Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, a 1.35-mile road course for motorcycles and go-karts located near Talladega, Alabama will be closed during the second half of 2006 due to the widening of Highway 21, which borders the track property. According to co-owner David Upchurch, there currently is no exact date when the track will shut down as the Alabama Department of Transportation has given him no exact date it will begin widening Highway 21 from two lanes to four lanes at the track’s entrance. Upchurch said when he begins scheduling the 2006 season in December, he will not schedule any track rentals past mid-summer 2006. Upchurch plans to re-open the track on January 1, 2007. In addition to forcing the closure of the track, the highway widening will take away some of Talladega Gran Prix Raceway’s property and some of the run-off area of its fastest corners. As a result, the track will be re-configured while the highway construction takes place. Ed Bargy, the original designer of the 20-year-old track, has been working on the reconfiguration plans for at least two years, said Upchurch. “I think people will like the new version even better than the old,” said Upchurch, who said the track will remain approximately 1.35 miles in length.