ACT Speedway wants to host all its race meets under lights, setting up a battle with nearby residents who say noise levels from the race cars far exceed what should be allowed after dark.
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The National Capital Motorsport Club is awaiting a key sound report that will determine the sport's future in the territory.
ACT Speedway hosted its first night races in more than 20 years last month after the club gained approval from the ACT government for the one-off event.
Club president Danny Hodak said the September 22 meeting attracted 2000 patrons, a 10-fold increase on crowd numbers at regular daytime meets at the Piallago Avenue track.
The success of the event, which ran from 6-10pm, had fuelled the club's desire to hold all of its races at night.
The speedway's 2018-19 calendar includes five daytime race dates between November and May, as well as last month's night trial.
"It was absolutely overwhelming, the support we received from the community," Mr Hodak said.
"It is obvious to us that this is what we have to do moving forward [host night races].
"Given Canberra's weather, it is cold at the start and at the end of the season, so we might need races during the day.
"But yes, we would like all of our races to be at night."
Speedway events in the ACT have been held during the day since the closure of Canberra's Fraser Park speedway in 1997.
The overwhelming majority of speedway events in Australia are held at night.
The club won approval for the night trial after agreeing to implement a number of noise mitigation measures, including installing mounds of soil and containers to soften the sound of the cars.
Mr Hodak said the future of night racing on the track now hinged on the results of independent noise testing from the event, conducted as a condition of the trial. The club has yet to receive the report.
The report must be presented to the ACT's Environmental Protection Authority for scrutiny before it would consider allowing future night races.
The prospect of more night racing at ACT Speedway has sparked alarm among residents, despite the track being kilometres from the nearest homes.
Ruth Underwood said many of her neighbours in the Queanbeyan suburb of Ridgeway, about 2km west of the track, had been significantly disturbed by noise during the trial.
"The trial held on September 22 confirmed our concerns that the event would be very noisy and intrusive," Mrs Underwood said.
"Should speedway racing became a regular event, residents will have to live with disruption caused by this noise pollution, thus affecting the enjoyment of their homes on a daily basis."
Ms Underwood's husband, Jari Hentila, compared the car noise to having a "chainsaw or [opera singer] Joan Sutherland concert in your neighbour's yard".
Mr Hentila said his own sound testing showed car noise reached 60 decibels during the trial, about 15 decibels louder than the approved limit for the event.
Oaks Estate Progress Association president Kate Gauthier said local residents would strongly oppose more night racing at the speedway, which is about 3.5km from their suburb.
"We don't want to be naysayers, we live in an urban environment and next to an airport," Ms Gauthier said.
"But this is not reasonable in the circumstances."
An environmental protection authority spokeswoman said it was yet to receive the independent sound report, and therefore could not comment on whether future night races would be allowed.
The spokeswoman said the report must be presented no later than November 3.
