BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — While no more history will be made in the clay oval at Bakersfield Speedway, the racing and the speedway's owners will take on a new life as part of the Kern Raceway campus.
- Bakersfield Speedway is relocating to Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway after nearly 80 years at its current site on North Chester in Oildale.
- Scott Schweitzer, owner of Bakersfield Speedway, and Tim Huddleston, managing partner for Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway, believe the partnership will enhance the fan experience with improved facilities and a combination of both raceway's teams.
- The first race at the new venue is scheduled for March 8, with an open practice on March 1.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For nearly 80 years racers and race fans have been able to witness history at the hallowed grounds of Bakersfield Speedway. I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter. However, after that nearly 80-year history, the owners of the speedway aren't quite saying goodbye. They're saying, 'we hope to see you next time at our new home at Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway.'
“Scott and I just got to know each other and we decided that we were better together than we were apart,” said Tim Huddleston, managing partner of Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway.
“We need to make that total fan experience, and those different things going on, and that's what they're good at - Tim Huddleston and his crew," said Scott Schweitzer, owner of Bakersfield Speedway. "We're excited to partner with him and they can handle the bulk of that, we can handle the racing to give the total family entertainment experience every time they go out and visit us."
The move, orchestrated by Scott Schweitzer at Bakersfield Speedway in Oildale and Tim Huddleston at Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway, was announced at the end of January with the first race slated for March 8 at Bakersfield Speedway's new home. Schweitzer says he hopes that fans and racers alike appreciate what they'll be able to do soon with more tools at their disposal.
“Literally, our plates were full, and it was just time. It was time. And I think, you know, the fans will see it out there, the racers will see it that, you know, we've lightened our load, and we can concentrate on those elements a little bit more. And we plan to make it a fun time every time we open the gates out there.”
For Huddleston, the partnership was a no-brainer because it brings the best of dirt and asphalt racing under one roof.
“We're really excited for what it can do for racing, because we can take the best of the full-time staff that we have here and bring Scott's staff over here to run the dirt track,” said Huddleston. “We're going to take over the marketing, we're going to take over the front of the house, Scott still going to be the same old guy running the back of the house and nobody better.”
The track is slated to hold its first open practice session on March 1st, with opening day and the first official race spinning the tires on March 8th.
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