For information, contact:
Richard C. Conole, President
Texas World Speedway, Inc.
17529 Hwy 6 South
College Station, Texas 77845
979-690-2500
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 11000
College Station, Texas 77842
http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/
Texas World Speedway was built in 1969 and is one of only seven Super Speedways of two miles or greater in the U.S., the others being Indianapolis, Daytona, Pocono, Talledega, California, and Michigan. Thus, TWS is the only Super Speedway in the Southwest. It's replacement cost is about $30 million.
TWS is located on approximately 600 acres on Highway 6 south of College Station, Texas.
In addition to the two mile high banked oval, there is a 1.5 mile oval, a 1.8 mile road course, both within the two mile track, and a 1.9 mile high speed road course using turns three and four of the oval, and the newly paved 2.9 mile course. All of these tracks use the same straightaway in front of the grandstands. These racetracks were newly paved in 1991, supervision of which was done by Clarence Cagle, the "Master" of speedway paving. A new concrete outside crash wall and pit road wall were constructed at the same time. There is also a 3 mile grand prix road course. The two mile oval is "D" shaped with 22 degree banking on the turns, and 8 degree banking in the front of the grandstands.
TWS underwent additional re-construction in 1991 which included the addition of a new rest room and conession stand near the garage area, a new (third) garage building, numerous VIP suites along the pit road, in addition to five in the press box tower, and an air conditioned Speedway Club atop the grandstands. A new telephone system, public address system, and scoreboard lighting system were also installed.
The two mile high banked oval became known as "The Worlds Fastest Speedway" when Mario Andretti set a world closed course speed record of 214.158 mph on October 6, 1973 while qualifying for an Indy car race. That record stood in the Guinness Book of World Records for twelve years. Since then many Indy cars have tested at unofficial speeds of 238 mph. Over the years, TWS has been the site of numerous Indy car, stock car, motorcycle, truck, and sports car races including the TEXAS 500, LONE STAR 500, BUDWEISER/NASCAR 400, TEXAS GRAND PRIX, TEXAS RACE OF CHAMPIONS, TEXAS 200, ARCA/WINSTON WEST 500, the TEXAS WORLD GRAND PRIX, EXXON SUPERFLO 500, and other events sanctioned by United States Auto Club, NASCAR, ARCA, Sports Car Club of America, the American Motorcycle Association, WERA, IMSA, and other racing organizations.
TWS was purchased in 1976 by its present owner, Raceway Limited Partnership (formerly known as Texas Speedway Limited Partnership) who sold the property in 1991 and regained ownership in April, 1994. They have made numerous improvements to the facility since that time.
The infield area at TWS is larger than the size of the Astrodome and Texas Stadium placed side by side. Many race fans camp overnight in the infield area where there are two concession stand/rest room buildings and two seperate rest room buildings in addition to those near the garage area and pit road VIP Suites. Security fencing protects race fans from the track and surrounds the garage area and an infield emergency treatment center building. There are three garage buildings, one of which contains an air conditioned drivers lounge with rest rooms and an air conditioned room for the news media.
The infield area is reached by four vehicle tunnels, one car and one truck tunnel is located under the entrance of turn one of the speedway, and one car and one truck tunnel are located under turn four of the speedway. There is also a pedestrian tunnel located under the start/finish line of the front straightaway which connects the grandstand to the winners circle and the infield area. Since these are located under the race track, access to them is always available, even while a race is in progress.
An eight foot chain link fence with barbed wire serves as a security fence and surrounds the race track. The main ticket gate is located on the highway/parking area (west) side of a large earth embankment on which a roadway serves as a walking ramp to the top. Cars have access to the top via two paved roads over the north and south vehicle tunnels. At the top of the hill there are four concession stand/rest rooms, a 25,000 gallon water storage tank, and a multi purpose building with separate rooms for telephone and public address equipment, a first aid center, concessions and souvenir storage and disbursement. The grandstands are located on the east side of the earth embankment overlooking the race track. A large air conditioned building is located above the grandstands housing VIP Suites, and a press room on the second floor. Race control headquarters is located on the third floor. The first floor Speedway Club area holds approximately eight hundred forty race fans, and has its own buffet area, a bar, and rest rooms. There are also three viewing areas on the top of this building for the news media and for the placement of TV cameras. The grandstand is separated from the race track by a crash wall on top of which is a heavy wire fence strung with heavy cable to protect race fans. There are approximately 23,000 numbered reserved aluminum seats mounted on the concrete grandstands. Spectators enter the grandstand from the top and walk down stairs to their seats. Each seat has a view of the entire speedway, and has a seat back for spectator comfort. General admission seating for about 5000 spectators is located on the bottom row of the grandstands and on the earth embankment, north and south of the grandstands.Reserved seats are numbered twenty inches wide, which is wider than the normal 18 inches.
The main office building for the speedway is located on highway 6 at the north entrance. The speedway has a large billboard sign with lights located on highway 6 in front of the property between the north and south entrances. TWS is served by two water companies. Water for the office and race track is provided by the City of College Station. Water for out buildings on Peach Creek Cut-off Road is supplied by Wellborn Water Company. Two electric companies serve the property. The office and race track are served by entergy, and the out buildings are served by Bryan Utilities. The speedway has its own sewage treatment plant.
There is an elevated stage located in the infield next to a concession stand/rest room which has been used for night country western concerts, and around which such events as the Interplanetary Chili Championship and Texas World Open Chili and Bar B Q Championships have entertained overnight camping race fans.
An elevated platform atop the grandstands, complete with wheel chair ramp, provides handicap race fans with a spectactacular view of the race.
TWS has always been known as one of the safest race tracks in the country. In 1979, a NASCAR Gran d National (now Winston Cup) Stock Car race went 396 out of 400 miles before a yellow "caution" flag came out for two laps. The following year the race went all 400 miles without a yellow "caution" flag. Thus, in 800 miles of NASCAR racing there was only one two lap "caution" period.
The World Record for a Deisel Bob Tail Truck was set at TWS in April, 1981 by Charlie Baker at a speed of 132.6 mph.
A. J. Foyt has won more races at TWS than any other driver. He is the only race car driver to have won races in both an Indy Car and a Stock Car, and the only driver to have won races in both types of cars on the same day.
TWS originated the rule of not finishing a race under the yellow "caution" flag in the 1977 TEXAS RACE OF CHAMPIONS. The rule provides for two finishing green flag laps to be run following a yellow "caution" period so as to not deprive race fans of an exciting finish to a race. This rule was later adopted by the USAC Stock Car Division and later by several other racing sanctioning organizations.
The speedway race tracks are used by sports car, vintage car, motorcycle, and go-kart clubs for racing events, driver training, Indy and stock car tuning and testing, and TV commercials throughout the year on a rental basis. Ferrari introduced its new F-50 model at TWS, whch was featured in the January '96 issue of Autoweek, the June '96 issue of Motor Trend, and was featured on the Motor Trend TV show several times. The '97 Pontiac was at TWS for a feature article in Popular Mechanics magazine also. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo Nascar car was tested at TWS as were Firestone tires in preparation for their return to the Indy 500. Many race fans recognze TWS in TV commercials for Budweiser, Texaco, Mobil, among others. Jaguar, Honda, Pontiac, and Saturn are among those who have hosted their dealers for "Ride and Drives".
TWS has the best ingress and egress of any speedway in the United States since the construction of Highway 6 was completed in early 1996. There are presently eight lanes of divided highway with an interchange specifically provided for TWS so that entrance and exit to and from the speedway will be non stop in all directions at on race days. The recently opened by-pass of Hempstead and the improvements to Hwy 290 will soon allow non stop traffic to and from Houston. There are very few traffic lights to Dallas or Austin/San Antonio, making TWS very accessible to everyone. |
