TORONTO, ON – Since the series’ inception in 2007, the NASCAR Pinty’s Series has ended its season at Kawartha Speedway. And until a few days ago, that was going to be the plan for 2017, as well.
But in a major mid-season schedule shake-up, NASCAR and Jukasa Motor Speedway (formerly Cayuga Motor Speedway) are set to announce that the originally scheduled Sept. 16 Kawartha event will now take place under the lights on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Jukasa.
The 5/8-mile Jukasa oval (then Cayuga) was the site of the first-ever race for Canada’s current NASCAR tour in May 2007 and played host to several events until it went dormant a few seasons ago.
But the facility has been undergoing a major renovation and is set to re-open, hosting the APC Late Model Series and a Super Late Model invitational August 26 and 27.
With NASCAR apparently in need of a new venue to host its finale, Jukasa Motor Speedway was a logical replacement that will likely spur much interest on the part of racers and fans who are eager to return to the legendary ‘Crown Jewel’ of Canadian stock car racing and to see all of the work that has been done.
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UPDATE: 2:15 WITH NASCAR PRESS RELEASE:
Pinty’s Finale Moved To Jukasa
Canadian Championship Returns To Ontario Track
Official Release: August 2, 2017 - 1:01pm
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR will crown its 2017 championship for stock car racing in Canada at the track that helped launch the series. NASCAR and Jukasa Motor Speedway announced today that the season finale for the NASCAR Pinty’s Series will be moved to the Hagersville, Ontario, track.
The event will be held Saturday, Sept. 23.
“We are looking forward to crowning our 2017 NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion at Jukasa Motor Speedway,” said George Silbermann. “Since the track was re-opened, we have talked about the series’ return at some point, and when the opportunity arose to host the finale, they stepped up. The track has substantial history with the NASCAR Pinty’s Series and stock car racing in Canada, and it’s extremely fitting we crown Canada’s national champion there.”
Due to management changes at Kawartha Downs, NASCAR and Kawartha have agreed to mutually terminate the sanction for the event scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 16.
Jukasa, formerly known as Cayuga Speedway, was open from 1966-2009. Through its history, it hosted countless high-profile racing events and notable NASCAR stars from Dale Earnhardt and Bobby Allison to Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth. The .625-mile paved oval held the inaugural NASCAR Pinty’s Series race in May of 2007. It held two races in each of the series’ first two years before it closed.
The track was purchased in 2016 by Kenny Hill and Jerry Montour, and repaving began in late 2016.
“We’ve made no secret that we’re looking to return the track to its status as ‘Canada’s Crown Jewel,’ and hosting the country’s championship event is a big step toward that goal,” said Jukasa General Manager Alex Nagy. “When NASCAR approached us with the possibility of being added to the schedule, we jumped at the opportunity. A lot of hard work has gone into returning this track to its glory, and the season finale is a perfect stage for us.”
The track now features banking up up to 8.5 degrees with slight banking on the previously flat straightaways. The racing surface has also been expanded to 60 feet. The track sits on more than 350 acres and boasts 1,100 campsites.
The NASCAR Pinty’s Series just completed its annual swing through western Canada, with Alex Labbe winning two of the three races to take the points leader over Kevin Lacroix and NASCAR Next driver Cayden Lapcevich. The race at Jukasa is one of five events remaining, with the series next racing at Quebec’s Circuit de Trois-Rivieres on Sunday, Aug. 13.