Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
#3160771
07/18/23 10:05 PM
07/18/23 10:05 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,066 (Central) PA
Runner2go
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,066
(Central) PA
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Does anyone know what the heck happened here... Looks like they just made an announcement on a few social media sites and then shut down all comments. https://www.inquirer.com/news/new-jersey/atco-dragway-closed-new-jersey-racing-20230718.htmlThere last Facebook post prior to the Closing announcement, was only 23hrs ago, and was talking about a returning event next year. "Thank you 🙏 to everyone who attended the 29th Annual Chris Miller Racing Pan American Nationals & made it the biggest one yet! While it didn’t end the way wanted, we hope everyone had a great time & we’ll see you all next year for the 30th" 24hrs later.... BAM!! closed forever... no comments.
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: Runner2go]
#3160803
07/18/23 11:09 PM
07/18/23 11:09 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696 Bitopia
jcc
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
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If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
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""Thank you 🙏 to everyone who attended the 29th Annual Chris Miller Racing Pan American Nationals & made it the biggest one yet! While it didn’t end the way wanted, we hope everyone had a great time & we’ll see you all next year for the 30th"
24hrs later.... BAM!! closed forever... no comments.[i][/i]
Sounds like a check in the mail never got mailed.
Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: Runner2go]
#3160828
07/19/23 04:50 AM
07/19/23 04:50 AM
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Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 1,196 Nor here, Nor there
Dart 500
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 1,196
Nor here, Nor there
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Does anyone know what the heck happened here... Looks like they just made an announcement on a few social media sites and then shut down all comments. https://www.inquirer.com/news/new-jersey/atco-dragway-closed-new-jersey-racing-20230718.htmlThere last Facebook post prior to the Closing announcement, was only 23hrs ago, and was talking about a returning event next year. "Thank you 🙏 to everyone who attended the 29th Annual Chris Miller Racing Pan American Nationals & made it the biggest one yet! While it didn’t end the way wanted, we hope everyone had a great time & we’ll see you all next year for the 30th" 24hrs later.... BAM!! closed forever... no comments. Their money man cut them off
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: abodyjoe]
#3160866
07/19/23 09:30 AM
07/19/23 09:30 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,570 Freeport IL USA
poorboy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,570
Freeport IL USA
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The real truth may, or may not come out. Time will tell.
We lost our local dirt track under strange circumstances. The track owner decided he didn't have to pay the bank loan back, so it was going into foreclosure. The track was operated the last year be a management team that did a great job running the track, it may well have bumped along for several more years as it was that last year. A mobile home park had moved in across from the track several years before, and the owner of that park was a constant complainer about the track to the city. Apparently the people at the bank were not paying much attention to who was paying the real estate taxes, because they found out just in time that the mobile home park had paid the last 2 years of taxes owed. 3 years in a row makes the property belong to whom ever has paid the unpaid taxes. The bank paid that 3rd year, which forced the property into the foreclosure sale. There was a buyer in hand that would have bought the track and kept it a race track, but that new buyer was running a business that was a direct competing business with the failed owner's family business. The failed owner couldn't stand the idea that his family competitor might run "his" track. The evening before the auction, the failed owner took a back hoe to the track, and tore down the entire front straight cement wall safety barrier. The cost of replacing that wall put the price of the track out of reach for the perspective new owner. The mobile home park won the auction and the track is no more.
From what I read about Atco, the track ran well past the curfew imposed on it at that last event. The racers protested the things a perspective new owner wants to do with the track, and they didn't much like the current owner. That is 3 strikes in my perspective. The ignored the local governing body, the created an unhappy possible new owner, and they were on bad terms with the old owner. To make matters even worse, the people that ignored the local government with the curfew violation expected to be able to do it again the next year.
Wonder why the track closed?
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: poorboy]
#3161101
07/19/23 06:02 PM
07/19/23 06:02 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,066 (Central) PA
Runner2go
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,066
(Central) PA
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The real truth may, or may not come out. Time will tell.
We lost our local dirt track under strange circumstances. The track owner decided he didn't have to pay the bank loan back, so it was going into foreclosure. The track was operated the last year be a management team that did a great job running the track, it may well have bumped along for several more years as it was that last year. A mobile home park had moved in across from the track several years before, and the owner of that park was a constant complainer about the track to the city. Apparently the people at the bank were not paying much attention to who was paying the real estate taxes, because they found out just in time that the mobile home park had paid the last 2 years of taxes owed. 3 years in a row makes the property belong to whom ever has paid the unpaid taxes. The bank paid that 3rd year, which forced the property into the foreclosure sale. There was a buyer in hand that would have bought the track and kept it a race track, but that new buyer was running a business that was a direct competing business with the failed owner's family business. The failed owner couldn't stand the idea that his family competitor might run "his" track. The evening before the auction, the failed owner took a back hoe to the track, and tore down the entire front straight cement wall safety barrier. The cost of replacing that wall put the price of the track out of reach for the perspective new owner. The mobile home park won the auction and the track is no more.
From what I read about Atco, the track ran well past the curfew imposed on it at that last event. The racers protested the things a perspective new owner wants to do with the track, and they didn't much like the current owner. That is 3 strikes in my perspective. The ignored the local governing body, the created an unhappy possible new owner, and they were on bad terms with the old owner. To make matters even worse, the people that ignored the local government with the curfew violation expected to be able to do it again the next year.
Wonder why the track closed? Not sure how they ran past curfew when they quit racing and canceled the rest of the event due to rain b4 5PM on Sunday. That was what they were referencing with the "didn't end the way they would have liked" comment. All water under the bridge at this point though... another track is gone. Makes me wonder how long Maple Grove will last. It survived the last sale, but the writing is likely on the wall long term. Almost all of the land around the track has been purchased by investment groups over the last 10+ years. You know they are just holding the land until they can finally get their hands on the track, close it and start building McMansions.
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: Runner2go]
#3161140
07/19/23 08:08 PM
07/19/23 08:08 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,407 Central Pa
moparjim79
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,407
Central Pa
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The real truth may, or may not come out. Time will tell.
We lost our local dirt track under strange circumstances. The track owner decided he didn't have to pay the bank loan back, so it was going into foreclosure. The track was operated the last year be a management team that did a great job running the track, it may well have bumped along for several more years as it was that last year. A mobile home park had moved in across from the track several years before, and the owner of that park was a constant complainer about the track to the city. Apparently the people at the bank were not paying much attention to who was paying the real estate taxes, because they found out just in time that the mobile home park had paid the last 2 years of taxes owed. 3 years in a row makes the property belong to whom ever has paid the unpaid taxes. The bank paid that 3rd year, which forced the property into the foreclosure sale. There was a buyer in hand that would have bought the track and kept it a race track, but that new buyer was running a business that was a direct competing business with the failed owner's family business. The failed owner couldn't stand the idea that his family competitor might run "his" track. The evening before the auction, the failed owner took a back hoe to the track, and tore down the entire front straight cement wall safety barrier. The cost of replacing that wall put the price of the track out of reach for the perspective new owner. The mobile home park won the auction and the track is no more.
From what I read about Atco, the track ran well past the curfew imposed on it at that last event. The racers protested the things a perspective new owner wants to do with the track, and they didn't much like the current owner. That is 3 strikes in my perspective. The ignored the local governing body, the created an unhappy possible new owner, and they were on bad terms with the old owner. To make matters even worse, the people that ignored the local government with the curfew violation expected to be able to do it again the next year.
Wonder why the track closed? Not sure how they ran past curfew when they quit racing and canceled the rest of the event due to rain b4 5PM on Sunday. That was what they were referencing with the "didn't end the way they would have liked" comment. All water under the bridge at this point though... another track is gone. Makes me wonder how long Maple Grove will last. It survived the last sale, but the writing is likely on the wall long term. Almost all of the land around the track has been purchased by investment groups over the last 10+ years. You know they are just holding the land until they can finally get their hands on the track, close it and start building McMansions. Not if the Chinese bought it....
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: poorboy]
#3161166
07/19/23 08:47 PM
07/19/23 08:47 PM
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 9,471 Super Spudsville
Mr PotatoHead
Half Baked
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Half Baked
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 9,471
Super Spudsville
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As dirty as it seems would it of been better for the seller to announce ahead of time this sale?
Was ATCO a good source of income for the seller while open or has it been suffering like many tracks?
STOP POTATO HATE!
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: Mr PotatoHead]
#3161243
07/20/23 02:09 AM
07/20/23 02:09 AM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,755 Phila
PhillyRag
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,755
Phila
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As dirty as it seems would it of been better for the seller to announce ahead of time this sale?
Was ATCO a good source of income for the seller while open or has it been suffering like many tracks? May have been making profit now, but what would projections be 5,10 years down the road? Steady or declining? Venues like these seem to "last" when there's a hereditary-bond to them. Even that type bond doesn't offer a guarantee, as others scenarios involving family has shown. Shame: they use to put on some darn good thrill show type events years past.
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: moparx]
#3161530
07/21/23 06:15 AM
07/21/23 06:15 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,981 new jersey usa
11secdart
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,981
new jersey usa
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Atcos closing had nothing to do with the curfew .. he tried to sell it in the last few years but racers protested at local town meetings and the sell didn't go through , he sold the place to an investment firm that is building a warehouse to grow pot. He went around the town and went to the county directly to get his approvals. He is a very spiteful guy he knew the sale was coming but chose to not tell anybody just like the family that owns Englishtown. He had a chance to sell it to a group of racers with $$$ but out of spite didn't. I wouldn't worry about Maple Grove it was purchased by a family with a deep passion for racing and plenty of money for improvements which they have already began.
Last edited by 11secdart; 07/21/23 07:56 AM.
68 Dart 410 / 904 92 D150 original owner 21 Ram 1500 Quad Cab, Big Horn , Hemi ,4x4 23 Audi Q5 16 Honda HRV
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: Moparite]
#3162114
07/22/23 09:28 PM
07/22/23 09:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,077 Berlin, N.J.
abodyjoe
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,077
Berlin, N.J.
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I always thought of Atco as the arm pit of tracks. It was no comparison to Englishtown. I remember when they had the wooden bleachers. It was nothing like it was before they closed for the first time along with Englishtown. They tried having a only Mopar day but it never caught on like other tracks. Seems more ricers where taking over then V8 powered cars. Sad it closed but hopefully somebody will breath new life into it. https://atcodragway.com/ owner made sure he sold it to someone who wouldn't use it as a track
It's better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you're stupid than to open it and remove all doubt. www.MoparMisfits.com
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Re: Atco Dragway closes today... Forever!
[Re: abodyjoe]
#3162355
07/23/23 01:21 PM
07/23/23 01:21 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,250 Back in Blue Jersey.
polara71
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,250
Back in Blue Jersey.
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I always thought of Atco as the arm pit of tracks. It was no comparison to Englishtown. I remember when they had the wooden bleachers. It was nothing like it was before they closed for the first time along with Englishtown. They tried having a only Mopar day but it never caught on like other tracks. Seems more ricers where taking over then V8 powered cars. Sad it closed but hopefully somebody will breath new life into it. https://atcodragway.com/ owner made sure he sold it to someone who wouldn't use it as a track I believe that to be true Joe, but what for? Why? What is his motive for it not being a track?
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