimand County
Haldimand County, Ontario
Haldimand is a rural city-status single-tier municipality on the Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Erie, and on the Grand River. Municipal offices are located in Cayuga....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
It was opened in 1966 as a dirt track, but was paved the following year when the vehicles started to become too dangerous fast for the dirt tracks. It was considered to be one of Canada's premier racing facilities. It is a ⅝-mile oval similar in size to Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
. The track has held a variety of different racing groups including CASCAR
CASCAR
The Canadian Association for Stock Car Auto Racing was the governing body for amateur and professional stock car racing in Canada.-History:It was established in 1981 by President Anthony Novotny...
, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series , commonly abbreviated as NCATS, is a national NASCAR racing series in Canada that is based from the old CASCAR Super Series which was founded in 1981.-History:...
, the American-Canadian Tour, NASCAR Busch North, Hooters Pro-Cup, USAC, ISMA Supermodifieds, DIRT Modifieds and the ARCA RE/MAX Series
ARCA RE/MAX Series
-History:The series started as a local touring group. Led by John Marcum, the Midwest Association for Race Cars was formed with drivers like Iggy Katona and Nelson Stacy being early drivers.The series became a part of the Daytona Speedweeks in 1964...
(which is considered to be one of the developmental milestones to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series). Set on 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land, Cayuga offers campgrounds with electricity, concession booths, and free parking. In addition to racing, there are also occasional concerts held at the facility - usually conforming with either the country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
or the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
genre.
On June 8, 2006, a group of developers from Toronto purchased the ⅝ mile track from its original owners and made improvements for the 2007 season, hoping to attract NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Nationwide Series (formerly called the Busch Series) to have a race at Cayuga Speedway. Instead, the race went to Montreal (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series....
) due to its larger population and recognition in the international community. Cooper Construction of Oakville was announced as the vendor to re-build the track. Cayuga International Speedway Park hosted the first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series , commonly abbreviated as NCATS, is a national NASCAR racing series in Canada that is based from the old CASCAR Super Series which was founded in 1981.-History:...
race in series history on May 26, 2007.
Present condition
As of 2010, the track sits dormant due to economic concerns. The last race held was in July 2009 featuring the ISMA Supermodifieds; which was won by Mark Sammut of LondonLondon, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. This event would earn Sammut his first ISMA win.