Why the Speedway Matters

Speedways matter. This is true for the Albany-Saratoga Speedway in the Town of Malta, NY and every speedway across the United States. As you drive down Route 9 just north of Exit 12 off I-87 in Saratoga County New York, you pass the speedway, which will hopefully celebrate its 60th year of operation in 2025. I say hopefully because the owner of the speedway property, legendary racing promoter and track owner Howard Commander, has agreed to sell the property to a developer who is applying to build hundreds of apartments and commercial/retail space.

Thinking about the ramifications of this transaction reminded me of a song by Frank Sinatra, ” There used to be a ballpark right here.” The song’s lyrics begin with, “And there used to be a ballpark where the field was warm and green, And the people played their crazy game with a joy I’d never seen.” The song laments the loss of a once iconic, unique place where people congregated to be the show and watch the show. For 60 years, racers from all over the country have come to Malta to BE the show. They came to compete against their fellow racers, investing blood, sweat, tears and hard- earned money to become a local hero on any given Friday Night. MRN and Sirius XM reporter Dave Moody recounts something legendary broadcaster Ken Squier would tell his team at the Thunder Road speedway in Vermont he owned for many years. Moody has echoed Squier’s words, “The guy driving that stock car may pick up your garbage tomorrow, but tonight he is someone’s hero. It doesn’t matter if he’s Richard Petty or one of our Thunder Road drivers-treat every race car driver the same-they are all heroes.” The incredible amount of time and effort this sport requires, even when you have a clean night of action, can be personally consuming. If you are involved in a wreck or the motor sours- well the time required just to get ready for the next race is compounded. Nobody is getting rich racing at Malta or any local tracks and breaking even is not even a thought for 99% of them. So why do they do it?

Some call it a love for the sport, some refer to it as an illness you can’t cure. But, the reality is once you become involved as a spectator or a competitor it is difficult walking away. Like the Eagles’ Hotel California-“you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.” I began attending races with my Dad at Seekonk Speedway as a small child. My Dad and his friends competed at Seekonk in their youth (Seekonk remains in operation today and is not in a rural area). I attended the famous Daytona 500 of 1976 and continued to visit many local tracks on a weekly basis. I learned at a young age the time, money, ingenuity and knowledge required to compete. Yes, racers have a great deal of mechanical knowledge working on engines and other parts of a car. But, they also become engineers as they attempt to adjust the chassis, brakes, tires and other elements of the race car that can give them a competitive advantage. Walk around the pit area of the Albany-Saratoga Speedway on a Friday Night and you will notice a few things.

1. The pit area is full. The car counts are very strong across all divisions with seven figures of cars and equipment involved.
2. You will meet people from all walks of life including- entrepreneurs, mechanics, politicians, lawyers, accountants, sales reps, truck drivers first responders and just about any other profession you can think of is represented. Same is true for the spectator stands that are full every week.
3. You will see people working feverishly to improve their car to make it go faster
4. You will see people who know how to fix things and an incredible amount knowledge of their respective trade, which is becoming more rare in today’s society. Where would our society be if we didn’t have people to fix things.
5. You will see families spending time together- cheering on their team, celebrating a good finish or providing a hug after a rough night
6. You will see parents displaying to their children through example their love of the sport, setting an example of hard work, dedication, how to compete, the importance of learning how to fix things and that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose
7. In other words, you will see the strength of our communities

The pit area and the spectators in the stands are truly a tremendous cross section of our society and I would argue among the best of our society. I have attended races at dozens of tracks large and small across many states in the last 50 plus years. I have never seen a fight or ugly argument in the stands. Never. I was never embarrassed or afraid to bring my kids when they were very young children to the races. Anywhere. Period. In fact, you will not meet a nicer group of people at any other event you may attend. I attended a Patriots game in Foxboro with my Dad on a Monday night at the old Sullivan Stadium. Joe Namath was playing for the Jets so it was a while ago. It was a famous game because the Patriots were banned from Monday Night Football for some seasons due to the behavior of the fans that evening. It was quite a difference in experiences between race fans and other sports as a young kid.

I have no idea what the specifics of the deal might be between Albany-Saratoga track ownership and the prospective buyer and until an official application is submitted to the Town of Malta we won’t know the specifics of the proposed redevelopment of the property. But, we do know what the general review process will be in the coming months.

The speedway predates zoning in Malta. This fact provides the track with protections as it continues to operate to the chagrin of some people who have built houses nearby. Building a house near a speedway that you don’t like is an interesting decision and a topic for another day. Every parcel in a municipality like Malta, Clifton Park, etc must have a zoning designation. The zoning is generally residential or commercial with different categories of each. Under a specific commercial zoning designation there will be a list of allowed uses spelled out in detail. There is no zoning that allows hundreds of apartments and commercial/retail development in places like Malta or Clifton Park. However, a developer can submit plans for a project that does not fit zoning on a specific parcel. Bass Pro selected a parcel in Clifton Park where zoning allows the business to locate. Therefore, Bass Pro submitted plans to the Town Planning Department and the Planning Board conducted a site plan review, which led to the Board’s approval of the store being built. Since the proposed project for the speedway property does not fit zoning for that parcel, the developer must submit an application directly to the Town Board for, in essence, relief from the zoning code. The Town Board would be required to create and approve legislation strictly for the speedway property including the details of the project, if this project were to move forward. The Town Board can, at any time, state their opposition to the project. So you can see the difference . If a project meets zoning the Town Board is not involved and the applicant has specific rights. If a project requires a complete overhaul of the zoning code, the Town Board is the body that must approve the project and the developer does not have the same rights as a project that meets the zoning code. Local zoning boards would not be involved in reviewing a project like the one proposed for the speedway. I am getting in the weeds a bit here, but these are questions I am often asked, and a thorough explanation may help people understand the process.

As a race fan, I want to commend Mr. Commander for his many years of successful operation of Lebanon Valley and Albany-Saratoga Speedways. He has provided a place for racers to compete and fans to watch the show. Lyle Devore and his team at Albany-Saratoga have done a tremendous job managing the track. The quality of the racing surface and the professional running of the show each week, has provided an affordable, quality venue for everyone involved. They have done everything possible to be a good neighbor to their new neighbors over the years, by moving the show along efficiently. I have a great deal of respect for both men and their teams.

Many people in Malta and the surrounding communities and counties are hoping the speedway can be saved. Is is possible? Sure. Anything’s possible. Would someone be interested in buying the property and maintaining the operation of the speedway? Very likely mainly due to the job Lyle and his team have done to prove the pits and stands can be full each week and the track can be a good neighbor. After all, when you add up the number of hours the track is in operation in a given year it’s a very small amount of time.

But we don’t own the property and it’s not our money. The reality is what someone will pay to build hundreds of apartments and commercial/retail is most likely more than someone will pay to continue the operation of the racetrack.

I suspect the Town Board in Malta will begin the review process for the proposed development soon. Through the process there will be plenty of opportunity for people to express their support or opposition to the proposed project.

In the interim, lets enjoy the racing. Our passion for the sport will not relent and our love of this crazy game will not leave us. Even when some of the tracks we love disappear. Many of us would hate to think the track would be gone and our area lost another unique venue, which has been an important part of history. To think our next generation will grow up not having a connection to the speedway or perhaps racing in general is sad and disappointing. If there is one thing I know about the racing community, it is this: when they come together and work toward a common goal they are unstoppable. Will we drive by the speedway property in a few years and tell the youngster in the car- There used to be a Speedway right here.