Looks like we are going to have a lot more illegal street racing on the horizon in Phoenix....

Seemed pretty obvious that was just subterfuge. They made the big development announcement complete with plans and renderings, hard to back track from that. You dont put out renderings that dont include the track if you had a pan to keep it. No secret the Indians don't have not cared about the drag strip in years. This goes back to 2012 when they let the previous team who had run the track for years go. Been a revolving door of operators since. I personally know two of the guys who came and went quickly seeing it was not a long term deal. They both have since worked for NHRA

Yeah, just a little irritating when people in charge say one thing and then a little bit later they say the opposite. Especially when they say that the track isn't going anywhere and then a few months later they are "well we need to tear it down so we can put an off ramp there".

Bunch of blo-hards that thought they had money…. a few of them did. Another big problem is they wanted the total amount of capital to start and finish the project per the end plan. Track, tower, stands, suites, fluff……. I’d a thought get the track down, put up a tower, and get events going, work on the fluff in between. They were also talking up a “1000ft” venue…. Stupid! Just make it 1/8th. Sucks they didn’t get it going. Havasu is a great performance town and only 50 miles from my doorstep.

The race track is in the circle of this picture. All that vacant land and they gotta take the race track. What a crock.

I don't believe them. I worked and raced at the track from 2001 to 2020 and I know how they don't always tell the truth. There is no way they need the drag strip for part of the freeway. If you have ever been to the track you know the distance from the freeway to the drag strip. The east road track is next to the freeway. Then there is the lake for the boat racing. Then you get to the track. Are they going to drain the lake? It is over a 1/4 mile from the freeway to the track. The tribe has always hated the track. The county will never let anyone open Speedworld again. I feel sorry for the people that want to race. It is a hour and three quarter trip to the Tucson track. I guess I stopped racing and working at the track at the right time.

Raul

I posted this on the ADRA website, but I would like to hear everyone's comments:
While I do agree that we need to support Tucson Dragway, If it's the only track in the state (or the southwest for that matter ) it will become so busy that it will cease to be the enjoyable venue it is now. Arizona and the southwest needs another racetrack ! Some food for thought: On any given year how many racers have payed to get thru the gate at a Arizona racetrack? If "shares" were sold, how much money would need to be raised to build a track that was owned by racer stockholders? Surely there is suitable land that could be had at a "reasonable" price. What about all of the timing equipment from Wildhorse? Could it be purchased "cheap"? Building a new track could be done for a reduced price if most of the racer/stockholders provided "grunt" labor. Look around you in the pits ... realtors, heavy equipment operators, electricians all kinds of skilled and unskilled labor who should be willing to put in the work to have a track that is owned by racers. Your comments ( positive or negative ) are requested .

The next tracks will be built for electric cars if they build them, seen this coming and many more to follow will be shut down.

Just think what a stock 440 mag puts out pollution wise vs a new car today let alone our leaded race fuel pigs. The party is over unfortunately.

Next changing of the guard, the whole electric car mandate will go away.

The property that still has the remnants of the Speedworld track is an Arizona Trust property, and in my mind would be the best possibility to "rise up from the ashes". Have read that the chances of that are VERY slim though. Beeline property is still vacant, but it's on Indian community reservation, not sure what it would take to revive it. Nothing left there of the track or structures.

The old Crysler proving grounds are not far from Speedworld and is a perfect location for our next motorsports facility

I took flying lessons in Phoenix for my instrument and commercial pilot rating, I saw a lot of car test tracks, mainly large ovals, in the Phoenix area, lots of them

Hoosier sales just skyrocketed!

Lots of cars going up for sale.

How you doing, Wes?

The old Speedworld facility is basically in a neighborhood now…. no getting that one back.

While I am all for supporting your local track I am here to tell you unless its an 1/8 mile race at Tucson fat chance you will see me there again, as well as many many others. Look no further than the last division race there. The car count was horrible and they have now again lost that event. Unless they make wholesale changes to the surface it wont be coming back, even with us loosing two other divisional facilities in the last 12 months. Hopefully Mr Hughes can make the changes but don't sound like they want to and with Wildhorse closing why would he now being the only game in town. All this is likely going to make LVMS busier much as it did back when Speedworld, Wildhorse and Fontana last ceased operations for a time. All three of which will be permanently gone after this next February.

Here is a screen shot of one of the BETTER runs I made in Tucson in 2020 and why car counts were so low at the divisional last year. For those who dont see/use racepak stuff the top red line is RPM, the green one in driveshaft rpm and the other red one(actually orange)is the LATERAL G's! This is from the top end of the track probably 700-1320. The green blips are bumps in the track that increased wheelspeed/decreased traction. The other red/orange line should be basically flat and usually is. RPM line is usually very steady as well. This was a GOOD run for me in 2020 at Tucson Raceway! This was a 7.40 pass with the car softened up a fair amount to help negotiate the bumps in the track.



This was a pass from the Top Comp race semi final on that Friday. Red is RPM, green is driveshaft RPM and yellow is lateral G's. I got back in the throttle twice in an effort to stay in my lane and then again to not hit the wall. Suffice it to say I wont be back with a fastish full chassis car until the surface is much better or we just run 1/8 mile, which aint perfect with a large bump in one lane but easier to negotiate.

I took out the 330 foot foam block at the last Div 7 event there.

The proving grounds are being used again, but not by Chrysler. It's definitely an active facility.

Just heard a rumor that Bill Goosic and some others may be working on something??

I would gladly donate time and energy to any project that could be the start of a dragstrip in the Phoenix area ! Where do I sign up ?