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So it seems every time I open a copy of Muscle Car Review, Hemmings Muscle Machines, Car Craft, etc....I read about another drag strip being shut down.
Now Kansas City International Raceway has joined the list.
Yet I never hear about any new strips being opened.
Makes me wonder if drag strips are just a dying breed, albeit the use they still get?
I'd imagine that unless you are a participant or its an NHRA Grand National event watching a bunch of souped up Civics doesnt really have the draw that drag racing once had.
Kansas City? we used to have an NHRA Grand National event up here in Montreal till for what ever reason they moved our race to Kansas City
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
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They've re-opened two 1/8 mile tracks around here in the last few years and they seem to be doing really well and within a couple hours radius of me I can think of at least a half dozen or more 1/4 mile tracks that seem to be doing decent business...insurance and track upkeep are a major "beach" and it just keeps getting higher.
I wish Boat drags would catch on hard just a bit closer to me tho'.
So it seems every time I open a copy of Muscle Car Review, Hemmings Muscle Machines, Car Craft, etc....I read about another drag strip being shut down.
Now Kansas City International Raceway has joined the list.
Yet I never hear about any new strips being opened.
Makes me wonder if drag strips are just a dying breed, albeit the use they still get?
Probably a couple of reason for drag strips to be dying out in popularity.
For one is the economy. Lots of people out of work and it is expensive to keep a car in top shape for racing.
Another is that the relatively unknown motor sport of "Open Tracking" on road courses.
It's been going on for years with the road racing crowd but many drag racers were late (including myself) to learn about it.
While it can be more expensive, more dangerous than drag racing it does give the opportunity to drive your street or dedicated track car on an enclosed road course at very high rates of speed. It also provide you with hours of track time a day rater than minutes a day like drag racing.
Open tracking is definitely not a spectator sport except for the couple of friends you might bring with you.
Somebody also mentioned all the Rice burners at the strip these days. That might be a reason for the drop in popularity for those who are into American muscle.
I have a 1/4 mile strip just 15 minutes from me in Rockingham NC but I would rather drive the two hours to Virginia International Raceway for some road course track time.
Probably a couple of reason for drag strips to be dying out in popularity.
For one is the economy. Lots of people out of work and it is expensive to keep a car in top shape for racing.
Another is that the relatively unknown motor sport of "Open Tracking" on road courses.
It's been going on for years with the road racing crowd but many drag racers were late (including myself) to learn about it.
While it can be more expensive, more dangerous than drag racing it does give the opportunity to drive your street or dedicated track car on an enclosed road course at very high rates of speed. It also provide you with hours of track time a day rater than minutes a day like drag racing.
Open tracking is definitely not a spectator sport except for the couple of friends you might bring with you.
Somebody also mentioned all the Rice burners at the strip these days. That might be a reason for the drop in popularity for those who are into American muscle.
I have a 1/4 mile strip just 15 minutes from me in Rockingham NC but I would rather drive the two hours to Virginia International Raceway for some road course track time.
In our situation, the closing of the race track further complicates the economy because there were many machinists, engine builders, etc that lived near KC International that made their living doing business for people that were there solely at the track. Plus the track officials are out of a job too. True it's a small number compared tot he rest of the country, but still.
As for the rice burners......I wouldn't think their appearance would drive away others.....there's not any other tracks near KC International....last I went (2 weeks ago) they still had your usual American muscle and only had a small handful of imports.
The reason for the closing depends on who you ask. But it does seem everytime I open a magazine, another track has dried up...as if the sport is now considered "old school".
It is sad. Hell even the track I used to frequent had been around for awhile then new neighborhoods popped up and complained of noise. I am sure insurance costs are high. It was usually pretty packed.
What I alwasy found funny is I would tell people at work that I was going to the dragstrip to race. And they thought that ment I was going out on the streets, streetracing.
News organizations constantly calling streetracing, dragracing I guess is instilling to the general public, a sense of illegalness and danger with people racing at a sanctioned track.
You know Mustangeater, that's the problem we face with KC International. It was built in 1967 during the heart of muscle car era. The track was built out in the country away from everything and anything.
Then the houses started popping up and next thing you know, you have people complaining of the noise and traffic.
Really? You buy a house next to a race track and THEN complain?
To make matters worse, the senator also owns property next to the track, as well as someone who does fundraiser work for the senator...the latter is said to have been the first to have caused headaches for the track. The senator has not had luck for quite some time selling her land due to the proximity of the track.
There was a strip here called Shuffletown that was in business for 40+ years. Then the area was annexed into Charlotte, and the track no longer met noise ordinances. Done.
Sad but true.Tracks are not busy here in Portland,OR .
I miss street racing back in the 70's.Nobody ever got killed and we stayed up all night bench racing.
Police left us alone 2.
Lower River Road ...
Really? You buy a house next to a race track and THEN complain?
.
I think its the same idiots who buy a house at the end of a major airport runway then whine on about the noise..duhh
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