In June of 2019, it was announced that Maple Grove Raceway was being put up for sale by the Stauffer and Lewis families. Since then, there have been countless rumors and much concern that another great Northeast drag racing facility could go away for good. Considering the relatively close timing to Old Bridge Township [New Jersey] Raceway Park’s permanent departure from drag racing, the thought of losing another track is very upsetting for racers in this part of the country. Fortunately, a new agreement announced Tuesday ensures that Maple Grove is here to stay.
The racing community has been waiting patiently for news regarding the fate of the famed race track near Reading, Pennsylvania, and we now have the first real bits of information. On January 7, the Reading Eagle reported that Motorsports Developers signed a purchase agreement to take ownership of the facility.
While the details of the agreement are still widely unknown, the story by Keith Smoker stated the group is in the process of doing its due diligence which must be completed within the next 90 days. This information was obtained by a Reading Eagle correspondent at the Brecknock Township town hall meeting on January 6.
Motorsports Developers is a King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based company dedicated to the restoration and growth of motorsports in the United States. The company is run by Jordan Levitt [President], Joe Casella [Facilities Manager], and Chris Winter [Operations Manager]. Between the three, there is over 100 years of racing and business experience. We sat down with Winter to get more information on the group’s plans for the future of Maple Grove.
“We are extremely excited about the agreement between Motorsports Developers and both the Stauffer and Lewis families,” Winter stated “Maple Grove Raceway will remain the premier world-class drag racing facility in the Northeast, and we will invest heavily to ensure this never changes. In addition, we plan to expand far beyond just drag racing.”
The company’s plans for the approximately 485-acre facility include a massive overhaul of the current facility, which includes improvement to concessions, increased seating, and track equipment, as well as the potential for new tracks to bring new forms of motorsports to the area. Winter hinted at the addition circle track, drifting, offroad, and road racing, as well as increased concert and lifestyle events to Maple Grove’s current schedule of events.
We are told the track’s focus will still be on drag racing, and that the company is in negotiations with the NHRA for a long-term extension to keep its national event. Winter also hinted at new and exciting race formats the group has planned, which include a paved parking lot area for autocross events; an offroad park for motorcycles, quads, and 4×4 vehicles;and a 3-mile IMSA-style road course for premium racing.
Motorsports Developers asks that any and all questions are directed to its website, www.msportsdev.com, where all information will be posted as it becomes available.
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