CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — The Chesterfield County Planning Commission approved the master plan for the revival of Southside Speedway on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle for developers working to reopen the historic track.
Jeff Oakley, a partner at Competitive Racing Industries — the company behind the revival effort — said the track holds a special place in the racing community.
"I got my first victory ever at Southside Speedway back in 2009. There's a lot of great memories there. It's a difficult track to race on and a lot of really good racecar drivers cut their teeth there. Racing gets in your blood and it's hard to get out of your blood," Oakley said.
The vote had been deferred from last month. Commissioners had said the original proposal left too many questions unanswered, particularly around parking, development details, and public safety on race days.
However, on Tuesday, Midlothian Planning Commissioner Frank Petroski expressed his support for the revised plan.
"I want to see this be successful. I want to see the racing open and all your plans come to fruition," Petroski said.
Midlothian Planning Commissioner Frank Petroski expressed his support for the project.
Chesterfield County
Southside Speedway revival delayed: Planning commission defers vote
The proposal spans both sides of Genito Road and is divided into two phases. Phase one focuses on restoring the area around the track and restarting racing operations. That includes securing permits and site plan approval before any physical work can begin.
"We've got to get permits. We've got to get site plan approved. I mean there's mountains of red tape to cut through before we can as much as bring the grandstands in," Oakley said.
Oakley hopes to submit a full rezoning request by September.
Phase two expands the development beyond race days with plans for a hotel, restaurants, a gas station, and additional parking.
"The big master plan — that calls for restaurants, lodging, hotels, other racing experiences to fully take advantage of the full parcel of land to give Chesterfield County what it needs and that's a motor sport complex that will be talked about throughout the country," Oakley said.
Oakley said the end goal is to create an atmosphere similar to a minor league ballpark — a destination where fans arrive long before the race begins. He also said the development would connect with the adjacent soccer complex.
"We all know the soccer complex is adjacent. We're trying to bring together and connect the soccer complex and the racing complex. There's a lot of facilities that we are going to offer that will draw those soccer folks in our direction. So it will become the place to be," Oakley said.
Oakley said phase two could bring some major companies into the picture, though he said those names will be revealed once the county commits and all requests are approved.
The team is pushing to have enough completed so Southside Speedway can reopen in 2027.
The planning commission's approval eases pressure on Oakley, who is working against the clock under a lease agreement that requires racing to return within 5 years of signing or the deal could be terminated.
Watch: Southside Speedway set to reopen after 5-year closure
Longtime fan Buck Reuss said enthusiasm among drivers and fans has never wavered during the wait.
"There are people who have actually already built cars ready to go racing just at Southside Speedway," Reuss said. "Because when they heard it was coming back and everything was done the way it was with the announcement, they went ahead and said, 'Cool, we're going to do this.'"
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