MANSFIELD – While racing fans have been told promises before at the Mansfield Motor Speedway, new track promoter Cody Sommers is out to prove the disbelievers by not cutting any corners.
The track is now underway in its transformation from asphalt to dirt track.
Originally, Sommers said the plan was to place dirt on top of the asphalt and use the current surface as a base layer.
Upon further examination of the track, he deemed that an unwise plan. Sommers likened putting dirt over the current surface as placing duct tape over a hole.
“It’s not so much that it had to happen,” Sommers said. “It’s more that it’s the better way of doing things. I’m pretty consistent with these things. I don’t take short cuts. If there’s no need to remove the original surface don’t do it because then it’s always there. But again, you can see this surface has really aged over time. It’s starting to crack everywhere, there are some chunks that are coming out of it. It’s aged.”
Sommers said the track had never been resurfaced, but patches had been placed over troubled spots.
Removing the asphalt will be an expensive plan, but it is a necessary evil.
“It could have been difficult, dangerous. Not the right way to do it,” the promoter said of nixing his old plan. “It’s not cheap. Again this wasn’t the original plan, but this is about doing what’s right. This is about providing a good product for the fans and the racers, a nice race track and this is the way to do it.”
Sommers knows there have been missed opportunities and unfulfilled promises in the past, but he said he is different.
“There’s been a lot of baggage and there’s been a lot of things that have happened. When I got here the first day there were things that weren’t my problem, but they are now,” he said. “I’m willing to take on that challenge of proving myself to the locals. I think to the industry I’ve done that and gotten support there. In a short amount of time, I think people will see it’s different. I understand where they come from.
Mansfield Motor Speedway will begin its season March 25 with its first of three Triple CROWN Spring Series events.
