Rumor is that WalMart has bought the PBIR property for a distribution facility. Amazon has also bought a tract of land in the same area for the same use. Reason being is that the area is wide open and is right on the Bee Line highway with easy connections to all the major highways in the area plus there's an airport right across the street and a giant Pratt-Whitney engine plant where they run Jets on test stands all day so noise and traffic are not a problem. The track has been around for over 50 years and it's a shame to see it go away.
Looks Like Another Drag Strip Is Closing (1 Viewer)
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Cliff
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Arghhh. At first I was confused as to the Bee Line Hiway, as we have a Bee Line here in Phoenix. That was the road the old BeeLine Dragway was on. Anyhoo, sounds like PBIR has just gone down the tunes, like the late Speedworld here in Phx. Sigh HATE loosing another track.
HEMI6point1
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Well this isn't news I wanted to hear. 
Damn, will miss going to their shows.
ETA: What really makes me pissed about this is that next to the track and Caloosa there is HUNDREDS of perfectly good acres along the beeline highway for sale. Why did Walmart have to choose the ground that PBIR is sitting on? Makes no sense.
Damn, will miss going to their shows.ETA: What really makes me pissed about this is that next to the track and Caloosa there is HUNDREDS of perfectly good acres along the beeline highway for sale. Why did Walmart have to choose the ground that PBIR is sitting on? Makes no sense.
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Butch
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Cliff, you weren't the only one scratching his head. LOL
HEMI6point1
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Who? The people owning the land along beeline hwy that is not being used or the land currently occupied by PBIR? If it's the former, shame that Walmart can't pay a little more and leave the dragstrip alone. They're a billion dollar corporation who can afford it.
Well this isn't news I wanted to hear.
ETA: What really makes me pissed about this is that next to the track and Caloosa there is HUNDREDS of perfectly good acres along the beeline highway for sale. Why did Walmart have to choose the ground that PBIR is sitting on? Makes no sense.
Not familiar with the area, but do the other parcells of land have utilities (sewer and water) servicing them like the dragstrip does, makes it much easier to build when you do not have to hook up to mains
nwspeedshots
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I'm certainly not an expert on the area, but just from the Google Earth view, all the surrounding land looks pretty wet. I suspect that Walmart is purchasing land that has already been "dried out".
Jim
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Walmart did not get to be a multi-billion dollar corporation by paying a little more for land so that other businesses would be left alone.
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It sucks that yet another track is going to be sold and paved over. But, everything is for sale. It all depends if the money is right. It sounds like the owners of PBIR were made an offer they couldn't refuse. Or, maybe they wanted out. Who knows?
Same with NHRA and the Commerce, GA track. Didn't NHRA own that track? I probably missed it, but did anybody directly ask NHRA why they sold the track? It makes me curious as to how strong, financially, NHRA is these days. The Wuhan virus definitely wiped out a lot of cash reserves.
Same with NHRA and the Commerce, GA track. Didn't NHRA own that track? I probably missed it, but did anybody directly ask NHRA why they sold the track? It makes me curious as to how strong, financially, NHRA is these days. The Wuhan virus definitely wiped out a lot of cash reserves.
Chili
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I completely agree with you. While I don’t think it’s the end of NHRA, they are in recovery mode trying to survive and putting themselves into a spot to prosper. When they cut the Houston event from 3 to 2 days, they also cut the payouts. That bothered some of the race teams. The 2 day race payouts are a decent cut from the 3 day races. I also find it odd that Tasca and Dejoria jumped in to sponsor the Epping race.
HEMI6point1
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I heard that to. Maybe if they didn't piss off many of the local racers and drive them to Bradenton and Orlando they wouldn't be in the financial situation they were in. Sucks for spectators as PBIR was only about an hour or so from me where Orlando is 3 hours away.
ETA: If you go to PBIR's website, not one mention of the buyout and their calendar is booked for the rest of the year. Makes me wonder if there is going to be a "this is our last year" type of thing announced.
pretty sad. another small business fails. another expansion of the ruling elite. more low paying jobs in a big wharehouse full of disposable crap.
maybe the track is just in a bad location to attract racers? (compared to bradenton, orlando, gainesville, etc.) ....... those years that PBIR hosted the winter warmup,
were IMO some of the best years nhra has recently enjoyed.
maybe the track is just in a bad location to attract racers? (compared to bradenton, orlando, gainesville, etc.) ....... those years that PBIR hosted the winter warmup,
were IMO some of the best years nhra has recently enjoyed.
vegasnitro
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Sam, you act like PBIR has no say in the matter. WalMart couldn't buy if PBIR wasn't selling. (allegedly, nothing official yet)
As much as it pains me to say it, WalMart is not the bad guy here. A business opportunity has been presented to them and they are taking it. Why should they deal with swampland when they have a parcel of land that is dry, has utility service and is already leveled out being offered to them? If the present owners of the land don't care a racing facility will close, why should WalMart?
We better get used to this. As property values go up, property taxes go up, coupled with less people being interested in racing, which creates ever diminishing returns for track owners. More tracks will go by the wayside sooner rather than later. Selling is the only way track owners can get out from under with a few bucks in their pockets.
There is only 1 way to stop this, people better start building cars or buy weekly tickets to support your local tracks.
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Well said Chris. Sale of PBIR by ownership could simply create financial security for many with ZERO headaches. I would imagine taxes and insurance on a racetrack are crippling at times especially if business has tailed off. Why continue to fight the daily battles if freedom is one BIG check away. Not all motorsports businesses are forever businesses and that is an owner's prerogative.
Agreed, we better get used to it. And the fans that complain about these sales, would do the very same thing given the option. I don't care what they say when they post here.
Luke Nieuwhof
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Spot on, Chris. Particularly with your statement about supporting tracks.
The reality is for many tracks, you could sell the land, put your money into a safe index fund and probably make better money than promoting events - or at least a lot safer return anyway. I'm sure that has crossed the minds of many owners who had a tough year due to COVID.
I'm hoping to see something official from PBIR either way - it would be a shame to lose a track so close to one of America's biggest cities.
The reality is for many tracks, you could sell the land, put your money into a safe index fund and probably make better money than promoting events - or at least a lot safer return anyway. I'm sure that has crossed the minds of many owners who had a tough year due to COVID.
I'm hoping to see something official from PBIR either way - it would be a shame to lose a track so close to one of America's biggest cities.
Professional Fan
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The Houston event this year was a three day race, or at least it would have been if Mother Nature had cooperated!
TopFuel@Lions
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Don't right it off you negative Neds, may not happen, why is that, till the ink is dry it aint done, right Bob? Example, one of the most prized locations in Alabama, right off I-20 halfway between Birmingham and Atlanta was slated to become yet another Amazon fulfillment center just like the one the was built in Bessemer that now employs about 3000 folks.
This land was right next to the track I announce at, the Talladega Short Track, across from the most bitchen NASCAR track, the Talladega Super Speedway. This prized land is home to a giant campground, one of 5 that surround Talladega, the most of any track in the U.S.A. It was said to be a done deal, complete, call it a wrap. Incredible interstate access, unreal location, with a giant volume of traffic and so forth, well it petered out. Was quoted as one of the most prized pieces of land in the south, worth over 30 million by some. It died, so let us not assume that PBIR will fold like BB indicated, it might, it may not.
TopFuel@Lions
Talladega Short Track Announcer
This land was right next to the track I announce at, the Talladega Short Track, across from the most bitchen NASCAR track, the Talladega Super Speedway. This prized land is home to a giant campground, one of 5 that surround Talladega, the most of any track in the U.S.A. It was said to be a done deal, complete, call it a wrap. Incredible interstate access, unreal location, with a giant volume of traffic and so forth, well it petered out. Was quoted as one of the most prized pieces of land in the south, worth over 30 million by some. It died, so let us not assume that PBIR will fold like BB indicated, it might, it may not.
TopFuel@Lions
Talladega Short Track Announcer
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