acres for a strip?

[Woodfin]

The idea of building and operation a mid-size local track has long been a dream of mine.

For East Texas, our last local track, Hallsville Drag Strip, closed in 2005. Within two years of Hallsville closing the local hot rod, drag car scene began a downward spiral that continues to this day.

Our options now require driving 100 - 120 miles and getting home in the wee hours. While us hardcore old codgers continue to participate the locals who would drive 40 - 50 miles are out of the running [so to speak]

Yet, my dreams are generally much larger than my resources. Several times in the last few years crunching the numbers and being realistic about cost and needs shows that building a track, even a modest build, is expensive.

Having to service a large debt load would be a quick way to fail.

To my thinking, the ideal plan is money from an investor, city, county, or other entity that would be able to defer the return on investment for some years.

Once the track had time to build a racer base and begin special draw programs the investor could gradually recover his investment by profit taking.

In addition, I am full of ideas in ref to other uses of the property that would keep folks coming in to create continuing interest.

The basic requirements for success are low and deferred debt plus lots of work with promotions

[Greg Reimer 7376]

The successful Irwindale track here in So Cal is eighth mile, and it's about 65 acres.It's pits are paved and runs a very successful Thursday night fun and grudge race which has come in handy for test and tunes. The only drawback is that we need to run mufflers. The good news is that those little Dyno Max straight through muffs are OK with them, and don't slow the car down at all. The other drawback is the the property nearly got sold out from under us,but the good news is that property used to be a landfill. Good news is the prospective owner had to get a core sample and a few things before he could get a construction loan. The sample showed that the place would have to be dug up and the old wastes would have to be disposed of at his expense. The property can't be developed unless that is done. No residential,commercial,retail or industrial use can be put there unless the place is dug up and the soil replaced. What else could you do with that?Race on it,of course. We'll be racing there for some time. I wish you well with your ideas, hope they succeed and have a long future there.

[Paul Precht]

This is sad of course but even more sad is the situation on Long Island where I grew up and raced for 17 years. On Long island, politics not money are the stonewall preventing a new dragstrip. I feel so blessed and lucky to my new home and shop just 10 miles from Numidia and 35 miles from Beaver Springs, both have aging owners but I hope they can be around for another 10 years or so. I could never live on Long island again without a strip and yet I miss the ocean every day.

[Bunkster]

Originally Posted by Greg Reimer 7376

The successful Irwindale track here in So Cal is eighth mile, and it's about 65 acres.It's pits are paved and runs a very successful Thursday night fun and grudge race which has come in handy for test and tunes. The only drawback is that we need to run mufflers. The good news is that those little Dyno Max straight through muffs are OK with them, and don't slow the car down at all. The other drawback is the the property nearly got sold out from under us,but the good news is that property used to be a landfill. Good news is the prospective owner had to get a core sample and a few things before he could get a construction loan. The sample showed that the place would have to be dug up and the old wastes would have to be disposed of at his expense. The property can't be developed unless that is done. No residential,commercial,retail or industrial use can be put there unless the place is dug up and the soil replaced. What else could you do with that?Race on it,of course. We'll be racing there for some time. I wish you well with your ideas, hope they succeed and have a long future there.

This situation conjures up memories of the infamous Love Canal/Hooker Chemical story.

[tpoh815]

Originally Posted by Bunkster

This situation conjures up memories of the infamous Love Canal/Hooker Chemical story.

And you sound like you are from Buffalo!

[340Cuda]

It is a quarter mile track, but just for reference the track in Tulsa is currently 210 acres. It is pretty full for a divisional race.

Bill

[Dragsinger]

also, the Noble OK track is 196 acres and is basically packed to the fences for a Lucas race.

[Dragsinger]

Yet, a local 1/8th-mile bracket and other events track could most likely do fine with 50 - 60 acres. It would require carefully planning and careful layout.