CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — A new era of racing will begin at the Pinal County Fairgrounds on November 5 when the first race with Brad Whitfield as the promoter of Central Arizona Raceway will occur.
Whitfield recently signed a five-year lease to run the track when the prior promoter opted to not renew the contract.
Whitfield has experience as a promoter as he also holds that title at Cocopah Speedway, located at the south edge of Yuma, Arizona. He has built the program at Cocopah with the huge Winter Nationals in January being an example, and looks to have similar growth with the three-eighths mile track located east of Casa Grande.
“I wanted Casa Grande because I didn’t want the race track to close down,” Whitfield said. “It is my hometown, it holds a special place in my heart, and we renamed it back to Central Arizona Raceway. It’s home for me, Cocopah Speedway is not going anywhere as I have a long term deal, and I’m not leaving Yuma. We will run both tracks with a schedule that does not conflict, the left hand will know what the right hand is doing, and hopefully we wind up getting a national champion from IMCA in Arizona.”
It’s not just the name that is returning to the days of the past, the track will also receive some adjustments to bring back the characteristics of 30+ years ago.
“We’re reshaping the race track to be what it was in the 1990s and the early 2000s by putting the banking back into it, widen the race track back up, and I’m putting a wall around it in December,” Whitfield said. “Then we are going to put billboards around it like we have at Cocopah so there’s a lot of work to be done, but I have a team that is willing and ready. I’m excited about the wall and billboards as it’s going to help with dust control and track preparation, it’s going to help with noise and we want to be a good neighbor.”
Negotiating with a fair board can be an issue, but in the case it has been the opposite.
“The Pinal County Fair Board Association has been absolutely amazing to work with.”
Those words are not often heard from a track promoter, but Brad Whitfield is happy to have his hometown track to promote and is excited about the changes and future of the oval upon which he used to race himself. His five year lease with a five-year option will offer the time for him to put his mark on the fairgrounds track.
Drivers and fans can expect a busy schedule for Central Arizona Raceway with a wide variety of classes appearing on a regular basis.