TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR RETRACTABLE ROOF

[rebelracewriter]

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCES PLANS TO BECOME

FIRST SPEEDWAY WITH A RETRACTABLE ROOF

• Alluring Project Requires Incredible Logistics For Oval Of Landmark Significance

• Expansive Project To Dome TMS Expected To Cost $900 Million

• Timetable For Completion Is 2011 Samsung 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race

• AFD Construction Of Fort Worth To Handle Roof Design

 

FORT WORTH, Texas (April 1, 2008) – Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie

Gossage announced plans today for construction of a massive retractable roof that is scheduled for

completion by the 2011 Samsung 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race traditionally held in April.

The expansive project is expected to cost $900 million to transform the 1.5-mile Texas

Motor Speedway oval into the first major domed speedway in the history of motorsports.

 

“The Houston Astrodome was known as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World,’ so it is only

fitting that Texas – and Texas Motor Speedway – will be the future home of the ‘Ninth Wonder of

the World,’ ” Gossage said. “This will be a massive undertaking, but it will be a landmark project in

the world of motorsports.”

 

The project is expected to take 24 months with daily construction crews in excess of 1,000

workers. It is scheduled to begin immediately following this season’s Dickies 500 Sprint Cup race

on Nov. 2. Construction will be halted for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2009 and 2010 race weeks and

resume following the completion of each of the three current major event weeks: The Samsung

500 in April, Bombardier Learjet 550k in June and Dickies 500 in November.

 

AFD Construction, of Fort Worth, will handle the design and construction of the

retractable roof, additional exterior walls, air conditioning and heating systems as well as an

elaborate exhaust system to remove fumes and smoke generated by the cars. The entire roof

structure will be a staggering 3.7 million square feet, with the retractable portion being 1.3 million

square feet. In comparison, the square footage for the roof – which also will be retractable – for

the new state-of-the-art Cowboys stadium will be 745,800 square feet.

 

“We are extremely excited to undertake this project and make history with Texas Motor

Speedway,” said Sidd Finch, who will serve as AFD’s project manager. “It will be truly remarkable

to see a retractable dome roof on a speedway of this magnitude.”

Gossage is expected to unveil the specific details of the project later this week at a press

conference during the Samsung 500 race weekend.

 

“It’s only appropriate that we announced such an outlandish project like this on the first

day of April,” Gossage said. “We’d be foolish to think it would be possible.”

Media: Please note that the first headline bullet is a form of an acronym. Take the

first letter of each of those words to find out what words it forms.

 

For additional information, please contact the TMS Media Relations Department at

(817) 215-8520 or pr@texasmotorspeedway.com.

[gundogC3]

Hope the underground road from Austin to The parking lot there is done at the same time.

[tqj3]

It was too easy, anyway, Reb. He'd start with Bristol, not TMS...

[RodneyRodriguez]

April Fool's joke maybe..

[neon14]

its got to be. had me thinking for a minute though.

[rebelracewriter]

• Alluring Project Requires Incredible Logistics For Oval Of Landmark

[neon14]

LOL! you know I did not have one prank pulled on me all day to day at work. Crazy thing is I wouldnt put it past Smith to try to do something like that just to prove he can. That guys got more money than he can spend.

[Rosie]

Now, that was classic.....

[F5RACING]

RETRACTABLE FOR BRISTOL SOUND GOOD. LIKE A OVERSIZED ASPHALT CHILIBOWL MAYBE A SALAD BOWL OR CROCKPOT WE COULD CALL IT