Twisted Shifter Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 I guess drag racers would rather use the public thoroughfares like we used to...🙂  Last week, three drag strip facilities announced closures. Kentucky’s I-64 Motorplex, the Battlefield Dragstrip in Collinsville, Mississippi, and  the Sturgis Dragway in South Dakota.   https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/three-drag-strips-have-announced-closures-so-far-for-2024/ar-AA1mLVNc?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=80521aa43e0842dca444ee9e14f101b2&ei=61 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 I hate seeing drag strips close down even though I don't have a drag car. Still enjoy going a few times each summer to catch the action and see a few old friend's who can still afford to race. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 11 minutes ago, Ed Luddy said: I hate seeing drag strips close down even though I don't have a drag car. Still enjoy going a few times each summer to catch the action and see a few old friend's who can still afford to race.  Much like the smaller ovals which many have shut down also. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Drag racing and dirt track racing were more of a boomer thing. Amateur youtube racers and rat rodders have given drag racing a shot in the arm (in terms of public awareness) over the last 20 years, but serious racing seems to generate little interest, even among may American car enthusiasts. Everyone knows who Don Garlits is, but how many people know who the current top fuel champion or record holder is? 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Atco Dragway in South Jersey just closed down in July. They had races on the weekend and on monday they announced they were closing right then, no warning. They were open for 60 years 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 There has just been the opening of a new one in the town 25km up the road from me attached to "The Bend Motorsport Park" in Tailem Bend South Australia. This is around an hour's drive up a freeway from the capital city of Adelaide. This is the only dragstrip in South Australia, and we have not had one since the 1990's when the one at Adelaide International Raceway was closed down. The opening was a 2-day event and attendance far outstripped the expectations of the organizers. The whole complex has been a pet project for one of South Australia's wealthiest businessmen and looks like it is going to make him a hell of a lot richer. Steve 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Cecil Dragway (MD) is about 5 miles from me. Was quite the place in the 60s, fell on disrepair but went through a rebirth a few years ago with new ownership. Its always busy there. Just about everyone I knew would take a car there to run. I have been there maybe 3 times in my 60 years though! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Fifty plus years ago😀 I was the great drag racer.  Can’t believe I looked like this back then.  This Chevy was gone by 1972 but I still have the trophy.  Dragways Inc, Numedia PA not too far from Bloomsburg PA on Rt 42.  I made a little diorama of it about a year ago.  8 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 A 40/41, Willys Gasser with period History is still on my list. But they seem to be made of un-obtainium. And it would have to be  streetable, I would never actually run it on a strip. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Add Bandimere in Denver, Co. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Sunshine Speedway and Sunset Drag Strip are both gone now from Clearwater/St. Petersburg FL The drag strip was 1/4 in the early 60'e then 1/8 mile, then a parking lot for the Speedway until the State bought it all for what else?, A new connector highway.  I still know living racers from both tracks.  Nothing left but memories. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 4 hours ago, alsancle said: A 40/41, Willys Gasser with period History is still on my list. But they seem to be made of un-obtainium. And it would have to be  streetable, I would never actually run it on a strip. Guy that owns the body shop around the corner from me has one. He inherited from his father (who ironically was killed when the brakes went out on an antique truck he was driving). When his dad was alive you would see it sitting out front once in awhile. Inside the shops office they had a bunch of pictures of it on the track. But it has been years since I have seen it. I dont think the son is really into cars as much as his dad was. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 7 hours ago, alsancle said: A 40/41, Willys Gasser with period History is still on my list. But they seem to be made of un-obtainium. And it would have to be  streetable, I would never actually run it on a strip. That was on my father-in-law's bucket list for years, until a few years ago when he actually got a ride in one and says no more, couldn't see out of it to the sides, just straight ahead. And this from a guy that runs a 69 Camaro that pulls the front wheels past the 60 ft mark. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 1 hour ago, 3macboys said: That was on my father-in-law's bucket list for years, until a few years ago when he actually got a ride in one and says no more, couldn't see out of it to the sides, just straight ahead. And this from a guy that runs a 69 Camaro that pulls the front wheels past the 60 ft mark. if I wanted to be comfortable I would just drive my truck!  Almost bought this one 10 years ago but it needed a bit too much work. At nice period history and was a four speed.   5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studemax Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 You forgot Heartland Park Topeka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 I worked at San Fernando drag strip (1/4 mile) as a teen. It went bye-bye soon after I moved on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 12 hours ago, 3macboys said: That was on my father-in-law's bucket list for years, until a few years ago when he actually got a ride in one and says no more, couldn't see out of it to the sides, just straight ahead. And this from a guy that runs a 69 Camaro that pulls the front wheels past the 60 ft mark. When driving one of these you should only be focused on whats straight ahead! LOL 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46 woodie Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Occasionally I will catch drag racing on T.V. and the stands always seem empty. Can't pay the bills if there is no money coming in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 (edited) On 1/10/2024 at 4:59 PM, Bills Auto Works said: Very Sad News!    I was at !-64 Motorplex for Lloyd-Fest 2023 back in October. Neat little 1/8 mile track. Sorry to see that it has been shut down for good. Sad that the land value has surpassed the draw of my fellow racers, but the folks that owned it (All Family owned) supported our hobby for decades & sent out a heartfelt message to all involved thanking all those that supported the track & them over the years!  As for racing on the streets....Never bothered me what so ever!  God Bless Bill https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/nationwide-single-car-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/ "As for racing on the streets....Never bothered me what so ever!" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  That was because for the average guy, you could make more money on the street.  I got my drag racing license at LYONS Dragstrip when I was 14. The other day I was surfing the channels on Direct TV and found an old Adam 12 episode, it was about drag racing on the street and strip. L.A. P.D. was promoting a local drag strip for kids to get racing off the street. The strip just happened to be Lyons. A successful episode in the end. Problem was, Lyons closed down not long after the shoot! FYI, I was in the pit side of the stands when this happened. Garlits horrible accident Lions Drag Strip incredible 1970 wreck  Edited January 12 by Pfeil (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 The ambulance left with him headed toward the hospital, had to turn around to go back and pick up his shoe with half of his foot in it. Whoever reattached it knew his job well because he doesn't have a limp. But I thought this thread was about the tracks that closed this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch1929 Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Closed long ago, I still miss York US30, spent many a Saturday night there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rata Road Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 I went to the street car drags at Adelaide International Raceway on a sunny Sunday in 1976. What a great day, only time in my life I drank a dozen cans of beer. Cars went in a time bracket and if you broke from going faster you were out otherwise the winner went on. There was a stock 64 Chev, 283 power glide and the guy held one arm over the back of the seat and drove one handed, just left it in drive and floored it. Pretty slow but he always set the same time which was at the top of his time bracket. He won all his match ups and made it the final because he was so consistent. The other finalist was a early 60's VW Beetle with a worked Porsche engine that left a huge smoke trail but was extremely fast. In the final the Chev was about a quarter of the way gone when the "Cabbage Cutter" got his green light, what a laugh. That was a great day! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 As mentioned in my earlier post, The Bend Motor Sport park has recently opened its drag strip (in contrast to the closures being mentioned). For the weekend that has just been (13/14 Jan) attendances for "The Drags" exceeded 20,000. There is life in the sport of drag racing still - at least in South Australia. Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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