Construction has continued for more than two years at Little River Speedway in Modoc, South Carolina. According to owner Ronnie Powell, permitting, infrastructure changes and supply chain issues contributed to the delay of the $2-million-dollar-plus project. However, he added that those delays have been a blessing.
(For our previous story on the track, read “Little River Speedway: The Transformation of Modoc.”)
“Being slowed down allowed us to do more — like building a completely new racing surface,” Powell said. “Now, there won’t be any red clay anywhere on the track and there won’t be dust. The plan is to have the new clay down now and open in March or April.”
In the past year, they have widened and reformed the track surface, with the turns now featuring progressive 12°-17° banking. The straightaways have 5°-7°.
“The track has a reputation as being badass, and it is now going to be even more fast,” said Powell. “We’ve invested more than $200,000 into the 200 truckloads of new clay — without counting the labor. It’s from Macon, Georgia — the same clay as Senoia Raceway uses.”
The surface is just the surface of improvements Powell has made to the track formerly known as Modoc Raceway. They have completely redone concession stands, upgraded bathrooms and infrastructure, rebuilt the track’s main building and tower, which now includes a suite.
“The whole place has been redone,” Powell said. “We have all-new walls around the track and installed LED lighting. We’ve refurbished and added to the grandstands. We’ll have seating for 2,000.”
Modoc Raceway will cater to spectators not only on the outside of the track, but also on the inside.
“There will be no haulers on the infield — just spectators,” said Powell. “We’ll be able to easily house 4,000 people for events.”
Little River Speedway plans to host non-sanctioned events, with classes such as super late models, 604 late models, 602 late models, and Crown Vics.
“No sanctioning organization has come to me and offered me money to sanction our races or divisions,” Powell said. “Look at the money I am spending. I can afford to pay as much money to the drivers as a sanctioning body would. Why would I let them take our money?”
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.
