Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway: For Sale

The dirt track fell victim to eminent domain in 2015

Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway was built by a local contractor who decided to take a shot at the racing industry.

The track was born as a 3/8-mile dirt track. It began hosting weekly racing events.

This state of the art facility featured mortar buildings that were set to outlast the track itself. At the time, the track stood out among the decaying dirt tracks across the country.

It was an eye catcher to anyone traveling along highway 24. The buildings and grandstands were built on an embankment, they stood over the highways below.

Track Address: 957 Truck Plaza Ln Calvert City, KY 42029

Shayn McMartin and Sherri Heckenast ran the speedway for many years. However, they eventually made the decision to sell out.

The property sold at auction in 2013 for just under $1 million ($990,000 to be exact). Hopkinsville businessmen, Ronnie Jones and Jim Hale became the new owners. They intended to allow the property to continue as a race track.

Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway Photos
Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway Photos

Eminent domain on Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway

In 2013-2015, fans filled the grandstands once again. However, a new highway system was set to cut through the property.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet filed a lawsuit to claim eminent domain. That was granted by the Marshall Circuit Court.

In 2015, the track was finally closed due to eminent domain. The Interstate 24 and 69 expansion was planned to run directly through the pit area of the race track.

The land that was taken run right through the pit area, commissions and ticket building. The race track would have to be moved to continue operations.

That new highway system has been built. The highway sits closer than ever to the track itself as 10 million cars drive by the track each year.

It would appear that there’s plenty of room to move the pit area within the current property lines. However, most of the wooded area behind the track is actually swamp land and not suited for parking of race haulers.

Since 2015, the track has rotted away. The buildings remain mostly in tact. Everything else is in the slow process of being reclaimed by mother nature. Signs the once advertised proud sponsors of the speedway has fallen and been blown into the infield.

Ironically, the grandstands have been moved to the newest dirt track in the states, Vado Speedway Park in New Mexico.

Meanwhile, Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway is now listed for sale once again, minus the grandstands. This time, it’s at an outrageous price tag of $3,200,000.

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Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway
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Eminent domain claims Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway (2015)

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