How Georgetown Speedway Became a Sports Tourism Engine for Sussex County
- Sussex County Republican Committee
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
July 31, 2026
GEORGETOWN — While race cars drive the action on the track, Georgetown Speedway is helping steer something much bigger across Sussex County.
More than 75 years after the Georgetown Speedway opened, dust and dirt is still kicked up as the roar of engines draws thousands of fans to the grandstands, leaving an impressive trail of tourism, business investment and economic activity.
General Manager Chad Cathell, the company’s only full-time employee, says the business model itself has evolved with the times, now reaching up to nearly half a million views when nationally televised and attracting multi-year corporate sponsorships to support the sports tourism spot and local economic driver – all at a family-friendly price point.
“If you’re looking for some of the best family fun you can have at an affordable rate, it’s something you have to check out,” Cathell said. “We try to offer somewhere where you can come and you don’t feel like you’re spending your life savings every time.”
While dirt track racing remains the attraction, Cathell believes the business succeeds because it focuses on everything surrounding the race itself from customer experience and strategic growth.
More than a racetrack
Local businessman and racing pioneer Melvin L. Joseph constructed the speedway in 1949.
During its early years, the short track facility hosted NASCAR-sanctioned events while the track earned a reputation throughout the Mid-Atlantic as one of the area’s premier dirt racing venues.
Over the decades, however, the facility experienced challenges short tracks faced across the country, including changing entertainment habits, rising operating costs and periods of inactivity.
The track changed hands in 2021 when Delmarva Motorsports Park LLC, led by Jim Parker and Melvin Joseph’s grandson Ken Adams, acquired the property after operating it under a lease for several years.
Georgetown Speedway has continued to attract people from around the area and beyond. Today, that tradition has become part of the state’s broader sports tourism strategy.
Sports tourism has since become one of Delaware’s fastest-growing economic sectors with the state investing millions of dollars to attract and expand destinations that draw visitors year-round, including recent funding for improvements at Georgetown Speedway.
The business was among seven facilities selected earlier this year to receive funding through the Delaware Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund, a competitive grant program administered by the Delaware Tourism Office.
The need included expanded grandstands with VIP areas, upgraded LED lighting, improved accessibility and other enhancements designed to elevate the fan experience while positioning the facility to host larger regional and national racing events. The Speedway was awarded $400,000 for the upgrades.
Underground electrical services, upgraded roadways and expanded safety features were also included, all things national touring leaders requested to help bring additional events to the business.
According to Cathell, approximately 60% of the speedway’s in-person spectators are full-time Delaware residents or local supporters, while roughly 40% are visitors, vacationers or seasonal residents to Sussex County.
But racers from around the country also visit the site.
Last season, approximately 71% of racers competing at Georgetown Speedway came from outside Delaware with participants traveling regularly from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Virginia. Race teams often also traveled with family members, mechanics and friends, creating demand for hotel rooms, restaurants, gas stations and other local businesses.
Cathell estimates the facility attracts roughly 15,000 out-of-state visitors annually who spend an average of about $175 per day during their stay. Based on internal estimates developed by the speedway, that translates into approximately $2.6 million in annual incremental tourism impact with projected economic activity reaching between $10 million and $13 million over five years.
During an interview with the Delaware Business Times, Cathell noted those figures were developed using internal visitor and spending data.
“I feel like Georgetown has a tremendous economic impact on our local economy,” he said. “We drive a lot of business up and down roads, a lot of tolls, a lot of gas, a lot of diesel. So, our economic impact is substantial here.”
Selling partnerships, not sponsorships
For Cathell, perhaps the biggest shift in Georgetown Speedway’s business model has been changing how companies view involvement with the track.
“If you’re not getting a return on your investment, then I’m not doing my job,” Cathell said. “We look at it as a true partnership.”
That philosophy influences every conversation with prospective businesses. Rather than simply hanging a banner on a fence, Cathell works to integrate each company into the customer experience.
The Restoration Group, for example, became the presenting sponsor of a racetrack “Recovery Bonus,” a direct tie to the company’s disaster restoration services. The $500 bonus is given to a driver who is seen as an overcomer by winning a race after being given the worst stating positions at the start of the race by random draw, also known as a pill draw.
Royal Farms sponsors the “Restart Zone,” linking the green flag restart to the convenience store’s fuel business. First State Flag sponsors the flag stand and Phil’s Electrical Service sponsors the green flag.
Even the speedway’s hotel partnership becomes part of the experience.
“Tru by Hilton is the official hotel partner here,” Cathell explained. “It’s the Tru by Hilton checkered flag because once you take the checkered flag, you’ve got to go sleep somewhere.”
Those customized integrations help businesses connect their brands to memorable moments both on and off the screen, rather than traditional advertising space.
“It’s all about the ROI [return on investment],” he said. “We’re not just here with our hands out. If you give us $1,000, I’m going to hand you $10,000 back in business because I know next year you’re going to be more inclined to do more and spend more with us, which only helps the facility, which only helps the racers, which only helps us grow.”
And in Cathell’s opinion, it’s working.
He said Royal Farms, which has a new spot located about two miles from the entertainment venue, considered Georgetown Speedway one of its strongest marketing partnerships after its first season as a partner and recently expanded into a multi-year agreement.
“Royal Farms said last year, hands down, out of all the partnerships that they do, this was their best investment,” Cathell said. “They actually signed a multi-year deal with us because of that.”
Family-owned furniture retailer Besche Furniture partnered with the speedway through the “Best Seat in the House” promotion before expanding its relationship into additional projects, including outfitting hospitality decks overlooking the track.
Cathell credits much of that success to a mindset he developed while working at Dover Motor Speedway where presentation and consistency became central to his management philosophy.
That uniformity extends to the Speedway’s online presence which includes locally streamed races on its own platform via subscriptions. Major events are carried on national streaming services including FloRacing and DirtVision, extending Georgetown’s reach well beyond Delaware’s borders.
Livestreaming, he added, is no longer simply a convenience for fans unable to make the trip – it has become another stream of business for the speedway.
“Not only are you getting eyeballs at the track and they’re hearing it through the PA, they’re also seeing it at home,” Cathell told DBT.
Most weekly events generate between 100 and 150 individual livestream purchase which Cathell estimates translates into roughly 300 to 500 viewers once families and groups watching together are factored into the numbers. Viewers can purchase individual races or subscribe for the full season, creating a recurring revenue stream alongside ticket sales.
National broadcasts then multiply that audience exponentially with marquee events regularly attracting 40,000 to 50,000 viewers and replay broadcasts pushing seasonal exposure to nearly half a million views. The speedway is now pursuing a premier 410 Sprint Car series which he believes could push viewership beyond 75,000 for a single event.
The goal, according to Cathell, is to have fun and continue adding to local tourism numbers one race at a time.
“We get people that come up every race and say, ‘I saw your race on FloRacing when Lucas was here and my family’s at the beach, so I rode over here to watch the races,’” Cathell said.
Promotions like Royal Farms’ “Long Tow Award” have given the speedway an unusual way to track just how far spectators are traveling – a recent race showcased dual-winners with visitors from Germany and England who were in the area for the FIFA World Cup.
“We’ve had Scotland this year. We’ve had Ireland this year. Louisiana. Texas. New York. It kind of gives us an eye on our demographics of where we’re bringing people from,” he said. “They might be here on vacation. They might just be snowbirds that are here during the summer.”
While Georgetown Speedway hopes to continue bringing more economic value to the area, Cathell added that philanthropy also plays an important role.
The speedway has hosted fundraisers benefiting the Georgetown Fire Department, Georgetown EMS, American Legion Post 8, Camp Barnes, Irreverent Warriors and numerous nonprofit organizations, including more than $100,000 for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.
“More than our economic impact, the thing that we pride ourselves on is the philanthropic impact,” Cathell said. “If I’m not leaving a legacy or some kind of impact on our community, I don’t feel like we’ve really done what we’re supposed to here. . . We’re just a good old Sussex County family-owned business.”
The impact is a lasting one for Sussex County and partners of the Speedway.
“Georgetown Speedway is a valued tourism partner in Delaware and plays an important role in supporting both the state and local economy through sports tourism,” Delaware Tourism Office Director Jessica Welch told DBT in an email.
