What is the deal with Atco?

[Jim]

There's more than 2,000 cars parked at E'town currently.

Don't let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy.

 

[HEMI6point1]

There's more than 2,000 cars parked at E'town currently.

When did they park them there? 'Cause for a long time everyone was wondering when they were actually going to start parking their junk there.

 

[Al]

I remember hearing about Super Shops in 90's going down the drain. So I looked at some of my old Drag Rags from
back in the 90's. This is all I could find. Super Shops had 165 stores which operated from 1963 to 1997. The chain was
founded by Harry Eberlin. The corporation went out of business in 1997 due to financial dept.
In the early 90's Eberlin bought some land in La Jolla, CA and started building this 50,000 sq. ft. "mansion" The
unfinished house was sold in 1998. Eberlin moved to Reno, NV
View attachment 8371
View attachment 8372
View attachment 8373
The late Pat Foster in the seat AA/FC
View attachment 8374
This one with Ed "The Ace" McCulloch in the seat
View attachment 8376
Big Daddy AA/FD
View attachment 8378
Eddie Hill AA/FD

Really interesting stuff Jim. I'm amazed at the fascinating stuff you find !

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Really interesting stuff Jim. I'm amazed at the fascinating stuff you find !

Thanks Allan. I think something special happen to me on that day in 1971 at SIR. Like I told you on
another thread my sister and I were standing 20 maybe 40 feet from you, when you took one of the greatest
if not the greatest drag racing photo of All Time. So i'm giving you all the credit!

Photo By...Allan Kean

 

[Pete]

You mean like how IAA paid the owners of E-town millions to turn the dragstrip into a parking lot then never stored a single vehicle there? It's almost as if "IAA" is a front for NIMBYS who hate "noise" just to give track owners money to close and not race there.

definitely storing vehicles there now

 

[Jim]

There is a lot of land around ATCO also but I think that they are looking for finished areas so that they can set up immediately.

Most of the land around Atco is protected as part of the Pine Barrens and cannot be developed. The Atco Dragway property is grandfathered in but even at that, development on the site is limited and has to be approved by the Pine Barrens Commission.

Note: About 10 years ago, I went to Atco and saw that a lot of the gravel parking lot had been paved. I asked Joe Sway, the owner at the time, how he had received permission to pave. "I didn't ask," was his reply.

Jim

 

[Al]

Thanks Allan. I think something special happen to me on that day in 1971 at SIR. Like I told you on
another thread my sister and I were standing 20 maybe 40 feet from you, when you took one of the greatest
if not the greatest drag racing photo of All Time. So i'm giving you all the credit!
View attachment 8386
Photo By...Allan Kean

THANKS VERY MUCH JIM.
You are too kind.

 

[Bob]

Most of the land around Atco is protected as part of the Pine Barrens and cannot be developed. The Atco Dragway property is grandfathered in but even at that, development on the site is limited and has to be approved by the Pine Barrens Commission.

Note: About 10 years ago, I went to Atco and saw that a lot of the gravel parking lot had been paved. I asked Joe Sway, the owner at the time, how he had received permission to pave. "I didn't ask," was his reply.

Jim

FYI https://www.nj.com/news/2021/07/tow...n-iconic-nj-drag-strip-into-auction-site.html

 

[Jim]

And for you racers and fans of Atco. I hope it stays a drag strip. I know how you feel.
Here in the Northwest, hoping Spokane does'nt become a???

The interesting thing about Atco will be to see what happens if the owner does not want to or can't keep operating it as a track and the town uses zoning to block anything else from happening there.

 

[mgty3whlr]

Proposed Auction Site At Atco Raceway Unanimously Rejected

New Jersey’s Atco Raceway will live to see another day after a redevelopment bid was rejected late last week. An auction firm had submitted a bid and plan to buy the raceway to store hundreds of cars.

www.dragzine.com

 

[Dennis]

When did they park them there? 'Cause for a long time everyone was wondering when they were actually going to start parking their junk there.

I don't know if there's a way to find the date of a Google maps satellite view but the cars are clearly visible. Suffice to say the pic wasn't taken any time in the recent past.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[swervin]

I know there was a boat load of them for the Spring Swap Meet. On the pit side the fenced in area starts right at the main concession stand. I couldn't see how far it went but I could see the front end loader driving quite a ways with a car on the blades.