Caraway Speedway Draws New Generation of Racing Fans to Asheboro
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They come from all over to hear the big engines screaming around the half-mile oval.
From Winston-Salem and High Point‚ Greensboro and Lexington‚ and even Charlotte‚ the crowds come for the horsepower on display.
But the typical Saturday-night crowd at Asheboro’s Caraway Speedway isn’t what it used to be – it’s much more.
“So much has changed about racing‚” says Russell Hackett‚ the speedway’s owner since 1990. Hackett has been the track’s manager since 1976 and one of its loyal racers since 1968.
“The cars have changed. The people racing here have changed. And the audience is changing. It’s more upscale. It’s a family event now.
“You’re seeing people who have brought their families for years‚” he continues‚ “and now those kids are grown and have families of their own. I think that’s why racing has grown like it has in recent years.”
Hackett has made sure the NASCAR-sanctioned track keeps up with the changing times. Over the past four years‚ the track has gone through two renovations costing a total of more than $1 million. The grandstands have been refurbished and expanded‚ with a reserved-seating area. Landscaping has enhanced the looks with a new entrance and walkways‚ and the track has been resurfaced. There is a new press box‚ flag stand‚ ticket booths‚ scoreboard‚ concession stands‚ and even air-conditioned and heated restrooms.
“ There’s hardly a building there that hasn’t been replaced‚” Hackett says.
It’s a far cry from the track’s early days. Caraway opened in 1966 as a dirt track with rustic accommodations. It ran for years under the ownership of the local ham-processing company‚ Thomas Brothers Country Hams.
Today‚ the track awards nearly $2 million in NASCAR winnings – and Hackett continues to enhance the show. In addition to the annual big-name Mid-Atlantic Championship 500 held every October‚ there is the Firecracker race every July and the late-fall Turkey 300. Caraway also has added “Fun Fridays‚” featuring late-model super-truck races‚ “street stocks” and entry-level “enduro” contests.
But the family is the key‚ Hackett believes. There are now bicycle races for the kids‚ face painting and clowns. Hackett is even considering adding a playground.
“It’s a circus atmosphere‚” he says. “All of this makes it friendlier to families and more accessible to kids. We want them to keep coming back.”
Story by Lindsay Chappell
Photo by Greg Emens
