Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-26

II
kings" in this area next month. For you may drive
out and over the Blue Ridge Mountains to Charles
Town, W. Va, to watch running TnoroughbredS under
the lights
Night racing is not new We have many harness
tracks that operate under the lights But before
Charles Town planned night Thoroughbred racing,
you'd have to go far away as Wheeling for after
dark running races.
A few months ago Charles Towns new night track
was nothing more than cow pasture. But when
racing begins there Friday night the sowing OF
nearly 81 million will have grown and bloomed
into of the bestequipped tracks in the country.
Building brand-new track is not simple
job Back in the days when racing young In
this country all that was needed tor a match race
was couple Of willing horses and grassy field.
But tracks nowadays are carefully engineered.
Listen to Bob Leavtt, who will be director of
racing and general manager of the new Shenandoah
Downs at Charles Town. Mr. Leavltt is old hand
at managing tracks, and sent to Puerto Rico
to correct drainage problem at FL Communicate.
you've got to think of lot of things wnen you
out to build new track" says Mr. Leavitt There
is the grading the drainage the surtacng to take
care Of If these not perfect you'll likely come
up with a mess when the track gets into use.
We had to blast out rock at one end and put
fill in at the other. And had to be careful with
our elevations Why, this track is SO well engineered
that there isn't inches difference in the eleva-
ton from one end to the other.
I'VE started out with a stone foundation. On that
we packed and rolled clay Then came inches
OF quarry dust, then inches of sandy loan.
We've got the perfect drainage needed for a real
good track. Proper drainage that after a
heavy rain our tracks will become faster much quicker
Drainage will be helped also on the Shenandoah
Downs hve-eghthS of mile track by constant working
with special harrow This will keep S-inch-deep
cushion for the running horses, Mr. Leavitt explains.
When the lights go on, there is / million watts
OF electricity pouring light onto the track. And,
strangely enough, officials say there shadows.
One bank OF hoodhghts has been placed along the
front top of the grandstand, and in
them monoraiI designed that can be pedaIed
like bicycle
I'VE call it Hamlton's folly" says Mr. Leavitt.
Arthur Hamilton designed the lighting system and
the car to go with it, The folly part is Just Joke
because that really works."
Here, according to Mr. Leavitt are Just few facts
about Charles Towns new track:
First of all. it has connection with any other
track. 1t was built by the. Charles Town Racing
Association, 1ncr headed by Lyman Ghckstein, New
YORK attorney 1t is OF tve night running tracks
In the East and will accommodate 600 racing fans
The first meet will last from May l to July H. and
there Will be two special days there will be both
afternoon and night racing-MemoriaI Day and July l.
Some 1900 horses will be entered the first meet
and more than 600 of them will be stabbed in new
cement block stables on the grounds. And for those
VINO nope to make killing, there will plenty of
betting room The ,pari-mutuel windows will line
3OO-toot concourse beneath the grandstand
lanes Birchfield