Texas-Tough Doors Handle Motor Speedway Crowds

FORT WORTH, Texas--October 12, 1998

The new Texas Motor Speedway was designed to handle Texas-sized crowds, and the hundreds of steel doors and frames for everything from luxury suites to pit garages are no exception. Selected to provide longevity while maintaining their appearance, they are visible throughout the facility.

A New Home for Motor Sports

Texas Motor Speedway is a 1.5 mile superspeedway located between Fort Worth and Denton. Inaugurated in 1997 with a NASCAR Winston Cup race, the multi-million dollar facility was two years in the making. With an estimated seating capacity of over 150,000 plus 53,000 more in the infield, pits and other areas, the complex is heavily used throughout the year. The high-banked turns are angled at 24 degrees for both NASCAR and Indy-style racing. The facility is used approximately 280 days out of the year, for professional as well as Legends racing, racing schools, television commercial production, motion picture production, new car introductions, sales meetings, year-round tours, auto shows, car club meetings and more.

Heavy-Duty Doors for Heavy Traffic

Located on a 950-acre site, the project incorporates close to 2,000 steel doors and frames, selected to provide fire protection, security, and long-term durability under heavy usage. Doors and frames for applications that include luxury suites, stairwell towers, restrooms, concession and souvenir stands, and pit garage entrances all were furnished by Steelcraft, a division of Ingersoll-Rand Architectural Hardware Group. Steelcraft F Series frames with L and A Series doors are installed throughout the facility.

The Cincinnati-based firm also supplied its Architectural Stick System (window wall) components for some 200 luxury suites. The suites sit high above the front straight-away of the superspeedway and offer a panoramic view of the racing action. Each suite can accommodate up to 64 guests.

The doors performed well through the Texas Motor Speedway's first season, with no problems encountered, according to a spokesman for the organization.