The Zacharias family spearheaded a clean-up of the long-dormant Shangri-La II Motor Speedway. They intend to reopen the Barton, New York, track in May, after it has sat idle for eight years.
Terry Zacharias said a Georgia businessman who wishes to remain anonymous bought the track. Zacharias will serve as the track’s operations manager.
“[The anonymous Georgia businessman] owns and loves Shangri-La II,” said Gina Zacharias. “He said today we were in this for the long term, which felt great to hear.”
More than 60 people helped cut brush, clean, and swept the facility, which consists of a concrete oval and a drag strip.
“People just wanted to help, hang out, and share memories of all the great racing at both Shangri-Las [referring to the first, long-closed Shangri-La in Owego],” Terry said. “The track is in beautiful condition. The power is on, the lighting is all there. Nothing has been vandalized, nothing smashed. The garages and bathrooms are decent. The concession stands are in good shape — nothing a little TLC won’t take care of. The grandstands are all aluminum and in perfect condition.”
Terry said recent rumors that the track would become a wind farm were incorrect. He will begin working on the track’s schedule for 2024.
“I can’t wait to work with the other promoters to put together something that works for all of our racers and tracks,” said Terry. “We will have probably six events during the season. They have to be scheduled right so we can get the racers from the Connecticut and Long Island tracks, as well as Wall Stadium [Speedway in New Jersey], Mahoning Valley [Speedway in Pennsylvania] and Evergreen [Raceway in Pennsylvania].”
Terry’s son, Jimmy Zacharias, took a few laps around the Shangri-La II.
“He said it was just as smooth as he remembered it being more than eight years ago,” Terry said.
Terry admitted that much of the details for Shangri-La II Motor Speedway reopening need to be worked out, but expect the track run again.
“This is exciting,” said Terry. “With so many tracks closing across the nation, here’s one that is opening.”
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
