Bethel Motor Speedway is a quarter-mile asphalt oval race track, located near the site of the original
Woodstock Music Festival
Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aquari ...
in
White Lake, New York.
The track is sanctioned by
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
as part of its
Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
History
The track was constructed in 1959, and opened for operations in 1960.
It has existed under several names, including White Lake Speedway, Catskill Mountain Speedway, Sullivan County Speedway, and Kauneonga Speedway.
The track closed in 2006 and remained idle through 2007. Fred Graf Racing, LLC, purchased the speedway, and it reopened under new ownership bearing the Bethel Motor Speedway name on August 9, 2008. Dave and Joanne Rocket, who promoted races at the speedway from 1998 until 2004, returned as promoters under the new owner. The speedway was resurfaced in November 2010, providing a new racing surface for the 2011 season. For the 2011 season, management of the speedway was assumed by Tracy Chirico, Business Operations Manager; and John Condit, Race Director.
For the second half of the 2012 season, to season's end 2016, the duties of Race Director would be assumed by George Van Arsdall, Jr., Head Technical Inspector 2003–04, and 2008–12, under the new title of Race Day CoOrdinator. The 2013
bandolero national champion
Chandler Smith
Chandler Smith Sr. (born June 26, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing. He was a member of Toyota Racing Development ...
won at the track en route to his national championship.
During the 2015 season, the track began live PPV broadcasts, available through internet streaming.
During the off-season of 2016–17, the track received new management, as others moved on to new ventures. general manager would be assumed by Paul DeGracia, a member of the track advisory board since its inception in 2011, past racer/current car owner, and successful business owner. Promotion duties would be assumed by Michael Hager, a long-time racing enthusiast, and track staff member.
For the 2018 season-present, George Van Arsdall, Jr. returned under the role of general manager, working with most of the previous staff from his 2012–2016 tenure as race day co-ordinator. Promoting and marketing duties would be assumed by Peter "Crackers" Reynolds.
In 2019, the management team, consisting of George Van Arsdall-general manager, Peter Reynolds-track promoter, and Jeff Lefcourt-business owner, negotiated a NASCAR sanction.
The speedway and all of its weekly divisions race under the NASCAR banner, with end of year contingencies as well as insurance benefits.
2020, The management team now included announcer and race car driver Andy Crane in the promoter role along with Van Arsdall and Lefcourt.
At the end of the 2021 season Dawn Roemer, a long time supporter, car owner, photographer, and pit steward for the speedway, was promoted to interim Director of Promotions and Marketing.
For 2022 a change up in management members would promote Roemer to Director of Promotions and Marketing, and move Brian Bauernfeind, a long time behind the scenes, supporter, sponsor, former racer and car owner, and grounds maintenance to the management team. Amongst new divisions brought to the track in the ChampKarts and Mini Van Enduros, Small Car Sundays became a new inexpensive way for fans to come check out the track on select Sunday afternoons for just $5 a head.
Events
On a weekly basis, Bethel Motor Speedway hosts DIRT Sportsman cars on asphalt, Bethel Motor Speedway (BMS) Asphalt
Modifieds
Modified stock car racing, also known as modified racing and modified, is a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other on oval tracks. First established in the United States after World War II, ...
, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, and 4 Cylinder stock cars. INEX-sanctioned
Legends
A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief.
Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to:
Narrative
* Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth
* A fictitious identity used in espionage
Books, co ...
and Bandoleros also run weekly. The speedway hosts a limited number of races for Vintage Dirt Modifieds and ATQMRA
Midgets, Tobias Slingshots, among other divisions.
Special events include the annual LegendStock race, which has been a qualifier race for the INEX Legends Asphalt Nationals since 2010 – the trademark of the event is a three-foot tall guitar-shaped trophy; Catskill Clash – a special race event race generally held in mid-October, with extra distance races and increased purses for the competitors; NovemberFest Weekend – Two days of special event racing action generally held the first weekend of November and is the annual season finale.
Regular race shows take place on Saturday nights, with the season typically running from late April until the first weekend of November.
Saturdays in April, October, and November, as well as all Sunday shows are afternoon shows.
Notable alumni
*
William Byron
*
Christian Eckes
Christian D. Eckes (pronounced "eck-iss"; born November 10, 2000) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Raci ...
*
Joe Graf Jr.
Joseph A. Graf Jr. (born July 12, 1998) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the Nos. 07 and 08 Ford Mustangs for SS-Green Light Racing, the No. 38 Mustang for RSS ...
*
Daniel Hemric
Daniel Hemric (born January 27, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing and part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving ...
References
Alan E. Brown, ''The History of America's Speedways: Past & Present''. Comstock Park, Michigan: Brown, 2003, , pp. 491
http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/bethel-motor-speedway/
http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/NY/WhiteLake.html#TrackFacts
Tracy Chirico
"'Rocket'ing Tracks Back to Life in Upstate New York" ''Speed51.com''. Retrieved 09/16/09
External links
Official Web site
{{coord, 41.708, N, 74.83684100, W, type:landmark_region:US-NY, display=title
Motorsport venues in New York (state)
Sports venues in Sullivan County, New York
1960 establishments in New York (state)
Sports venues completed in 1960