Pitt Race is Gone, Gone, Gone
While we celebrate any racetrack that’s still open for business (Willow Springs!) and rejoice for those that are expanding (Willow and Buttonwillow!), we mourn the loss of tracks that, for one reason or another, just couldn’t hold on any longer.
So it’s with a sad tolling of the last lap bell that Pittsburgh International Race Complex, commonly known as Pitt Race, will shut down after one last shebang this weekend.
“On Saturday & Sunday, November 1 & 2, we hope you’ll join us as we bid a fond farewell to Pitt Race with our ‘One Last Lap’ community event,” the track owners said on their website.
Pitt Race opened in 2002 as BeaveRun, named after Beaver County, Pennsylvania just outside of Pittsburgh. The track was founded by two local attorneys, who in turn attracted investors, according to Chuck Curti, of local news outlet Timesonline.com, a local newspaper also in Beaver County. The first track was 1.6 miles long, and there was a karting track that was 0.82 miles.
That setup lasted until 2011, when the first owners declared bankruptcy. Jim and Kathy Stout then took it over and added 1.2 miles more to the road course. They ran Pitt Race until now.
While there’s no official word as to why the track is closing, The News Alerts of Beaver County said it was “…most likely to put in an AI data center.”
Pitt Race hosted amateur and professional automobile, motorcycle, and karting events throughout its existence. It looks like it would have been a fun course on any of those.
It’s going out with, not exactly a bang, but with one last fun race weekend Oct. 18-19.
“In honor of the many memories made and milestones celebrated at our complex over the last 14 years, the weekend will feature:
- True Form Car Show on Saturday, FREE for car owners and spectators (Register online)
- Karting open to the public on both days (Register Online)
- On-track HPDE sessions for Advanced Drivers on both days from 8 a.m.–noon and 1 p.m.–5 p.m. (Register online)
- Charity rides on Saturday provided by PVGP (Register in-person)
- FREE instructor laps on Sunday (Reserved for 2025 Pitt Race instructors, private registration link.)
- Food from Smokin' Steer available for purchase
That Smokin’ Steer alone might make the drive worthwhile, even if you’re not racing. You can sign up for any of the above events at www.pittrace.com Suffice to say that the racing community, and Beaver County in particular, will be a sadder, slower place.
Category: General Sports
