CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN from 2009 RFR
The former Reno-Fernley Raceway property that included the Road Course, Drag Strip and Skidpad/Testing Areas, has been purchased by a new owner recently here in the Reno/Tahoe area of Northern Nevada. The Reno-Fernley Raceway,RFR, operated previously from 1998-2010 with a dirt oval, expanded road course configurations, testing area and drag strip in Fernley, Nevada which is a growing suburb of Reno/Sparks and is located along Interstate 80 with the facility just to the South on Highway 95A. The site itself is approximately 400 acres, near a private airstrip,Tiger Field in Lyon County Nevada.
The new owner is Dan Shore, a San Francisco Bay Area developer and long time motorsport enthusiast, that moved up this way to the Reno/Tahoe area recently for other business interests and recognized an opportunity to move forward with the former race facility and Master Plan.
Given my past experiences with the former facility plans and ownership, I have had a number of discussions with Mr Shore on the future direction and current planning efforts. The new ownership is starting a Preliminary Feasibility Stage to determine which uses and configuration(s) to move forward and initial clean up has been underway for a few months to look at possibility of starting some improvements in late 2022…
Given that the Road Course and Drag Strip surfaces have not been used for any events over the last 8/9 years, the AC and subsurface conditions are being evaluated to determine how much of the track areas can be utilized without a Major Re-Paving Operation to make the facility safe and marketable to sanctioning bodies and race organizations.
We will be continuing to meet and get updates from Dan Shore and his team in the future and when more current information is available we will be posting on this new and exciting announcement for Motorsport and Racing Fans.
Stay Tuned and Come Back Soon……..As Always, TACH IT UP………!!!
Promotional picture from 2008 at former RFR and the Reno Historic Races
A Promotional Clip as shot by one of the local TV stations as part of our efforts back in 2009 to link with G.A.S.S. which was Great American Stock Car Series by Chris Evans Racing, to create an “Arrive and Drive” Western States Series. This is one of our posts of part of the clip that was put up on You-tube earlier this year……..In it you can see the track in use from close to 10 years ago.
Are they still making forward progress?
Sent you a separate e mail, but no I have heard nothing on them moving forward. I will try to reach out to MR Shore in the next week or so and see if anything has changed, As I mentioned in my email, I am changing direction a bit from my more Road Racing roots and building a vintage Drag Car from our Fox Body Mustang and kind of assuming that the old road course will not be back in operation anytime soon…..
GREG
Really wish this would move forward.
Getting closer to having a Lotus and Dio Tipo to run.
Not a fan of horsepower tracks like Las Vegas or Thunderhill, why have a superior handling car if you are just going to lose every drag race down the straits?
Sears Point, Willow Springs, and Laguna Seca (Rarely open) are fun but distant and in CA which limits their appeal for me.
Still willing to put actual effort into this.
I spoke with Mr Shore yesterday and there really is no change, sorry to say, since last time I met with with him. Still trying to get 4-5 Wealthy Individuals and Racers together to form a “Founders Club” to move forward. That is a difficult task to try and achieve as we were there before and tried some similar ideas…..One thing I am going to continue to talk to Dan about is What would be the possibility of promoting say some 1/8 Mile Drags out there, possibly through me with NEVADA MUSCLE CARS and maybe few other groups to get something going….I think the front straight from the launch concrete pad then slightly up the straight towards the timing/flag stand is still in decent shape…..Just an idea as I and a partner are taking our Road Race SCCA GT3 Mustang and converting to nostalgia Pro Stock Tribute Car to run in a few places…..
Are you going to be having any racing soon?
I don’t think so…..I spoke recently with the new owner and he is still looking for a couple of investors to come in with him to fund the needed improvements for reopening the facility, especially the Road Course. I am going to continue to talk with him about the possibility of doing some 1/8 Mile Drags on part of the road course straight where we used to host some drag racing a number of years ago..
Status update on new investors?
No, but I will reach out again and see if anything new has happened since we had breakfast together a few months ago…
Unfortunate, seems like this has been in the works since 2019
I saw a flyer at summit racing for a drift type event there very soon in October but can find nothing online
Any info?? What a shit show
No I have no information, only that they have had a few drift events during the summer on part of the upper portion of the track that isn’t too beat up after all these years.
I did speak very briefly with the new owner the other day, and not much has happened, obviously with capital improvements and investors. He is out of the country on other business and I plan to get together with him in mid-November to discuss some things..
Any new news?
Seems like the obvious solution would be to get the original track loop back in order and work on infrastructure before even considering using the newer session. Yeah, it was short, but had a nice flow to it.
Thanks
Tom: I do not have any new information unfortunately, It has been quite some time since I have spoken to the new owner with COVID etc etc….I was by the track during the summer and it did not look like any improvements had started, so not sure what is happening. I will try and reach out to Mr Shore in the near future.
Thanks for stopping by the site.
GREG
Drove past yesterday.
Saw equipment in use at the Dirt track but no sign of life at the Road course.
I did note a newer Double Wide sitting where it looks like it might have something to do with the Road Course side of things?
I spoke briefly with the new owner about 2 weeks ago as there had been some “insight” going around that some new paving was going to start this Spring for some of the Road Course…..Dan told me that he had hoped to do some, but 2 of the investors for his “Founders Club” backed out and so he is back trying to decide how next to proceed as he doesn’t want to take on too much debt against the land, as unfortunately we had to, so it appears we will not see much out there until at least later this year…….We are planning to get together later this month in April to discuss a few things.
GREG
Just made the trek to Willow Springs last week.
Seemed like a shorter and less expensive trip a few years ago but now it really is just too far away.
I really hope this local track can come back but that does not look promising.
Greg, We are excited to hear of the new life coming back to the Reno-Fernely Racepark! We were a driver with the GASS cars in 2007, and now we are the Proud new owners of the GASS series. We would love to add this road course as one of our stops on our tour in the future.
As I mentioned in my separate email, it was great to hear from you and congratulations on the ownership of GASS. It was great when you guys were out before with Chris Evans and we were trying to get the Series going and to participate in GASS at RFR. I am having a meeting with the new owner ironically tomorrow to get an update as to status of things and I will keep you, and some other interested parties informed as to current status
Thanks for coming by the site
GREG
Any new updates?
As I mentioned in my email, I had breakfast with the new owner again recently and it’s pretty much status quo for the time being….He thought that he had a couple of relatively large amount investors/founders club members to stay invested in the track and facilities for quite some time but they both backed out earlier this year and now back trying to decide where to go now…..I will keep everyone who has asked me about whats happening out there informed when I know more. I will probably have another meeting into August sometime…
GREG
Any update ? I wonder if Dan has considered going to country club route and sell stock/ memberships.. The drive to Sonoma and Thunderhill makes for a long weekend.
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Have racecar and rv would work, do anything to help get track and help you in any way I can. Thanks Ron.
I have an idea on how to make money to get the the road track going. Who do I propose this to?
Hi All. Is this the track that Richard Cable started in the 80’s? Anyone know what Rich is doing theses days? TIA.
Yes it is. I was with Rich out there with FHE and RFR for about 6/7 years trying to get all the developments and track moving forward. Did for a while before the “Economic Downturn” in ’08 hit track pretty much closed and was taken by some note holders in around 2010. I have not seen Rich in probably 8 years or so, not too sure where he is at these days, although somebody told me he may be back in Fernley after trying another development project at Eagle Lake area in Northern California..
My understanding is that the current track surface is crumbling and unsafe.
Turns out a local guy I know has a paving machine he might sell.
Seems like a good piece of equipment for a track to have.
Not sure if the old asphalt can be scooped up, heated, and reused for a less ambitious layout?
Even a smaller track would be better than the current none at all.
Everett is well known in the area, I can send his phone number if there is interest.
Any update at all?
I did speak briefly with the new owner about 2 weeks ago before the show out here by Sommerset as I knew I would get some questions from people about track status. Not much has happened during the last year and a half since the last time I met with Mr Shore…….Continuing with some planning, along the lines of our previous Concept Plan and will be looking for the right type of “Investment Capital” with hopes to start some improvements next year some time in 2022. The owner has been traveling a lot on some other project things and will be back in the area in mid-August sometime and we plan to get together to discuss some things in next month or so…… I will send you a separate email on this “update”….
Thanks for visiting……I know I will get more questions during Hot August Nights in this next week as I plan on having our Race Mustang out some and will be generally at the Atlantis and Peppermill during the event..
Hi GD, any further updates? There’s been years of speculation on what will happen to RFR, and yours is the most up-to-date post I’ve seen on this. I’d love to know more, and if there are any plans to have the road course operational in 2021.
I have not met or spoken to the new owner during the Covid shutdown etc etc. I do plan to soon to see what may or may not be happening. I did drive by the facility about a month or so on my way to Yerington and seems as though not much has happened at the Road Course/Dragstrip area of the property. Only “improvements” that I saw was come grading work and berms in dirt at entry for some ATV’s or maybe Motocross.
I will keep posted if I find out more…
“Covid” is finally winding down.
It is becoming possible to hold events and do work again, although at much higher expense as material cost have skyrocketed.
Lots of pent up demand for events, summer is a miserable time to be cooped up.
Looking forward to an update on the track even if it is just confirmation of it becoming a “Members Only” venue.
Jan 9, 2021. I think the atv track is up and running. Road course will take time and money to refurbish. Would be nice to have the track back again in the Reno area, otherwise I’m getting used to the 3 hr drive up over the hill to Sonoma and Thunderhill.
Would be nice to setup an easy SCCA rallycross event on the dirt, but I think most interest is running atv/side x side instead of cars. Cant get a large enough group at SCCA Reno interested in rallycross.
I have an American GT car that is the campion and Chevy sponsor. Team relocated from CA now in Idaho. Looking for a test track. Miller is further than Sears Point. Fallon would save hours.
Is that a kart track on the lower right hand side?
Yes it is. In that first “Preliminary” Concept Plan, there was a Kart Track shown for that area of the property.
Thanks for coming to the site and commenting
I travel to Tooele in UT for track time in my Viper. I live in Elko and trailer my car. I would much rather travel to Fernley. If a track restoration is done right I’m sure it could poach events from Utah Motorsports Campus. Hot August Nights would probably help with drag racing events. I know it’s hard to make a profit with motorsports events but I really hope the greater Reno-Carson communities support the new ownership of this track.
I certainly hope the communities here and NorCal etc will support any new facilities that the new ownership undertakes also….Not quite sure where things are at given the Covid shutdown etc….Plan on trying to get together with the new owner again possibly through next month to get an update.
Thanks for your comment and I will post any new info I get soon…
Count us in! My husband has a 2006 911S and wants to stretch it’s legs!! Would love to find a track for his birthday next month. Any ideas??
Attended the spring meeting on the Dirt side of the property.
Looks like the new owners are very serious about bringing the Dirt back to life and are putting time and money into making it happen.
Learned that the Dirt and Road courses are now separate properties.
OK, this is Nevada so no shortage of free Dirt to play on, but playing on the paved public street now gets fines/jail time that are too much to bear, we need the Road course back in operation ASAP!
Really do not want to have to go to Kali. for track time, how may I help to get this track open again?
I’m in Yerington so it’s not too long a drive for me.
Yes Richard we would like to see the Road Course and Drag Strip back operational after all these many years of sitting too.
Since the Covid shutdown, I have not seen the new owner and not sure what status of dollars being raised etc etc to try and get the track back operational status is at for them. They were looking at more of a “Private Club” type facility and improvements when I last had meeting with current owner. I do plan on trying to get back together with Mr Shore in the near future on few things and will try to see what is happening with the continued efforts.
Thanks for checking in……..GREG
Did the track owner ever obtain some water rights?
Facility needs some greenery to be more attractive.
Hmm, maybe a pond for the Drag Boats too?
Email me if you think the owners might be interested in water rights.
I know of a former ranch that is going to go up for sale. The agricultural water rights may be sold separately and the seller is a gear-head.
Can i rent track forA motorcycle day? How much?
At this point I am not sure if the new owner is renting out the track for track days. I do not think the improvements to the track, ie resurface some areas and run offs etc have been completed to rent to any outside groups or events. I have not met with or talked to them since the COVID shutdown but I do plan on reaching out to them through this next month or so to get an update as to the status.
Thanks for your comment and I will plan to post some new info when I get the update…
Currently building a street legal vintage Sports-Racer replica.
Also have a couple of production sports cars and an El Camino unlike any other.
REALLY want to see some local track days return.
Semi-retired and willing to put in hours to make it happen.
Just an idea, the biggest thing now days is atv events.
You might want to consider a off road park with camping facilities, it would be a year round park like sand mountain.
I’m certainly hoping for the drag strip!
I believe the plan will be to bring back an 1/8 mile Drag Strip from the old concrete launch pad on to the front straight. Will pass on comment to new team and when we have more info will post more as plans move forward…..