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Former IndyCar Team Owners Save Whiteland Raceway Park (IN)
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Former IndyCar team owners and partners Sarah Fisher, Andy O’Gara and Wink Hartman have joined together to purchase Whiteland Raceway Park (WRP) in Whiteland, Indiana, as part of a last-ditch effort to prevent the track from being bulldozed this week.
WRP boasts the distinction as the oldest kart track in the country. O’Gara, like many drivers in the area, got his first taste of racing at WRP.
The opportunity came from former owner Mike Swails at the last hour of an attempted sale to a potential real estate developer.
“When Andy called to tell me that Mike had offered us the purchase of WRP,” Fisher said. “We immediately agreed that investing in the karting community by reconditioning the facility was an obvious decision.”
Whiteland Raceway Park is a nine-turn road course, featuring an oval and the only high-banked turn in the state. The partners are working out details for what will happen in the revitalization of WRP but have already started the planning and cleanup process.
WRP will continue to operate throughout the remainder of the season, fulfilling the three remaining races in addition to some open practice days.
The track will be open for practice by the end of the month and are on schedule to maintain the October 13, race as well as the October 27, Halloween Endurance Races. The race currently scheduled for September 22, will be rescheduled as the staff begins the revitalization process, with a new date coming soon.
WRP boasts the distinction as the oldest kart track in the country. O’Gara, like many drivers in the area, got his first taste of racing at WRP.
The opportunity came from former owner Mike Swails at the last hour of an attempted sale to a potential real estate developer.
“When Andy called to tell me that Mike had offered us the purchase of WRP,” Fisher said. “We immediately agreed that investing in the karting community by reconditioning the facility was an obvious decision.”
Whiteland Raceway Park is a nine-turn road course, featuring an oval and the only high-banked turn in the state. The partners are working out details for what will happen in the revitalization of WRP but have already started the planning and cleanup process.
WRP will continue to operate throughout the remainder of the season, fulfilling the three remaining races in addition to some open practice days.
The track will be open for practice by the end of the month and are on schedule to maintain the October 13, race as well as the October 27, Halloween Endurance Races. The race currently scheduled for September 22, will be rescheduled as the staff begins the revitalization process, with a new date coming soon.
