Raceway Park to Cease Drag Racing Operations in 2018 (2 Viewers)

[Sean D, shondoo]

I don't recall any major incidents since Scott's passing and that was 10 years ago. Hard to say good bye and move on without a suitable replacement. Maple Grove is a pain to get to and not a easy drive from NYC surrounding areas. Plus the huge media machine that is New York isn't going to look to Reading for any motorsports stories.

Neal Parker......

Sean D

 

[Jack]

As mentioned TAFC racer Neil Parker did die in June 2010 at the Summernationals. I was there that day. He made the run, no chutes as I recall and ran off the end of the shutdown area

 

[TooTall999]

BTW.... to get revenge on the rich yuppie NIMBY a-holes who caused this the town should put a proposal on the fall ballot where people can vote to either keep the track open for racing or have the Napps sell the property to a developer who would construct low income / section 8 housing. Watch the yuppies backpedal real quick when the property values of their cookie cutter McMansions are threatened.

This was a financial decision by the Napp family. There are still going to be motorsports there, just not drag racing. The people still have to deal with noise, just not drag racing noise.

 

[Percboy]

IMO, these on-line petitions fall on deaf ears, but here it is.
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/143...ag-racing-raceway-park-old-bridge/1044792001/

 

[stitcherbob]

All they have to do is add a drag strip to this place

http://www.njmp.com/info-services/

 

[Mooseman]

I hate a track closing as much as anyone, but how is a signed petition going to change a signed $75 million dollar contract.

 

[Jimbo]

Having a hard time envisioning anyone making the investment in a motor sports racing facility in this day and age in the northeast corridor. land cost, environmental issues, permitting. Local opposition etc, etc, etc would be very difficult issues to solve and I can imagine the ROI for such an undertaking would not be very good. Remember that this is the Northeast where there's a minimum of 5 months of guaranteed down time every year due to weather. Any news from the NHRA on on replacement for the event or just going to run one less? That would be one less race for sponsors who on board for the full pull which would not make many of them very happy without some financial contract adjustments.

I agree with you 100%.
While I love drag racing everyone one us must look at this from the business side of running a drag strip and trying to figure out your best ROI and in the case of Englishtown this is a wise move at this time.

A very wise man told me years ago the key to success is finding something you love to do and then try to figure out how to make money doing it!!!

All of us love drag racing but at the end of the day you have to justify your time spend along with your money and the rewards you are getting from doing it must make finical sense other wise you go out of business.
Jim Hill

 

[Jimbo]

All they have to do is add a drag strip to this place

http://www.njmp.com/info-services/

This is an interesting idea. Not sure if they enough space or if it would make finical sense for them to think about doing it.

Jim Hill

 

[HEMI6point1]

This was a financial decision by the Napp family. There are still going to be motorsports there, just not drag racing. The people still have to deal with noise, just not drag racing noise.

Yeah but no doubt that the NIMBY'ers had a hand in influencing their decision.

 

[justafan]

IMO, these on-line petitions fall on deaf ears, but here it is.
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/143/877/555/racers-need-to-stand-up-to-keep-drag-racing-at-racewaypark/?src=referrer&campaign=http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/middlesex-county/2018/01/18/petition-started-save-drag-racing-raceway-park-old-bridge/1044792001/

Agreed. It's a little too late for this.

 

[stitcherbob]

I don't recall any major incidents since Scott's passing and that was 10 years ago. Hard to say good bye and move on without a suitable replacement. Maple Grove is a pain to get to and not a easy drive from NYC surrounding areas. Plus the huge media machine that is New York isn't going to look to Reading for any motorsports stories.

The events I remember:

1990

2008

2009

2009

2010

 

[stitcherbob]

2011

 

[TooTall999]

Yeah but no doubt that the NIMBY'ers had a hand in influencing their decision.

I don't think it would've mattered if the track was in the middle of nowhere with zero noise complaints. There were $75 million reasons to close the drag strip.

 

[stitcherbob]

2010 was a bad year, with the Firebird incident*, Neil Parker, and there was also Mark Niver at the Northwest nats...who ran off the end into the catch net

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/driver-mark-niver-killed-in-wash-raceway-crash/





* for those who don't remember...

 

[Pais]

It's unfortunate for NHRA. Englishtown is situated in the middle of the highest population in the USA.

I heard someone say that Etown is the Pomona of the East but thats not true. If Etown was Pomona it would have closed shop a long time ago. Pomona hosts very few events every year but Etown is probably the business venue in the NHRAtrack directory. Town hosts quite a few events that have big draws so they had to make this decision carefully I'm sure. The fact that it will be so much easier to manage a parking lot then a drag strip had to play into the decision too.

I think the family was a little divided on what the future of the track should be. At least they didn't sell the property to developers. I guarantee that the neighbors eventually will be complaining about all the totaled cars getting towed there on the 100's of flatbeds that will be driving through the neighborhood now.

I have great memories from Etown. I remember Eddie Krawiec guiding me down the private lane at Etown on Wednesday nights so I can get a pass in my Pro Stock truck whenever I was ready, I have so many memories of Michael Napp helping me out and looking out for me. I have so many great memories from the fans and all the races I had there.

Englishtown was one of my magical places and I will never forget it. I wish the family the most success and I hope that NHRA somehow find a way of replacing the amazing race that they just lost.

Good luck to everyone involved.

 

[StockersRock]

I'm sure that just the cost of insurance by dropping the coverage for a drag strip has to be a large sum alone.

Figure just this savings alone into that revenue and that $75mil for the 15 years likely pushes close to adding another "0" onto that final number...

 

[Jimbo]

Guy's remember at E-Town it's only the drag races that they are stopping!!!

The Car Shows, the Kart track and I believe the motocross are still in operation.
One other note to think about. All of the car manufactures are working hard to create electric cars and they are saying that within ten years if you purchase a New Car it will be an electric car because they are no longer going to be making cars with conventional motors any longer.

Could the future for the NHRA be in drag racing electric cars? I might be the reason E-Town for now is keeping the drag strip and just deciding not to use right now.

I know it a crazy idea but remember Don Garlits already has an electric dragster he has been working on it for the past few years.

The one think that has put many drag strips out of business is the noise levels so this is one way to have drag strips close to major areas.

Just my opinion.
Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Could the future for the NHRA be in drag racing electric cars?

Strictly my opinion, but all-electric drag racing would be comparable to bracket/Super class racing; good fun for the participants, not much spectator interest.

Sean D

 

[Polish Hammer]

The smell of nitro replaced by burnt wiring....no thanks! When tomorrow’s nostalgia cars are what’s running today, nostalgia racing will be huge.

 

[Z28LT1]

Neal Parker......

Sean D

As mentioned TAFC racer Neil Parker did die in June 2010 at the Summernationals. I was there that day. He made the run, no chutes as I recall and ran off the end of the shutdown area

Oh yeah, I forgot about that one.