As Speedweeks heats up, International Speedway Corporation finds itself in the middle of a mob sting that, in a small part, involved one of its planned tracks.
Last week, more than 70 reputed members of the Gambino, Genovese and Bonnano crime families were arrested across the country, charged with crimes such as murder, racketeering and gambling.
Federal prosecutors said organized crime members also extorted money over ISC's failed bid to build a racetrack on New York's Staten Island.
Two men indicted were Bill Kilgannon and Todd Polakoff, both accused of taking a $9,000 shakedown.
Prosecutors said they extorted the money for jobs and construction materials.
Kilgannon was the director of construction for an ISC subsidiary company while Polakoff was the project manager in Staten Island.
A Speedway spokesperson said “the indictment is not directed at ISC, any of its subsidiaries, or any of its current employees."
Kilgannon and Polakoff left the company in December 2006.
Click here to comment on this story.