Texas Speedzone - I-37 Raceway Ready to Go Just over Two Months from Purchase

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: T. Q. Jones, (512) 261-5236

New Owners Joe and Jackie Gonzales and Track Director Jim Knudtson Have I-37 Raceway Ready to Go Just over Two Months from Purchase

Pleasanton, TX (March 14, 2008) – A bare two months and five days after purchasing what was I-37 Speedway, new owners Joe and Jackie Gonzales and Track Director Jim Knudtson will open the re-named I-37 Raceway on Friday night, March 14, 2008 with a full slate of six classes of racing on the quarter-mile dirt oval just south of Pleasanton on I-37. Fans and drivers will see a number of changes, from greatly expanded grandstands and parking to remodeled rest rooms and refurbished concession areas.

"We've also done some things just to make the place look better," Knudtson said. "We straightened and painted the water tanks near the highway and cut back brush and mowed even where we didn't need to, and we painted and trimmed the buildings instead of leaving them bare metal. Volunteers, including some of the drivers working with our staff, did a lot of the work.

"Of course, we aren't finished with everything Joe and Jackie and I want to do, but we've made enough improvements that we think opening night is going to be great." Opening night will feature Pure Stocks, Street Stocks, Super Stocks, IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sports Mods, plus the surprisingly fast and exciting Dwarf Cars.

The first three race dates at I-37 Raceway will be March 14, 21 and 28, 2008. Racing three times a month except for April (two races) and May (four), the track will run a full 21-race season through September and may add some special events.
Joe Gonzales is a physician specializing in sports medicine and rehabilitation; his wife, Jackie, is his office manager. Not surprisingly, Joe's also an athlete and plays organized baseball with an adult league. Neither has experience in racing, but they do have a lot of business experience.

"We're doing two things at once," Joe says. "We're getting into what should be a good investment opportunity, and we're helping our friends Jim and Eric Knudtson stay in racing locally." Joe and Jackie recently celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary and have three kids, all of whom are college graduates.
Not surprisingly, Joe has already climbed into one of Knudtson's cars and run a few laps to get the feel of what it's all about. He's not only ready to do it again, but Jackie will also take some laps, probably within the next few weeks once they get the track reopened and racing most Friday nights.

I-37 Raceway is on I-37 just a few miles south of Pleasanton. From San Antonio, take I-37 South to Exit 104 (Leal Road) and go left across I-37. Turn south on the access road and the track is about two miles on the left. From Corpus Christi, take I-37 North to the McCoy exit, then stay on the access road to I-37 Raceway.

Gates open at 4:00 pm and racing starts at 8:00 pm following practice and qualifying. Admission is $10.00 for adults, $8:00 for those over 65 and Military, and $5.00 for kids 8-12. Kids under eight get in free.
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