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2001
NEWS ARCHIVE
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Please
Visit Florida Stock Car Racing Sponsors!
| From Relic To Restoration | Putnam County Speedway Is Back With A Vengeance
[Editors Note: Due to inclement weather PCS will not
debut as planned. The starting dates will now be March 23 - 24.]
by Jon Harney
While most tracks sat dormant over the winter recess, Putnam County Speedway has been abuzz with activity as the track is undergoing a thorough, first-class renovation.
The 42-year-old facility has a long and storied racing history, but fell into obscurity and disrepair during the 1990s and locked its gates in 1997. Bob Potter, a Florida native who made his mark in the trucking industry and has over 30 years of racing involvement, bought the remnants in 2000. Since then, he has committed over $1.2 million in improvements to the 3/8-mile clay oval and shows no signs of letting up. Potter states that his three main goals he wants to achieve are safety, close racing action, and family friendliness.
 Safety improvements for both fans and drivers have drawn praise from a variety of sources, most notably K & K, who serves as the track's insurer. New concrete walls and fencing have been added, and brand new state-of-the-art lighting will ensure high visibility for both drivers and fans. The track surface has been completely redone with new clay and will virtually eliminate ruts and stones. Should the need arise, adequate safety crew and paramedic personnel will be on hand.
To reach the goal of close, hard racing, the speedway was completely reconfigured with long, broad straights and moderately banked turns, and should be extremely fast. The track is 90 feet wide which guarantees drivers plenty of side-by-side racing.
New amenities for the fans abound. A large, easy-to-read scoreboard will keep fans abreast of the standings during the races. Grandstand capacity on opening night will be 5200 seats with plans to expand to 8000 seats. New concession stands have been constructed and beer will be allowed in designated sections. A new press and VIP box will soon be added, and future plans for the track include the addition of a new RV park with swimming pool, a low-power broadcast of the racing events that will allow fans to follow the action on portable radios and headsets, and a track welcome center.
In keeping with the family-friendly theme, a special grandstand section has been set up in turns three and four that will allow children to enter the pits with - and be close to - their racing parents in a safe, fenced environment. Putnam County Speedway will be one of the very few tracks in the state where an entire family can enter the pits together.
Darrell Payne has been hired as the track's General Manager and Race Director. Payne brings many years of experience in racing and marketing to the facility. Pace vehicles for the 2001 season will be provided courtesy of Hank Busler Chevrolet in Crescent City - the official dealership of Putnam County Speedway. Jon Harney and Mike Dempsey will keep fans abreast of the racing action over the PA system.
The speedway will take the bold step of running shows on both Friday and Saturday nights. Friday will be open wheel night as the Winged 360 Sprints headline a four-division lineup with support from the Limited Sprints, Modifieds, and Mini-Sprints. Saturday will feature six divisions of full-bodied stock cars led by the Late Models. Additional Saturday classes feature the Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Mini-Stocks. Over two hundred drivers and cars have pre-registered for licenses with many more expected to register when the season begins. In addition, the speedway plans to host several touring series events.
The first weekend of racing will kick off on March 23rd and 24th. Friday night racing will start at 7:30 PM while Saturday night's events will begin at 7:00 PM. Racing will continue every weekend until the season finale on November 16-17. Grandstand admission will be $11 for adults with discounts for children and pit admission will be $20.
Putnam County Speedway is located on U.S. 17 one mile north of Satsuma. A variety of track sponsorship opportunities are available. For more detail about these high-visibility opportunities or for other questions, contact the speedway by phone at 904-649-5210 or by email at putnamcspeedway@yahoo.com.
Putnam County Speedway welcomes fans and racers to be a part of the exciting inaugural 2001 racing season!
-Jon Harney
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