Psychographic Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 After many years of rumors of it closing, it appears Raceway Park in Englishtown NJ is shutting down the dragstrip. Supposedly they are leasing out to an auto auction for car storage. I wonder where the Summernationals will be held? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 (edited) Tragical, I read Irwindale in California wich was up for demolition was saved for now, but I didn't think Englishtown would close down with the herritage that track has, 48 years with National Events it's one of the oldest in the calendar. Edited January 17, 2018 by Force Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1972coronet Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Just now, Force said: Tragical, I read Irwindale in California was saved for now, but I didn't think Englishtown would close down with the herritage that track has. That version of "Irwindale" is a joke of its namesake and history anyhow . Eighth-mile ? Garbage ! Certainly better than the alternative , but ... The 'World Famous' Riverside International Raceway was decommissioned and eventually demolished to make way for a big shopping centre --------- that same centre has a 20% occupancy rate ! Total waste of land ! I wasn't aware that E-Town was on the chopping block . That sucks !! Apparently , the respective locales and the pissant politicians want for everyone to take their machinery to the public streets . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Well an eight-mile is better than nothing at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reegs Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 (edited) But everything else stays ... http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/middlesex-county/2018/01/17/raceway-park-discontinues-drag-racing-events/1039555001/ Edited January 17, 2018 by Reegs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 When E-Town was built, it was in the middle of nowhere. Since then suburbia has crept closer and they've been fighting in court for years about noise levels. There are many developments close to the track and those are the neighbors who have been complaining. If I remember correctly, they were only allowed to race during certain hours, probably interfering with running a full race night. No mention of this in the articles, but probably a contributing factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 11 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said: When E-Town was built, it was in the middle of nowhere. Since then suburbia has crept closer and they've been fighting in court for years about noise levels. There are many developments close to the track and those are the neighbors who have been complaining. If I remember correctly, they were only allowed to race during certain hours, probably interfering with running a full race night. No mention of this in the articles, but probably a contributing factor. Yeah, kinda like the testosterone-free dwerbs who move into housing developments close to airports, and then sue about the noise levels. There's too many people in the world, and most of them just get in the way of people who actually DO things. The back of my own house is about 70 feet from a a short-line railroad that's prosperous because it's busy. The trackage has been in more or less continuous use since around 1870. There have been multiple ongoing complaints and suits about da big bad meany twainmens bwowing dere howens for the street crossings...so far to no avail. Just imagine how the dwerbs would sue if the train DIDN'T blow the horn, and some ditzy texting moron got squashed. Don't like the noise of bad smelly dangerous machines? Don't CHOOSE to live close to a railroad or an airport or a racetrack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phirewriter Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psychographic Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 1 hour ago, Tom Geiger said: When E-Town was built, it was in the middle of nowhere. Since then suburbia has crept closer and they've been fighting in court for years about noise levels. There are many developments close to the track and those are the neighbors who have been complaining. If I remember correctly, they were only allowed to race during certain hours, probably interfering with running a full race night. No mention of this in the articles, but probably a contributing factor. From what I read it all came down to money. There was much more profit in leasing to Copart for storage than to keep the strip running. Less insurance costs, no more dealing with the EPA, no track maintenance, etc.. If you read any forums, it sounds like the Napp boys weren't too accommodating to the racers either. I'm sure the people who moved in to the neighborhood in the last 20 or so years and complained about noise and traffic didn't help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelRick Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Not too sure how much the noise, etc has on the closing. When Bruton Smith made plans to build Z-Max in Charlotte/Concord there was a great outcry over the noise, environmental impact, ad infinitum. Mr Smith, said "Alright I will build it somewhere else and while I am at it I will also move the Charlotte Motor Speedway along with it." The hew and outcry stopped immediately and the opponents suddenly became supporters. Money has a way of talking. Now back to Englishtown, I'm not familiar with the Napp family or their business practices. But since they are only shutting down the Dragstrip operation, I am wondering if maybe NHRA is asking for more benefits, less rental fee (or however they do that stuff). NHRA is getting more expensive, especially in the Pro categories, and I am sure they are having to offer the big name teams more money to show. Just my thoughts and they may be out in left-field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggon Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 The tracks that close to put up housing or retail spaces has always bothered me. I've become sort of immune to it now. It's become inevitable. The Fremont Drag Strip ( later Baylands Raceway ) was shut down in 1988 to build a housing/retail complex. 10 years later work started, 10 years after that it had a few auto dealerships, and finally 30 years later it's relatively busy on weekends. They did try to put a ball field there as well as the intended housing complex, but never happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Racing Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 A funny thing about airports and race tracks: They are housing magnets. A facility is built in the middle of nowhere, and before you know it, people start building houses and complaining about the noise. Didn't they know that racetrack/airport was there before they built houses? There are plenty of places to build houses, but not so many places to build racetracks. Then hear them complain about the street racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC Norton Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 ......Very sad to hear that about E TOWN........one of the best, most exciting nation events I ever attended was the '84 Summernationals.....guess all the photos I have are a bit of true nostalgia....sad, sad news.....it was only topped by attending the U.S. Nationals in '76.......the two greatest events I was lucky enough to attend, especially if stockers, super stockers, mod. production, and all the door slammer classes are you thing, as they are for me.....the Ace..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said: Yeah, kinda like the testosterone-free dwerbs who move into housing developments close to airports, and then sue about the noise levels. There's too many people in the world, and most of them just get in the way of people who actually DO things. The back of my own house is about 70 feet from a a short-line railroad that's prosperous because it's busy. The trackage has been in more or less continuous use since around 1870. There have been multiple ongoing complaints and suits about da big bad meany twainmens bwowing dere howens for the street crossings...so far to no avail. Just imagine how the dwerbs would sue if the train DIDN'T blow the horn, and some ditzy texting moron got squashed. Don't like the noise of bad smelly dangerous machines? Don't CHOOSE to live close to a railroad or an airport or a racetrack. Dad had that issue at the last railroad he worked at., farmer sells land along 100+ y/o right of way and devloper builds houses right along it. Potential buyers drive over crossing of said track, look out the back window of house who's yard backs up to the tracks, drives across tracks again while leaving and still buys house. Homeowner then comes and complains to Dad about not blowing the horns (federal requirement) or shutting down right of way, Dad nicely calls him a moron without actually saying the word and goes back to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1972coronet Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 ... just a matter of time before Pomona goes the way of high-button shoes . Another victim of too many people , stupid people , and snake-oil realtors . Eff the EPA . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordairgtar Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Maybe Summernationals will move to Joliet. That would be cool for us in the midwest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CapSat 6 Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 I can’t say this is especially surprising. I have been going there since 1988, to the Mopars at Englishtown event. Over the years, the emphasis on that event shifted from the drags, to the swaps, back onto the drags a bit when everybody started complaining about the high fees the vendors had to pay, and over the past 10 years or so, competing events at that same facility. Lately, while they have the show/swap/race, there also would be dirt biking, carting, solo, and tough mudder events. I think they have been trying to utilize the property as best they can, but at least for now, it doesn’t seem like they’re going to turn it into more retail wasteland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PARTSMARTY Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 17 hours ago, Force said: Well an eight-mile is better than nothing at all. x2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Maybe the owners doesn't want to put up the money to make the quarter mile track safer, after all it was at Raceway Park, Englishtown Scott Kalitta lost his life 10 years ago. They shortened the competition distance for the nitro classes to 1000 feet after that but they go faster and quicker today at 1000 feet than they did then on the quarter mile, the difference is 320 feet longer braking zone, but that may not be enough in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majel Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Heard the news on Barrett Jackson last night, that sucks. Englishtown was an institution. I still remember how sad it was when they closed Beeline Dragway in Arizona. Used to go to a lot of AHRA events there, and Friday night "run what you brung". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) I used to run at Dallas here in Ga., but it was closed due to nearby development and noise / traffic complaints in 2005. This little film is from 1968, the year before I moved to the Southeast. Edited January 19, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 NJ101.5 Talk Radio had this as the topic the other afternoon. Apparently someone started a petition to reopen E Town. I guess these bright stars think that'll work! Part of the discussion was that the drags weren't profitable for the track or the teams any longer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 On 1/17/2018 at 5:37 PM, lordairgtar said: Maybe Summernationals will move to Joliet. That would be cool for us in the midwest. If it's not nostalgia drag racing, they won't be getting my money as I don't car what they call the event. Besides NHRA stands for "No Hot Rods Allowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 3 hours ago, High octane said: If it's not nostalgia drag racing, they won't be getting my money as I don't car what they call the event. Besides NHRA stands for "No Hot Rods Allowed. Kinda funny how the "Run what ya brung" "No Prep" events have been so popular lately too, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I REALLY enjoy the "Meltdown Drags" at Byron Dragway every mid-July with 500+ nostalgia racers/cars from all over the country come together to join in the fun. No big purses to win at this event, just flat out heads up racing like it was done back-in-the-day and also on the streets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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