Voter's guide 2022
Oct. 26—The pending sale between Grandview Speedway and Copart Inc. and the plans to turn the Washington Township dirt racetrack into an auto auction and storage facility remain in the early stages.
Copart, which specializes in the resale and remarketing of used, wholesale and salvage title vehicles for a variety of sellers, according to its website, had its second zoning application denied by the township Zoning Hearing Board, township manager Rich Sichler told the Reading Eagle on Wednesday.
Its first zoning application was denied by the board in September.
Copart has been working to garner local approval for the purchase of Grandview Speedway since late August, when it was announced that the Rogers family, the owners of the speedway for its 60-year existence, had agreed in principle to sell the 20-acre property outside Bechtelsville for an undisclosed amount. Copart plans to build an auto auction and storage facility on the site, Sichler told the Eagle.
"They (Copart) would bring cars in, conduct auctions and ship them off in the same condition they were received," Sichler said last month.
Copart's second zoning application was denied because of the size and scope of its plans for the site, as they didn't match what the zoning allows for car sales, Sichler said Wednesday.
Sichler said township officials were concerned about the amount of vehicle storage Copart has planned.
Copart has since filed an appeal based on its second application. The hearing for the appeal must be scheduled within 90 days from the denial, according to Sichler.
Copart officials were not immediately available for comment.
The denial and appeal come roughly a month after Copart's first application was denied because it included the sale of equipment and trailers, which are beyond the scope of what is allowed to be sold within the commercial zoning district, Sichler said in September.
"Our commercial district zoning allows the sale of vehicles," Sichler said. "Our industrial districts would allow the sale of equipment."
The developments come just weeks after Grandview concluded its 60th anniversary season of racing at the one-third mile dirt oval. Beloved by fans and drivers alike, the speedway has hosted a variety of major events and well-known drivers, including NASCAR Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell this year.
Theresa Rogers, wife of the late Bruce Rogers and owner of the track, told the Eagle in August that if a settlement between the speedway and Copart is not reached by an undisclosed date, there will be a full season of racing at the high-banked track in 2023. In order for the two sides to even reach a potential settlement, Copart would first need local approval.
"I will not sell it in the middle of the season," Rogers said in August. "I will not do that to my drivers or my fans."
The track typically begins its racing seasons in early spring. This past year, Grandview held its first race on March 19 and hosted its official season opener for the modified and sportsman divisions on April 2.
Founded in 1982, Copart has more than 200 locations in 11 countries. It has 10 locations in Pennsylvania, including one in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, just a short drive from Grandview Speedway.
Grandview, opened in 1963 by Forrest Rogers, was turned over to his son Bruce four years after its opening. Bruce Rogers served as the operator and owner of the track for five decades until his death in 2017, when full ownership was transferred to Theresa Rogers.
Under Bruce Rogers' leadership, the facility developed into one of the premier dirt tracks in Pennsylvania, hosting legendary drivers such as Richard Petty and A.J. Foyt. Grandview's biggest race in recent years has been the Thunder on the Hill Racing Series Hodnett Cup, which is part of the Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek series and has attracted NASCAR drivers such as Larson, Bell, Tony Stewart, Rico Abreu and Kasey Kahne.
