Just found this out at work. They are turning a section of road downtown Flint by the river into an 1/8th mile drag strip. There has always been alot of street racing, looks like there trying to do something about it. Im sure there is still going to be night racing but this looks fun if it lasts. Im sure there is going to be alot of noise complaints, but most the houses near by are abandonded. I would have rather had the strip made on the same grounds as the old factory since the land cant be used for anything else, but oh well. http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/09/flint_mayor_don_williamson_say_1.html Dont know if its a good idea yet, or if it will last. But then again, its FLINT.
It sure is nice to see something positive happening in Flint. IMHO opinion I feel that it should do well seeing how many active racers there are in the area.
great idea..probably not the best location.. some pissy political crap will shut it down..or some ass hat acting like a low life gangsta will flex and..start a war ..and it will be closed.. or..something bad will happen..and that will be the end of it. too bad
"He said he's anticipating there will be a $2.5 million investment to build a drag strip at the "Chevy in the Hole" site. " Looks like they are looking at putting the dragstrip on the old plant floor....I just hope they can make that one a 1/4 mile.....
Just got fired up. Mr. Don is going to fund "some" but the rest will be by private investers so the taxpayers will carry none of the burden. I really don't see it going. BTW.....anyone who thinks Flint is all ghetto, stop on by my house. I live in a decent neighborhood with good people all around me. Man, media can get to everyone.
"Street cars running on a such a short stretch likely won't get faster than 85 mph and will have a smooth surface for racing, said Burk." If that's an 1/8 mile deal... cars will be going faster than than. Hell, a high 12 second car will be over 80mph in the 1/8 mile. Put a real street racer that runs in the 9s out there and they'd be 110 or so in the 1/8th. Weird location for it... but I hope it flies.
It is a neat idea, but i am skeptical. I would love to see something like this make it, since there is such a huge street racing scene here in Flint. The latest spot, before this came to light, was a stretch of I-475 heading into Flint. I have seen many races out there, and there have been alot of 9-10 second passes... including a few 8 second cars going at it too. The 85mph estimate will be surpassed...alot. I will definately keep up on this one, it could be a huge attraction to the area if it is set up right, but could easily be just the opposite. I must agree with Pete too, Flint gets alot of bad publicity, but really is no different than most towns. It has its seedy, high crime areas, but has some nice areas to live too. BTW- Williamson did in-fact own Brainerd at one time.
That line really helps me believe that this will see fruition. I didnt realize he had knowledge of racing. I'm sure he knows people who could see this come to light in a safe manner. And if he does it right, this could happen in other places too... I just hope the riff raff doesn't fuck it all up. But they usually do. What a cool guy to have as a mayor. Could you imagine John Force as a politician? Board meetings would be done in record time and nobody would understand what the hell was going on!
hahahah thirtyfive...they take forever now and they still dont know what the hell is going on..guess it would just speed up the confusion and passing a bunch of stupid shit faster eh? hot rodders would make cool state and local reps..wouldnt they?
Wow...good luck with that one...next time I am in Fort Wayne I will have to blast up there and check it out...hope it gets done
Something positive happening in Flint? About time, that town has history in high performance and this could be a stepping stone to help bring the area back to life. Good thoughts going out for this one to reach fruition. Frank
Williamson has his faults too, with a sketchy past, and some swindling deals... but atleast he is not Kwame Kilpatrick (Detroits soon to be former mayor). The kick off party is this weekend, but I have out of town plans, but rest assured that I will get some video, and pictures of goings on, in the near future.
Just the other day I was told that ol' Don was going to put a drag strip at the mt morris exit where the concret pile is. Donny owns that property there. I don't beleive any of it till I see it actually going on. It would be great if it happened.
The spot on Mt. Morris and I-75 was gunned down quite a few years back. The new site is down near Kettering University (GMI). The guard rails are in, and there are lines painted... my brother in law works for the city, and he has been working down there. It sounds as if it is a sure thing.
This will be really cool if it happens. Flint is beginning to get some of its car related mojo back. Back To The Bricks has quickly become one of the best car happenings in the state. A drag strip near the old GMI will tie in nicely with Flint's history.
It's the 'hole' where Chevy's were built. Was AC for a while. Don't remember what was there last. My dad started there with AC in 1967.
This is the area where the Sitdown strike started the UAW. My dad worked down there for 52 years, When they tore the plant down he got the 60ft flagpole they had to cut it in half to bring it home and I welded it back together again. As for the " Drag strip " it looks kind of scarry it narrows after the finish in the right lane and has a square corner guard rail close to the road. the stageing lanes would have to be on the fourlane road by the start and the return road would run in front of peoples houses. The road has six roads that intersect it from the start to the end and there are house the whole length within fifty yards...oh yea the shut down is down hill ! Pat.
Did GM give the "Chevy in the hole" property to The City? Seems like Buick City might be a better location. More room & right beside I-475. If they want to spend that kind of money, at least put it in a location where it will have a good shot at surviving ... where ever that may be.
As far as I know, Kettering got most of the property. I couldnt agree with you more about the Buick City complex. There is concrete for days, and lots of room.
I first watched street racing in Flint nearly 20 years ago. I know this area, and think it's a great idea. I remember driving through the "hole" long ago and hearing stamping presses at work, along with the smell of cutting oil. If residents in this neighborhood could deal with the smell and clockwork sound of presses at work, they can adjust to the occasional noise of streetcars. It would sure be a great deal better than some of the barren streets around there (Detroit too for that matter). There are actually streets in both Detroit and Flint that have major weeds and trees growing in them. In Flint / Detroit, you only get three months of snowfree/warm weather anyhow, so it's not going to happen everyday. As a side note - how about turning the former Silverdome site into a dragstrip? I had the idea a few years ago, great access to the freeways....
An awesome idea! But those people making comments on that thread are mind numbing. Too emotional to make a rational descision. "People getting killed left and right"... Get real. Sam
There is still meetings going on weekly, but the temporary strip made down an existing road has been scrapped. After checking out the area, it was real sketchy... many intersecting roads, very short run, and very little shutdown area. Hopefully the permanent location, if it ever comes to life, will be better planned, and finished like a conventional drag way. -Joe
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