Vanishing Speedways: The Crisis of Drag Strip Closures

[@AndreS_-df2nw]

Great take on the topic! Where I race, Walla Walla, WA the track is leased from the airport & is run on a club format with several 2-3 day weekends. All seems well from what I've seen, but I'm not in on meetings/etc. AFAIK all is well there, and the track facility is shared with a group of drifters. Its a great group of racers and family environment. You should come race up here sometime! On a good note- Spokane Raceway is now open again, after an ownership change and lots of work rebuilding, its now Qlispe Raceway Park. The drag strip has a new timing system and is managed by racers. I need to make a trip to race there sometime soon.

[@SnowFamilyRacing]

That sounds like the best possible way to handle a lease format. I'm glad to see that things tend to be moving in a positive direction! I'm still fighting with the brakes on the El Camino, I've gotta get that finished before the car goes out again.

[@MrZubor]

Excellent evaluation of a difficult situation.... money talks... tracks cannot just sit back and run one race a week and expect to survive... tracks need foward thinking leaders who create good public relations/comminity out reach and race programs that go above and beyond to get racer interest. Transparency is important.... I have been blatantly lied to by track operators and heard promises that the operators had no intention of fulfilling. It really hurts when the operators sell you out... its a pain I will not ever forget.