The sports-car course has always been the big thing. The partners saw some scheduling opportunities for early 2002 that they felt would not be there if they didn't move in this direction, so that's what they decided to do. The track is being built by Orange County developer Frank Arciero and Illinois businessman Gerald Forsythe. Both men are longtime race team owners and have spent millions competing in and promoting the sport.
Auto racing is said to be the fastest-growing spectator sport in the nation.
This is just a shift in priorities. Arciero and Forsythe were never anticipating that the oval would open before 2002, but with more than a year's worth of delays plaguing the overall planning and construction, the partners became convinced even that date seemed optimistic. Now they think they can hit that target and build the drag strip later. Chapman insisted Monday that the change did not mean there were problems with financial backing or any other aspects of the project. With most legal and regulatory obstacles apparently overcome in recent months, Chapman said, it became imperative to build the oval first.