Springfield Raceway gets new owners, amenities

Doug Bland, president of Bland Sports Marketing, and race-car builder Jerry Hoffman have purchased the quarter-mile oval track and facility in northwest Springfield for an undisclosed amount. They plan to make significant upgrades to the site, including the addition of a half-mile go-kart track, skybox suites, additional grandstand seating and improved lighting.

The track will hold four classes of racing, from late models to sprint cars, on its clay track. Bland said the improvements to the facility, which he said would cost at least $100,000, are intended to bring a much-needed racing facility back to life.

“I think the track has so much potential with its location, and it’s never been promoted in the right light in the past,” he said. “Springfield is a racing town, but everybody has to drive an hour to see racing. We’re going to make some improvements, clean it up, so that in the spring, people won’t be afraid to bring a guest or a corporate client out there and entertain them.”

Once complete, Bland said the facility’s seating capacity should double to about 2,000. The improvements should be complete in time for the start of next season in early spring.

See SBJ’s Oct. 9 issue for more on Springfield Raceway.