Seems Island Dragway in Northern New Jersey is now done. http://bangshift.com/blog/new-jerse...y-is-dead-and-gone-forever-suck-ass-news.html
I am really surprised and did not realize that Island Dragway was in trouble. Between the economic problems of this recession and folks just moving closer all the time to drag strips many drag strips find they are being forced out for a number different reasons. It's not only drag strips either!!!!!!! Many large scale race manufacturers are also being pushed to the limit because of this recession. Just think of the amount of racers you know who have either parked their cars or are running a limited schedule because of a lack of funds to keep going. Just my opinion. Jimbo
The article listed several rumored things that may be part of the cause. The biggest problem that most tracks face is still developments getting built up too close and the home owners in those developments having a hemorrhage because that "quiet area" they moved to has maybe 8 days out of 30 a month when there is racing and the attending traffic and noise. You can bet that real estate people never hold open house during race days. Part of that problem may be due to the track owners not buying up additional land around the track (s) when it was available and probably rather inexpensive. I hope they get it squared away as I hate to see tracks go under.
We had the same BS around here with our circle track ....houses got built in the area and everyone bitched about the noise ...d'ya think ? Then I go to Knoxville Iowa where the track is right downtown ! They probably don't complain about a money maker . T
never have understood that kind of thinkin from people. buyin houses close to a track then complain about the noise.we had a farmer here that raised pigs and lots of them.his family had been on that one peice of land for 100 yrs.they built houses all around these people.then they closed him down because of the smell.100 yrs they had been there!!! modern piggs must really stink.i hope they all had to pay lots more for their pork!!!!almost forgot, sorry about your track. its happenening every where....
Same thing here in Eugene,Or. with the Balboa track. Cows weren't giving milk anymore was the nail in the coffin.
What a shame. I used to race my old 55 Chevy there. I only lived about 20 minutes away. Best thing about it was you could easily get a dozen passes on any test and tune day.
I saw this topic posted earlier in the N.E. section of another car site. To me, over the last couple years Island Dragway seemed like they were starting to look a little more marginal as time went on.
Small muni Airports are facing the same fate. The one I park at passed the hat a few years ago. It's only a matter of time.....
As the original poster, I can tell you that I live about 15 minutes from the track. During the summer I would stop in on a Sunday just to watch for awhile. It seems as if it was some kind of club or just a bunch of guys doing a tune and test. It didn't seem like they had any type of weekly racing. As far as real estate values closing the track I can't see how, as this is still in a very rural part of NJ and there is no development or houses around the strip. Hell this place is so far off the road I don't even think noise is an issue for some of the existing houses nearby. I tend to think its mostly EPA and local bureaucrats. If this is the case once the snowball starts rolling its only a matter of time before all tracks get shut down. I always wondered how long it will be before the EPA shuts dirt tracks down for polluting the air with dust or noise. Its going to happen for sure its just something they haven't thought of yet I guess.
Sources say Its not 100% done yet......... We would run there every so often to avoid the attention you get at Raceway park and Atco...... One of the biggest killers (and hopefully it will change if they stay open and read all the posts about it) is the attitude you get not being a "regular" there.
TV Tommy was telling me that if it wasn't for Mr. Kawalla's phone call asking him to come east, history would have been way different! I think it was the lack of management that was the demise.
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