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Homestead–Miami Speedway
Homestead–Miami Speedway (formerly known as the Homestead Motorsports Complex from 1995 to 1998) is a 1.500 mi (2.414 km) oval-shaped intermediate speedway in Homestead, Florida. It has hosted various major auto racing series throughout its existence, including NASCAR, IndyCar, and FIA GT Championship. The facility has a capacity of 43,000 as of 2019. Along with the main oval track, the facility features a road course layout that uses parts of the oval along with a specially designed infield road course. Homestead–Miami Speedway is owned by the city of Homestead, operated by NASCAR, and led by track president Guillermo Santa Cruz.
Seeking a permanent venue for the Grand Prix of Miami, auto racing promoter Ralph Sanchez initiated plans to build a complex in 1991. After numerous failed proposals, the city of Homestead, recovering from the effects of Hurricane Andrew, was able to woo Sanchez into building the permanent complex within the city and was completed by 1995. In the following four years, the city of Homestead and Sanchez made numerous accommodations to then-NASCAR president Bill France Jr. to gain a NASCAR Cup Series race weekend, including the reconfiguration of the track from a rectangle to an oval-shaped track in 1997. In the 2000s, numerous renovations were made to the track, including a second reconfiguration, the installation of SAFER barriers and lights, and other amenities.
The complex's oval layout in its current form is measured at 1.5 mi (2.4 km), with a progressive system of banking of 18–20° in the turns and 4° of banking on the track's straights. The complex also features a 2.3 mi (3.7 km), 11-turn "roval" layout that uses parts of the oval along with a specially designed infield road course. From 1997–2003, the oval layout featured a banking of 6° in the turns and 3° in the straights.
When the complex was first built, it featured a rectangle-shaped layout similar in shape to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway alongside a 2.21 mi (3.56 km), 13-turn road course layout that utilized parts of the rectangle along with specially designed parts of the track that were contained within the track's infield. The rectangle's layout distance was disputed by sanctioning bodies; NASCAR used a length of 1.51 mi (2.43 km), and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) used a length of 1.527 mi (2.457 km).
Homestead–Miami Speedway is served by U.S. Route 1 and Florida State Road 821, and covers approximately 650 acres (260 ha) according to the Miami Herald. As of 2019, the facility has a capacity of 43,000 according to Forbes. Within the track's infield is a 90 ft (27 m) deep, 0.5 mi (0.80 km) by 0.125 mi (0.201 km) lake that is occasionally used for fishing tournaments along with a 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2), two-story media center that was constructed in 2008. The facility also features an art deco aesthetic made by Day One that combines "aqua blue, tan, and purple" according to Yahoo Sports' Jay Busbee.
On March 27, 1991, the Miami Herald made public that Grand Prix of Miami promoter Ralph Sanchez sought to build a permanent racing facility in Miami-Dade County, Florida, submitting a bill through the Florida Legislature that proposed that a local tourist tax would expand to let the tax be used to fund motorsports facilities. According to the Herald, he asked for up to $20 million in tax money to build the facility. The bill had passed earlier in the Florida House of Representatives on the 21st. Sanchez wanted to seek out a permanent facility for the Grand Prix of Miami, which had been run as a street course on city streets. Three days after the initial report, the Herald reported that Sanchez was considering a location at Amelia Earhart Park; the plan faced heavy opposition from nearby residents. The bill later passed the Florida Senate in May of that year. In December, Florida legislators voted over a budget proposal of $48.5 million to various sports and events in the Miami area; within the proposal was a plan to give $9 million to Sanchez to build the permanent facility. Sanchez wanted as much as $25 million, but local government leaders cut the amount down. The proposal was approved on the 19th; with the $9 million, Sanchez stated that he aimed to use the money to improve amenities on the street course.
By May 1992, Sanchez began considering a proposal to build a 2.1 mi (3.4 km) racetrack on the Munisport landfill in North Miami, proposing to build the track in two phases. A noise test for nearby residents was conducted the following month, with the proposal receiving mixed, highly polarizing reactions from residents who either supported or opposed the facility. The North Miami City Council approved the proposal on June 26, with Sanchez later stating hopes to host CART IndyCar World Series races. In response, a group of approximately 90 people who opposed the project was formed: the Citizens for the Public Use of Munisport. The group argued that the land was designated to be used as public land according to a referendum voted on by local citizens more than 20 years before the approval. Opposition towards the proposal grew heavily by September, with multiple cities stating their opposition to the project. On October 18, the Herald reported that the Munisport proposal was officially dead, with Sanchez stating to the Herald, "with the opposition mounting in North Miami, we were feeling a little unwanted."
On October 4, in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew and in midst of the confirmation of the sale of the Villages of Homestead real estate project, Homestead City Manager Alex Muxo stated his hopes to woo Sanchez into building his motorsports complex in Homestead. 11 days later, Muxo stated in a press conference that Sanchez had agreed to build the complex east of the Homestead Sports Complex, with the Metro-Dade Finance Committee promising $11 million for the project. The committee's investment was approved in November, with Sanchez stating that with the approval, "we can start to build almost right away." Another $1.7 million investment was given by the Homestead City Council in February 1993. However, three months later, the project was put into jeopardy when a real estate deal was delayed when Homestead Properties, the owner of approximately 360 acres (150 ha) of prospective land the city of Homestead looked to buy, was sued for alleged misuse of insurance funds. In addition, Sanchez stated in July that "soil conditions and flood criteria requirements" as potential causes for a possible delay.
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Homestead–Miami Speedway
Homestead–Miami Speedway (formerly known as the Homestead Motorsports Complex from 1995 to 1998) is a 1.500 mi (2.414 km) oval-shaped intermediate speedway in Homestead, Florida. It has hosted various major auto racing series throughout its existence, including NASCAR, IndyCar, and FIA GT Championship. The facility has a capacity of 43,000 as of 2019. Along with the main oval track, the facility features a road course layout that uses parts of the oval along with a specially designed infield road course. Homestead–Miami Speedway is owned by the city of Homestead, operated by NASCAR, and led by track president Guillermo Santa Cruz.
Seeking a permanent venue for the Grand Prix of Miami, auto racing promoter Ralph Sanchez initiated plans to build a complex in 1991. After numerous failed proposals, the city of Homestead, recovering from the effects of Hurricane Andrew, was able to woo Sanchez into building the permanent complex within the city and was completed by 1995. In the following four years, the city of Homestead and Sanchez made numerous accommodations to then-NASCAR president Bill France Jr. to gain a NASCAR Cup Series race weekend, including the reconfiguration of the track from a rectangle to an oval-shaped track in 1997. In the 2000s, numerous renovations were made to the track, including a second reconfiguration, the installation of SAFER barriers and lights, and other amenities.
The complex's oval layout in its current form is measured at 1.5 mi (2.4 km), with a progressive system of banking of 18–20° in the turns and 4° of banking on the track's straights. The complex also features a 2.3 mi (3.7 km), 11-turn "roval" layout that uses parts of the oval along with a specially designed infield road course. From 1997–2003, the oval layout featured a banking of 6° in the turns and 3° in the straights.
When the complex was first built, it featured a rectangle-shaped layout similar in shape to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway alongside a 2.21 mi (3.56 km), 13-turn road course layout that utilized parts of the rectangle along with specially designed parts of the track that were contained within the track's infield. The rectangle's layout distance was disputed by sanctioning bodies; NASCAR used a length of 1.51 mi (2.43 km), and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) used a length of 1.527 mi (2.457 km).
Homestead–Miami Speedway is served by U.S. Route 1 and Florida State Road 821, and covers approximately 650 acres (260 ha) according to the Miami Herald. As of 2019, the facility has a capacity of 43,000 according to Forbes. Within the track's infield is a 90 ft (27 m) deep, 0.5 mi (0.80 km) by 0.125 mi (0.201 km) lake that is occasionally used for fishing tournaments along with a 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2), two-story media center that was constructed in 2008. The facility also features an art deco aesthetic made by Day One that combines "aqua blue, tan, and purple" according to Yahoo Sports' Jay Busbee.
On March 27, 1991, the Miami Herald made public that Grand Prix of Miami promoter Ralph Sanchez sought to build a permanent racing facility in Miami-Dade County, Florida, submitting a bill through the Florida Legislature that proposed that a local tourist tax would expand to let the tax be used to fund motorsports facilities. According to the Herald, he asked for up to $20 million in tax money to build the facility. The bill had passed earlier in the Florida House of Representatives on the 21st. Sanchez wanted to seek out a permanent facility for the Grand Prix of Miami, which had been run as a street course on city streets. Three days after the initial report, the Herald reported that Sanchez was considering a location at Amelia Earhart Park; the plan faced heavy opposition from nearby residents. The bill later passed the Florida Senate in May of that year. In December, Florida legislators voted over a budget proposal of $48.5 million to various sports and events in the Miami area; within the proposal was a plan to give $9 million to Sanchez to build the permanent facility. Sanchez wanted as much as $25 million, but local government leaders cut the amount down. The proposal was approved on the 19th; with the $9 million, Sanchez stated that he aimed to use the money to improve amenities on the street course.
By May 1992, Sanchez began considering a proposal to build a 2.1 mi (3.4 km) racetrack on the Munisport landfill in North Miami, proposing to build the track in two phases. A noise test for nearby residents was conducted the following month, with the proposal receiving mixed, highly polarizing reactions from residents who either supported or opposed the facility. The North Miami City Council approved the proposal on June 26, with Sanchez later stating hopes to host CART IndyCar World Series races. In response, a group of approximately 90 people who opposed the project was formed: the Citizens for the Public Use of Munisport. The group argued that the land was designated to be used as public land according to a referendum voted on by local citizens more than 20 years before the approval. Opposition towards the proposal grew heavily by September, with multiple cities stating their opposition to the project. On October 18, the Herald reported that the Munisport proposal was officially dead, with Sanchez stating to the Herald, "with the opposition mounting in North Miami, we were feeling a little unwanted."
On October 4, in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew and in midst of the confirmation of the sale of the Villages of Homestead real estate project, Homestead City Manager Alex Muxo stated his hopes to woo Sanchez into building his motorsports complex in Homestead. 11 days later, Muxo stated in a press conference that Sanchez had agreed to build the complex east of the Homestead Sports Complex, with the Metro-Dade Finance Committee promising $11 million for the project. The committee's investment was approved in November, with Sanchez stating that with the approval, "we can start to build almost right away." Another $1.7 million investment was given by the Homestead City Council in February 1993. However, three months later, the project was put into jeopardy when a real estate deal was delayed when Homestead Properties, the owner of approximately 360 acres (150 ha) of prospective land the city of Homestead looked to buy, was sued for alleged misuse of insurance funds. In addition, Sanchez stated in July that "soil conditions and flood criteria requirements" as potential causes for a possible delay.