bigbadbrother
04-13-2016, 01:27 AM
Tony DiZinno
A couple years ago, Richard Childress Racing tweeted out some pictures of Nazareth Speedway. It brought back memories of old but also reminded us the venerable, challenging, tri-oval hadn’t seen operating status in 10 years.
Whether it ever operates as a track again still remains a question. Now though, at least the property has a new owner.
According to both the Lehigh Morning Call and WFMZ-TV in Allentown, Pa., Lehigh Valley developer David Jaindl has bought the property.
He confirmed late last week that he bought the property late last year. Jaindl and his company, Jaindl Real Estate, plan to farm the agricultural lands around the speedway.
Jaindl told the Morning Call he has no solid plans beyond that for the property.
The oval was a staple on open-wheel calendars from 1987 through 2004, the late Dan Wheldon winning the last race there under IRL sanction for what is now the Verizon IndyCar Series.
The track was the home track for the Andretti family, with Mario, Michael and Marco Andretti all living in the city. Team Penske often tested at Nazareth, not far from its then-Reading, Pa. headquarters. Penske won its 100th open-wheel race at the track in 2000 with Gil de Ferran driving.
It also was the site of arguably one of the best pit lane interview blowups we could find, when A.J. Foyt went off on Jeff Andretti in 1991. Forget the fact Andretti wound up driving for Foyt in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 and enjoy and embrace this memorable clip.
A couple years ago, Richard Childress Racing tweeted out some pictures of Nazareth Speedway. It brought back memories of old but also reminded us the venerable, challenging, tri-oval hadn’t seen operating status in 10 years.
Whether it ever operates as a track again still remains a question. Now though, at least the property has a new owner.
According to both the Lehigh Morning Call and WFMZ-TV in Allentown, Pa., Lehigh Valley developer David Jaindl has bought the property.
He confirmed late last week that he bought the property late last year. Jaindl and his company, Jaindl Real Estate, plan to farm the agricultural lands around the speedway.
Jaindl told the Morning Call he has no solid plans beyond that for the property.
The oval was a staple on open-wheel calendars from 1987 through 2004, the late Dan Wheldon winning the last race there under IRL sanction for what is now the Verizon IndyCar Series.
The track was the home track for the Andretti family, with Mario, Michael and Marco Andretti all living in the city. Team Penske often tested at Nazareth, not far from its then-Reading, Pa. headquarters. Penske won its 100th open-wheel race at the track in 2000 with Gil de Ferran driving.
It also was the site of arguably one of the best pit lane interview blowups we could find, when A.J. Foyt went off on Jeff Andretti in 1991. Forget the fact Andretti wound up driving for Foyt in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 and enjoy and embrace this memorable clip.