Summer may be the off-season for racing at Bradenton Motorsports Park, but for co-owners Victor Alvarez and Garrett Mitchell, also known as “Cleetus McFarland,” it’s the perfect time to get to work. The Florida-based facility has officially broken ground on a series of long-planned infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving the racer and fan experience ahead of its busy fall and winter schedule.
“Garrett and I have wanted to do some of these things for years—even before we were partners,” said Alvarez. “The time has come.”
Among the most significant projects is the complete repaving of the asphalt behind the water box. The area has taken a beating over the years from jet cars and high-horsepower burnouts during marquee events like the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals and the Christmas Tree Race.
“It actually gets so hot that it literally just tears up this asphalt and blows it away,” Alvarez explained. “We’ve got some pretty big ruts in here. It’s gotten really bad recently.”
The most visible change, though, is happening at the entrance. BMP is tearing out its decades-old main road and replacing it with a wider, more durable three-lane setup.
“We’re standing on the entrance road of Bradenton Motorsports Park, which you all know is a disaster,” said Mitchell. “We’re finally tearing it out and rebuilding it. This road is cooked. You’ve pulled in here before—you’ve felt it. It’s pretty bumpy, and parts of it have washed away in storms multiple times.”
Mitchell explained that repeated patch jobs were only a temporary solution. “It turns out underneath it, there’s absolutely no base. It’s just a thin layer of asphalt on top of dirt,” he said. “But now we’re going to have a brand-new road—three lanes wide—to fix all the congestion issues getting in and out. It’s going to make it a lot smoother.”
Crews are also removing fencing, repaving behind the burnout box, and creating a new VIP/media parking area near the tower. The facility’s pit entrance gate is getting a full redesign as well, featuring two ticket booths and an improved flow for increased efficiency.
“At big races, it gets really difficult to run all of the ticket sales and scan all the tickets through one pit booth,” Alvarez said. “This new setup will help us get racers and fans in and out much faster.”
Additional upgrades include repainting and rewrapping the tower, renovating all bathrooms, and possibly relocating the pit gate further down the property to allow for easier access for race rigs.
“This road has stressed me out for years,” Alvarez added. “When it washed away in that storm, it almost gave me a heart attack. So being able to just sleep at night knowing it’s redone, it’s nice, and it actually has some base under it… that’s going to be a huge relief.”
Mitchell echoed that sentiment, thanking the community for their continued support of both BMP and the Freedom Factory. “We’re trying to make things better for you guys every time you come out here,” he said. “Construction is underway, and we’ll keep you updated.”
Bradenton Motorsports Park is aiming to reopen on July 12 for a Saturday night Street Heat/Test & Tune event.
This story was originally published on June 24, 2025.
The post Bradenton Motorsports Park Breaks Ground on Summer Upgrades first appeared on Drag Illustrated.