'Influencers' blamed for surge in trespassing at Kentucky Speedway, sheriff says

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Dozens of people have been arrested in recent months after breaking into Kentucky Speedway to make social media videos or steal from the property, police said Tuesday.

Gallatin County Sheriff Robert "Bud" Webster said in a Facebook post the recent break-ins were likely inspired by some "influencers" who made videos inside the track several months ago and posted them to TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

And since those videos were posted, Webster said, the sheriff's deputies have arrested dozens of people for trespassing and burglary.

"... Many of which were creating additional videos, trying to steal, or just taking their own tour of the facility," he wrote. "This is a reminder, going onto someone else's property is illegal and it will not be tolerated. You will be prosecuted for your actions should you choose to ignore the property owner's rights."

Webster particularly took issue with the influencers calling the Kentucky Speedway an abandoned racetrack. He said driving schools and "other various events" are still held there occasionally. Parts of the property are also rented out to companies, he said.

"Even if it was not in use, it is private property and marked as such," Webster said.

The 1.5-mile track opened in 2000 and held its first Cup Series race in 2011 and hosted a tripleheader years later with races in NASCAR's Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series. Its last NASCAR race was held in July 2020.

"We will evolve into a multi-use rental complex and also seek additional entrepreneurial prospects," Kentucky Speedway executive vice president and general manager Mark Semindinger said in September 2020. "Kentucky Speedway is open for business, and we have the potential to host special events, commercial television production, music festivals, other racing series and stand-alone RV rallies and camping events."

No regular events have been held at the track since NASCAR left in 2020. Most recently, the property was used by Ford Motor Company to store trucks that'd come off the line but weren't yet equipped with computer chips.

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