Kentucky Speedway past owner to be honored

SPARTA, Ky. -- Kentucky Speedway consultant and former co-owner Jerry Carroll will receive the Sports Executive Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cincinnati Sports Professional Network (CSPN) during the organization's annual award banquet in the Sharonville Convention Center located just north of Cincinnati.

Carroll rose from early adult jobs as a golf pro, ad salesman and leasing agent to become Tennessee's largest office developer and ultimately a major force on the Greater Cincinnati sports scene with the acquisition and renovation of the Turfway Park thoroughbred facility as well as the development of Kentucky Speedway.

Carroll

He served as managing partner of the speedway investor group and guided the project through its site acquisition, development and financing stages in 1998. The motorsports facility officially opened in 2000 and has grown to showcase the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region through nationally-televised events which feature the Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, IndyCar Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series.

Mr. Carroll served as manager of all aspects of Kentucky Speedway operation and as a tireless promoter until the speedway was sold to Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) in December 2008. He remains active with Kentucky Speedway as a consultant to SMI and its chairman, Bruton Smith. The motorsports venue represents one of the largest private sports investments in Kentucky history and is poised for significant growth under SMI ownership.

CSPN serves as a networking organization for Greater Cincinnati sports professionals offering regularly scheduled programs and an annual awards ceremony for the sports business community. CSPN is a program fostered by the Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation.

Additional awards being presented during the banquet will be Sports Executive of the Year, Outstanding Corporate Partner, Sports Event of the Year, Sports Media Personality, Cincinnati Sports Story along with several special tributes.