(Top: John Bickford.... Above: Paxton Waters)
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CANADIAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY PROJECT TO APPEAR AT THE CME
John Bickford of Jeff Gordon Inc. and motorsports facility architect Paxton Waters will be at the Canadian Motorsports Expo to meet fans and discuss the proposed Ft. Erie, Ont. facility
(TORONTO, ON // JANUARY 11, 2010) Many Canadian racing fans are aware that Ft. Erie, Ontario has been designated as the host site for a multi-purpose, carbon-neutral motorsports facility called the Canadian Motor Speedway (CMS).
Valued at $150 million, CMS will incorporate a 1-mile ‘Jeff Gordon Design Signature Speedway’ oval, a 2.6-mile FIA grade road course, 65,000 seats (expandable to 100,000), a Motorsports and Automotive R&D Park in collaboration with McMaster University, and much more into an 820 acre parcel of land along the QEW highway, just kilometres from the Canada/US border.
Late in 2009, CMS received overwhelming support from Ft. Erie and Niagara Region councils, paving the way for construction to commence in the Spring of 2010. As part of its campaign to inform and educate the racing public about plans to create a world-class facility in Southern Ontario, the Canadian Motor Speedway will have a booth at the Canadian Motorsports Expo (CME). The CME takes place January 22-24 at the International Centre, adjacent to Toronto’s Pearson Airport.
Internationally respected motorsports facility designer Paxton Waters – the lead architect on the CMS project – will be on hand at the CMS booth at the CME, as will John Bickford, the Vice President and General Manager of Jeff Gordon, Inc. Bickford is also the stepfather of Jeff Gordon; the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champ who is heavily involved in the design of CMS.
Fans who visit the Canadian Motor Speedway booth will be able to meet the CMS development team, ask the architect about the design, and get the inside scoop on CMS and the development process planned for between now and the track’s inaugural race day, scheduled for 2011. The booth will feature ‘never before seen’ renderings and souvenir giveaways. As well, the CMS team will be available for B2B discussions to explore partnerships and potential business opportunities with the facility.
“We are extremely excited that the Canadian Motor Speedway group is going to be at the Canadian Motorsports Expo,” said Greg MacPherson, of the CME. “In my role as Editor of Inside Track Motorsport News, I’m very familiar with this exciting project that appears poised to make a major impact on the Canadian racing scene. Having the facility architect Paxton Waters and John Bickford, of Jeff Gordon Inc., at their booth to educate the fans, racers and media about what is about to unfold in our own backyard is a real coup for the CME.”
The Canadian Motor Speedway booth is #1225, located in Hall 1 of the International Centre. Paxton Waters will be at the CMS booth throughout the entire show. John Bickford will be at the booth throughout Friday (1 to 9 p.m.) and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday of the CME.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY: Canadian Motor Speedway is a $150 million racetrack development situated on 820 acres of land in Fort Erie directly adjacent to the QEW within 5 miles of the Canadian/U.S. border and 11.2 miles from Niagara Falls. It will include ancillary construction for; infrastructure, recreational, commercial, industrial and educational uses that will expand the build-out to $400 million.
The core of the project consists of a standalone 1-mile oval which combines to form a 2.6 mile FIA grade road course through an innovative system of tunnels. Every one of the 60,000 stadium seats provides expansive views of both; the speedway and road course, as well as, vistas for maximum enjoyment of a comprehensive list of motorsports events. 5,000 enclosed club seats and 80 suites will favour the customer with first class catering and access. The development will provide world class racing events for up to 100,000 spectators in a variety of motorsports including automobiles, motorcycles, karting and various motorized and non-motorized public events. CMS is committed to improving on industry best practices by providing handicapped and limited maneuverability patrons with a best case scenario in terms of access, support and enjoyment. For more info, visit: www.cdnmotorspeedway.com
ABOUT PAXTON WATERS: Paxton Waters, AIA, OAA, is president of Paxton Waters Architecture, an Indiana design firm whose main focus is on Motorsport Facility design. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Paxton has 34 years of experience as an architect and is registered in 22 states. Paxton’s first involvement with motorsports was in 1990 with the design of various buildings at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including their 60,000-sft headquarters. In 1994, Paxton was the lead designer for the California Speedway, shortly followed by the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Pikes Peak International Raceway near Colorado Springs.
Other facilities designed by Paxton are US 131 Speedway, Monroe Speedway, Mansfield Motor Speedway, and Iowa Speedway. Paxton has consulted on more than 50 feasibility studies from New York to California. Paxton is currently co-designing the Canadian Motor Speedway, in Ontario, Canada, with NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon.
ABOUT JOHN BICKFORD: John Bickford is Vice President and General Manager of Jeff Gordon, Inc. He is also step-father to NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon. Bickford started Gordon’s racing career on a makeshift racetrack in Vallejo, California in 1976 at the age of 5. At the same time, he started MPD which is a company that produces products for physically challenged people to enable them to drive cars without the use of their feet. The company also produces race car products.
In 1985, he moved east to further Jeff Gordon’s racing establishing a base in Pittsboro, Indiana. In 1996, following a move from Pittsboro to Concord, North Carolina he became the Executive Vice President of Action Performance. While with Action, he spent 18 months in Europe working on Formula One and SBK World Super Bike. In 2004, he returned to Jeff Gordon, Inc. where he remains Vice President and General Manager.
ABOUT THE CME: The Canadian Motorsports Expo is a three-day celebration of Canadian racing that runs January 22 to 24 at the International Centre (6900 Airport Road in Mississauga). The show is powered by Inside Track Motorsport News and supported by companies like Lucas Oil Canada, NASCAR Canada, Mosport International Raceway and Canadian Tire. In addition to booths and racing vehicles representing the entire spectrum of Canadian motorsports, the show is loaded with seminars and forums to entertain and inform racers and fans alike. Star drivers Matt Kenseth, Paul Tracy, Ron Fellows, Derek Daly and Jessica Zemken will be at the CME to sign autographs and meet the fans. Please check the show’s website for updates and changes.
For more information about the Canadian Motorsports Expo, visit www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com, call Glenn Butt at (905) 721-1762 or email him at glenn@canadianmotorsportsexpo.com. You can reach co-promoters Inside Track at (416) 962-7223 or email expo@insidetracknews.com.
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