Well, my buddy and I went to the old strip today [8-26] and shot the short video I have been talking about doing, it will be posted on youtube as soon as somebody's kid shows us how to do it. Thanks, Andamo, for the updates and advice, suffice to say that anyone wanting to visit Sunset for old times sake best do it soon. Scenario; Sign on route 62 north pointing to Sunset still there, southbound sign gone. Garage still looks way good, ditto the timing tower that I think is fairly new. Bleachers are fading fast. Lots of nostalgia still there, the sign just before the burn out pit stating 'fasten seat belt, roll up window' is still there, a lot of rubber on the burnout area peeling up. Both entrances to the area are thoroughly blocked off. Return and pit roads are going back to nature. Saddest thing is the track itself; When I was over there earlier this summer the track looked pretty good, now, weeds are taking over big time, more weeds than pavement visible. The lighting systems are still hanging in, and the finish line light boxes are there. Launch area blocked off with Jersey walls and debris... One more great old track gonna be gone soon...Too bad but, as I think Andamo stated, maybe it's just as well, as Alex and Geo. are gone too. We parked my '70 Chevelle convert at the pit entrance, a few locals slowed down to look at it, and us maybe, I was a bit uptight but no problems. Will notify per youtube video.
Here's some pics I took of Sunset on 9-16-2013 in the afternoon. I was working in the area, & drove up Charleston Rd & was surprised to find a drag strip! My dad did a lot of drag racing in the late 50's, early 60's, & I seem to remember him mentioning racing at this strip, but I'm not sure. He's traveling to Alaska now, so I can't ask him. I do know Howland in Ohio was his favorite track. Anyways, here's the pics!!
Wow, it didn't take long for the place to go that far downhill. You mentioned that your Dad liked the track at Howland, OH. I don't think that track was in existence very long. I have a picture of a dragster taken there in 1958.
Can anyone post something or let me know what's going on??? If anyone knows? Sunset was a big part of my childhood and it seriously puts me down thinking about it.
Sunset, and then later Youngstown Drag City, were owned or run by Alex and his brother George. Something happened in the later years and Alex and George stopped speaking to each other. After George passed away there was a lot of tension between Alex and George's daughter who's house is right beyond the track. I had heard that right before Alex passed away he and his niece had patched things up, but she never wanted the track there to begin with. So after Alex was gone she must have ended up with the property and sold off the logging rights. Face it, the place was going downhill pretty quick and Alex wasn't going to do any improvements so it's kind of fitting that once Alex was gone, so is Sunset.
Jeff, I have a CD of still pics of Sunset from 1959 to the present. If you want me to burn you one, send me your home addy in a PM and I'll get one out to you.
I know this is a OLD OLD post. I use to help alex with running the place on weekend in the early 2000's before he passed away. I have TONS of photos from when he 1st opened back up and it ws good ol fun Hand drop and run. To when the christmas tree and time lights went back in. I have stacks of DVD's from taking pic's etc.. I registered to add some info here. since this thread came up on a search. Prob wont post much on this site so if any of you that are regulars here were at sunset would like copies of what i have Email me. I can make another master copy to give someone to pass out to everyone. I can also upload a ton to my server for viewing pleasure. Chris [email protected]
Just seeing this post for the first time......I raced Sunset in the early 60s in my 55 chev - as I remember it was 1/5 mile then. For my first run, I dropped the pipes from the manifolds - not noticing the left manifold was dumping on the brake line......you guessed it - no brakes at the end of the strip - and a really wild ride around the downhill right turn at the end of the strip....... Also remember you could get in any class you wanted by giving the tech inspectors a six pack. Good times !
I can't say for sure, but I don't think Sunset was ever a 1/5 mile track. Possibly a 1/6th mile at 880' That 1056' seems way too long for that place.
As of October 2013, the bleachers have been taken down, but the scoring tower, and all the buildings are still there. I spoke with a former event promotor that had races at the track at the January 2014 World of Wheels Car Show, and he said the The Theofilis Family still owns the track, and are looking into staff to reopen the track.
I srsly doubt it. There's nothing left of the place. I keep meaning to take a spin by, never have the time.
I seriously doubt it also. If Alex' niece stills owns the property, it'll never re-open. And I'm sure if she sells it, there will be something in the agreement that will keep it from ever being a track again. I'm sure with the past winter we had, the track surface, along with the trucks hauling timber out, have broken it up pretty good.
Never got the video posted on youtube that we did last summer.. The pics ssmilekc posted are excellent [though sad to see] and pretty much tell the story. Might go by the track this summer enroute home from Bike Nite if the rain ever stops and we can get out there. I talked to a couple of old guys in a bar in Mercer last April about the track and they stated that they had heard there were some people in Ohio who had interest in leasing the place..Hard to tell about the accuracy of bar BS; A lot of money would be required to get it going again, and with Alex's niece opposed to reopening it, well...
I understand that the township has let people know that since the place has been closed so long, whomever would want to try and re-open the place will now have to abide by the newest rules the township has on the books. I'm guessing this has to do more with the sewerage which was always in question. I'm hearing this 3rd and 4th hand, so I'm sure each time it's passed on it becomes more ''embellished''. This is what I understand what happened at Y-Town Drag City and the story might have grown legs and it applies to Sunset also. Sunset has gone the way of Nu-Be, Youngstown Drag City (Meander), Peterson, PID, and Fairmont and I'm just glad I was able to be around when they were active.
well we all have one special memory that nobody else has had of this drag strip, even though it's gone we all had the best times and memories here it's ashame that how it ended but things happen for a reason. Alex was a good guy that brought sunset to be a family and always looked happy. Maybe one day it will be running again just keep hoping I guess.
I know this is an old post but I used to race my car here and if anyone has any updates or any updated pictures of what it looks like now please post them thank you,
I don't have any new pics of the place myself, but I've seen some that were taken this past summer and Mother Nature is slowly reclaiming the place. Word is that George's daughter, who ended up with the place, sold the property to someone else. There was a logging company that hauled out logs down at the end of the track and that area is all torn up. Again, this is only rumor, but from what's been said, the township will never let the place become a race track again because it's sat idle for too long. So Sunset is gone and so are Alex and George.
I may take a ride past it next weekend I'm sure it's mostly gone but I still want to know what happened to the tree and stuff like that.
The original tree disappeared and the guys that were helping at the track built a new one out of PVC. Who knows where that one ended up. I have a friend that a was talking with George's daughter after Alex passed and he was interested in buying all the old pictures that were in the metal building. But she never got back to him and again it's hard to say what's left in that building. A word of warning about going there. Stay out at the road and don't be wondering onto the property. I understand she keeps a eye on the place for the new owner and you'll be asked to leave.
I need help finding someone named Ron, in his 70's, from the Pennsylvania/Ohio area. He used to hang out and race cars with a guy named Lynn DeCamp. They raced at Sunset Drag Strip and Thompson Drag strip. Ron drove a blue 1966-1967 Chevy II and Lynn drove a white 66-67 Chevy II. Any help is greatly appreciated! Please contact me at [email protected] with any information.
I don't know if you belong to Facebook, but there is a Sunset group on there. If you don't belong, I can put this message on there for you, just let me know.
Coral, I messaged you. I took a spin by after getting this message over the weekend & snapped some current pics before the weeds start growing again...
I'm thinkin' this is a close-up of the 'Vette pictured ..."Illegitimate". This photo was taken at Quaker City Dragstrip
The Jalopy Journal
