Carlinos To No Longer Promote Racing At Mahoning

As the final checkered flag of the season flew at Mahoning Valley Speedway in Leighton, PA this past Saturday, it also marked the end of Jack and Rebecca Carlino’s seven-year tenure operating the facility.

The couple, who began working at the speedway since 2012 and have owned it since 2018, listed the 30-acre property for sale for $3 million in July.

“We won’t be running the track; we actually have it on the market,” Rebecca Carlino said during a break in the feature action Saturday night.

“We did it because we’re at the point in our lives where we have grandchildren now and we kind of want to focus more on our family. We realize it’s going to take a long time because it’s a very unique property; it’s not only the racetrack, but it’s the land and you have a huge building on top of it. It could take years to sell, but we’re not going to run it.”

The ¼-mile asphalt bowl-shaped facility was one of several investments the Carlino family had gotten into over the years. They also operate two restaurants; the Pizza Joint in Allentown and The RiverWalk – Seven Sirens Carlino’s Craft in Parryville. The businesses are also showcased at the speedway as Jack Carlino spent most of Saturday assisting the kitchen at the concession stand.

A listing on Berkshire Hathaway Fox and Realtors’ website described the property as providing a “unique value-add; whether repurposed for events, adapted into a recreational feature, or reimagined entirely, it offers built-in infrastructure with immediate utility.”

“For those looking to continue in motorsports, maintaining the site as a functioning speedway is a viable option with an established brand and regional following already in place. The expansive acreage supports significant build-out potential, including large-scale structures, ample parking, and long-term expansion. As Lehighton continues to grow, this property stands out as a strategic, high-visibility location with the flexibility and footprint to suit a wide range of commercial ventures.”

Carlino said they’ve already received interest from people who want to lease the property to keep racing going next year. The ultimate goal is to ensure the facility is used for that purpose only regardless if it’s a lease or purchase.

“We have people that are working with investor to kind of raise capital, so it could continue under new leadership,” Carlino said.

“Nothing concrete right now, but that’s kind of where we’re at for the moment. We want to work with somebody that will keep Mahoning Valley a racetrack.”

This isn’t the first time the track faced an uncertain future as it closed between 1962 and 1970. Throughout the season, the Carlino’s had to fight through multiple challenges including low car counts and fan turnouts. Carlino attributed the struggles to changing climate that is auto racing.

“Some people don’t realize what goes into it on the back end. It was a very difficult year for us, but we were still able to put on a show.” she said.

“Wherever we’re short, we have to make it up through our own finances, so it’s getting challenging. It’s also getting challenging to get the racers out there because we understand how hard it is for these men and women to afford tires.

“Also, the sport is changing because a lot of our drivers are older and some have passed away over the past few years. What I feel like we’re seeing is that the younger generation, unless their family is really into it, they don’t want to get into this kind of sport.”

While Carlino is optimistic racing will return to Mahoning Valley at some point, but when exactly remains unclear as it all depends on when a deal is made.

“I’m sure come closer to the beginning of next year, there will be something announced as far as who is going to run the track next year,” Carlino said.

“It’s a wait and see but we’re hoping cars will be on track next year.”