Popular Speedway in Ulster County has Residents Spilt Over Future

Residents who live near the Speedway in Accord, New York are split on the speedway's plans.

Racing fans across the Hudson Valley know that only a few locations in New York give them the chance to pack up the car once a week and head out to watch a fun night of car racing.

Accord Speedway

Since the 1960s the Accord Speedway has been providing car racing enthusiasts the opportunity to watch great car racing every Friday night. The speedway located at 299 Whitfield Road in the hamlet of Accord in the town of Rochester, NY "fires it up" usually once a week during car racing season. For decades Accord has been one of the Hudson Valley's most exciting places to watch racing but new plans by track owners have some in the community upset according to Hudson Valley One.

Races at Accord in 2024

The 2024 racing season will kick off at Accord on Friday, May 3, 20024 according to the Speedways website, and will run almost every Friday night (40 nights in total) through the spring, summer, and fall months. The once-a-week racing has been permitted by the town for many years but this year the speedway owner Gary Palmer has submitted a proposal to the town board to see if it would be possible for the speedway to host 12 non-racing events each year.

New Events at Accord Speedway?

The new plans outlined the types of events that would be at the Speedway if they are approved and include adding barbecues, car shows, Jeep events, circuses, fairs, rodeos, and possibly small concerts. The new events were the topic of discussion at the town's public hearing on January 8th and had the community split between supporters and opponents. Each side has valid concerns with supporters excited about the possibility of making the small quaint town more of a destination in the Hudson Valley.

SEE ALSO: Ulster County Drag Strip Supporters Frustrated With Towns Proposed 'New' Law

Too Much Noise in Accord?

Folks who oppose the new plans have cited numerous factors including traffic issues and the noise that comes along with open nights at the speedway. If approved the majority of the new non-racing events would most likely take place in the daytime hours which has some who live near the track saying it would make things even worse. One homeowner near the track who supports races every Friday told HV1 "I don’t have problems with the races; it’s kind of a lulling sound. But I think I’d go crazy with concerts or a rodeo. I might have to sell the house."

It's unclear when the town will decide on the new speedway plans but when they do we will update this article.