old-but-not forgotten drag-strips
 

This post by Panuuz made me think that we should begin a thread, listing the location, name, and time-frame that old-but-not forgotten / abandoned drag-strips operated, while some of us remember them and know where they were located.

When I raced during the early-'90s in S.W. Taxylvaniastan, Eastern Ohio and West-by-Gawd Virjinnie, I befriended a guy who won the last day that Pittsburgh International Dragway was open in 1976:
after being rained-out one day in '92, he took me to show where the track was located, and although we took no-pictures, he explained the general layout of the facility.

Here are a few pictures from PID that I have found on-line:
http://www.competitionplus.com/2005_...t_1/pid_01.jpg

http://www.namethattrack.com/mt44.jpg

http://www.junglepam.com/photos/JJ%201967.jpg

http://www.competitionplus.com/2005_...t_1/pid_04.jpg

At the time, we were competing weekly at Fairmont Dragway (formerly an IHRA track, Eldora Dragway ), in West Virginia, an 1/8-mile strip which closed following the '99 season, and has since been converted into an industrial complex:
when my fiancee & I went there in '04, there was no-trace of the strip at-all, but I found an on-line picture, taken from the water-box in it's later years -

http://www.namethattrack.com/track66.jpg
:(

I am now in central Floriduh, and would like any help in finding the location of the drag-strip in Lake Wales (due-East of Tampa, and almost due-South of Orlando ), where Don & Pat Garlits attended their first-ever drag-race while dating, and Large Father made his initial runs, as-well-as any other drag-strips between Tampa & Orlando.
:cheers:

SUNDAY!-SUNDAY!-SUNDAY! at beautiful Aquasco Dragway!

Or substitute 75/80 Drag-O-Way, Suffolk Dragway(Home of the Little Guy Nationals), Emporia, ....

I miss them all!
Dave:(

That drag strip in Lake Wales was at the old airport...Marc has seen it...his paint guy and the speed shop guy both ran with Garlits at that track back in the day...

There was a drag strip on the runway at Sebring not all that long ago...

You already now about Lakeland and how it was originally opened by Biggs as a 1/4 mile strip...

Years ago there was a very busy 1/4 mile track in Hollywood, down south so they tell me...

I never made it down-to 75/80 (or Mason-Dixon Dragway ) from 'da Burgh when I was racing, but my buddy from PID went at-least once a year:
30 years ago I knew a guy who ran Competition Eliminator who'd raced at 'Summerduck' (is that Suffolk? )
:willy:

..... where is the 'old ' airport in Lake Wales..... I know there is a current airport South-west of the Rt. 60 / Rt. 27 intersection.....
:confused:

I recall hearing about a track in Florida by the name of 'Hollywood' about 15 years ago, but I am not-sure when it closed.

Here is a pic of lakeland in the 70's
http://www.dragraceresults.com/image...Taylor%205.jpg

Oh man I love that old nostalgia drag strip history thing, Hot Rod (or is it Car Craft or is it Popular Hot Rodding LOL) always has a section in the beginning of the magazine that shows a pic or two of a now defunct drag strip, some are really sad too. :nonod:

[QUOTE=Glensgages;1564378247]
30 years ago I knew a guy who ran Competition Eliminator who'd raced at 'Summerduck' (is that Suffolk? )
:willy:



Glen, actually "The Duck" is still running today, made some good changes, lotsa' dates every week, even have an "Old Timers Race" night!

Suffolk was west of the Norfolk area on an old WWII landing strip, ALL concrete, great bite in the days before VHT!

Hey Fuzzy, did ya' ever run "Valkarie"(sp?)? Another old WWII bomber strip somewhere south of the Melborne area.

Dave:thumbs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami-H...torsports_Park

I moved to the area 9 years too late to see that track. I heard from the owner of my shop that they used to have 2 tracks and run 4 cars in parallel (not all 4 racing each other).

[QUOTE=hookedup;1564381472]Nah, I got down here a bit too late, Dave..I did start my racing career at Englishtown in 1965 on a Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!...never forget those old ads on the Cousin Brucie radio show...:D

I grew up in Rhode Island. One of my best friends dad raced at Charleston Dragway. It was an abandoned airstrip on the coast of RI. It closed in the early 60's.

http://nitrogeezers.com/charleston_dragway.htm

In the early 80's by friend and I raced at Connecticut International Raceway. It closed I think in 1986.

What about "George Ray's Drag Strip"??

http://www.quartermilestones.com/hallucination.htm

http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/AR/GeorgeRay.html

http://www.geocities.com/georgeray12345/

http://www.quartermilestones.com/pho...webwm/tree.jpg

http://www.quartermilestones.com/pho.../grdetail2.jpg

http://www.quartermilestones.com/pho.../grdetail1.jpg

http://www.quartermilestones.com/pho...bwm/tower2.jpg

http://www.quartermilestones.com/pho...wm/goldust.jpg

http://www.quartermilestones.com/pho...lddustburn.jpg

PID Raceway
 

I am so glad I found this site, I was actually search for an old track that my dad raced at, seeing this pics brought back memories. My dad was the 1st one to win @ the PID track on the day it actually opened, so that was kinda ironic when I saw your post about ur friend...when that track closed he then raced at Eldora in Fairmont, and also Keystone Raceway Park....thanks for posting the pics

I was AT "The Last Drag Race" at Miami-Hollywood in 1992.. They expected around 400 cars to show, but there were at least twice that amount that showed.. first round for Pro ET (the bracket I ran in at the time) didn't start until 12:30AM, and all first round winners had to come back Sunday morning to complete the race, or get their entry fee back to take as "winnings" and call it a night (which is what we did)... it was COLD that night, with the temp at 39 degrees by my weather station at 12:42 AM (when I ran). I have a picture on my wall of that event. :thumbs:

I could walk there from my house now! I was sad to hear how close the strip used to be, then lo and behold Pete opened Countyline 1/8 mile track only 10 miles away on 27 on an old deserted airstrip. What a stroke of luck that was. We love that place.

Anybody have some pictures of National Speedway in LI NY ?

Joined. :yesnod:

I remember seeing some old ones from there a few years back.

Another classic track out that way was Westhampton or LID (Long Island Dragway), I made my first pass ever on a drag strip at that track over 20+ years ago. :yesnod:
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I started racing at US 30 in Thomasville, PA (outside of York, Pa.)

When it shut down 1980? I stopped racing. :ack:

I had google maped out Aquasco Speedway. Much of it is still there in the woods. I got the coordinates and everything planned on making a trip but just haven't got to it yet. I really like the old abandoned drag strips. There was a pretty large thread on yellow bullet with some great then and now photos.

Here is Aquasco:
http://www.atomicpinup.com/Aquasco_Speedway.html