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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: 440PURSUIT]
#72177
06/13/08 07:03 AM
06/13/08 07:03 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Not enough dumb comments...yet
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
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Quote:
Spent many weekends there and won alot of trophies.... so did Jeff. I always wonder if it will reopen! Here's a cool pic of the Hemi Roadrunner the month of closing!
welcome back Chris. You should sell Boxco and open the track... I cook the hotdogs. I will of course give you more than one napkin per chili dog! I would love to see it opne even as an 1/8 mile. (although that's just 1/2 a race)
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#72179
06/13/08 12:06 PM
06/13/08 12:06 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,380
MD
Kevins493
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,380
MD
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Quote:
Quote:
Spent many weekends there and won alot of trophies.... so did Jeff. I always wonder if it will reopen! Here's a cool pic of the Hemi Roadrunner the month of closing!
welcome back Chris. You should sell Boxco and open the track... I cook the hotdogs. I will of course give you more than one napkin per chili dog! I would love to see it opne even as an 1/8 mile. (although that's just 1/2 a race)
I heard he was making around 40k on a friday night (no pay out, lots of entry fees, lots of chili cheese dog sales.) BTW I heard this from someone who worked there at the time.
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: Kevins493]
#72180
06/13/08 12:27 PM
06/13/08 12:27 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,380
MD
Kevins493
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,380
MD
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Hey guys, I posted this on Maryland Mopars.net and one of the members that replied had some information on if/when it might re-open.
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: Kevins493]
#72183
06/13/08 10:31 PM
06/13/08 10:31 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,380
MD
Kevins493
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,380
MD
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Here's what was posted by a member on Maryland Mopars. Quote:
Bill Wilcom is a friend-of-a-friend, and I just spoke to him last week about the rumors of 75&80 possibly reopening. Here is what he said; The track (and surrounding property) were always Bill's "retirement pension" meaning that when the time came to finally retire, the sale of the track was what would support him financially. He was offered several different lucrative deals in the last 10 years or so, as the price of real estate skyrocketed in Frederick County. A serious health scare several years ago was the catalyst he needed to finally sell off the property. A deal was struck with a delveloper to buy the property with plans to build a mixed-retirement community. A contract was drawn up, but it had some interesting provisions and contingencies in it about taxes, water/sewer/etc...
Well, long story short, the bottom fell out of the real estate market. On top of that, Frederick Co. dragged it's feet on getting municipal water/sewer lines installed, and now the purchaser has pretty much abandoned his plans on developing the property as originally intended. When the developer stopped paying the taxes on this land, the original contract pretty much became null and void. Viola! Bill now "owns" the track again. Bill has been approached by numerous local racers offering personnel and financial support to get this historic track back up and running. I was present when some financial figures were thrown around, and suffice to say this ain't gonna be cheap to pull off (heck, just look at the pictures!!).
So, the bottom line is this: Bill KNOWS that people want the track back open. He has a lot of serious decisions to make regarding his level of involvement and whether or not this is something he wants to undertake at his age. His health is OK, but face it, he isn't 25 anymore!! I think it would take a big financial backer to come in and "take over" the operation, leaving Bill as the "CEO" but letting others deal with the daily headaches of getting the place back up and ready for racing.
Let's hope for the best! Central Maryland needs another drag strip!!
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: Kevins493]
#72185
06/14/08 10:16 AM
06/14/08 10:16 AM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,366
Lehigh Acres, Florida
rickstershemi
master
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master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,366
Lehigh Acres, Florida
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Quote:
Here's what was posted by a member on Maryland Mopars.
Quote:
Bill Wilcom is a friend-of-a-friend, and I just spoke to him last week about the rumors of 75&80 possibly reopening. Here is what he said; The track (and surrounding property) were always Bill's "retirement pension" meaning that when the time came to finally retire, the sale of the track was what would support him financially. He was offered several different lucrative deals in the last 10 years or so, as the price of real estate skyrocketed in Frederick County. A serious health scare several years ago was the catalyst he needed to finally sell off the property. A deal was struck with a developer to buy the property with plans to build a mixed-retirement community. A contract was drawn up, but it had some interesting provisions and contingencies in it about taxes, water/sewer/etc...
Well, long story short, the bottom fell out of the real estate market. On top of that, Frederick Co. dragged it's feet on getting municipal water/sewer lines installed, and now the purchaser has pretty much abandoned his plans on developing the property as originally intended. When the developer stopped paying the taxes on this land, the original contract pretty much became null and void. Viola! Bill now "owns" the track again. Bill has been approached by numerous local racers offering personnel and financial support to get this historic track back up and running. I was present when some financial figures were thrown around, and suffice to say this ain't gonna be cheap to pull off (heck, just look at the pictures!!).
So, the bottom line is this: Bill KNOWS that people want the track back open. He has a lot of serious decisions to make regarding his level of involvement and whether or not this is something he wants to undertake at his age. His health is OK, but face it, he isn't 25 anymore!! I think it would take a big financial backer to come in and "take over" the operation, leaving Bill as the "CEO" but letting others deal with the daily headaches of getting the place back up and ready for racing.
Let's hope for the best! Central Maryland needs another drag strip!!
I'm quite sure the contract was contingent upon the developer being able to acquire a development order. Standard practice, we do it all the time.
It would be prudent IMHO for Bill to lease the property for X years at X dollars to anyone interested in opening up the drag-strip.
I hope something positive develops for you guys.... 
Rickster
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: cyphre666]
#72187
06/14/08 11:23 AM
06/14/08 11:23 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 699
Manassas, VA USA
Scamp451
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 699
Manassas, VA USA
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The last day it was open was the day after the Mopar meet at MIR in 2005. A lot of people were going up for it. Never raced there, I was hoping to since it is about 60-90 minutes from my house. Yeah, it was a pit, but it was a track! It is very sad to see that. I think they used to have a Mopar show/race every year on fathers day. I called them about it about 5 years ago and they said "oh yeah, not sure why we didn't schedule it last year, I will get back with you" then
never heard back.
I was told it was going to be turned into condos, but heard another story that the land wouldn't perk, or there was a utility easement issue or something. The way home sales are doing these days, it is much better off being a race track!
They had a pretty full schedule every year and had a lot events with some of the big boys up there doing exhibitions. I am hopeful that someone will pick up the ball and run...too many tracks going away which of course puts more racing back on the streets which is never a good thing especially these days!
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: cyphre666]
#72188
06/14/08 01:40 PM
06/14/08 01:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Not enough dumb comments...yet
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
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Quote:
Wow ! Really takes me back. I started going there around 1969 and have raced there since 1973.
I was going to the last race there, but knew it would be so crowded, I stayed home.
I know a few people that did go and did not bother to unload their cars.
Yep, spent many a Friday and Saturday nights there.
I was crowed by I got at least 5 time runs and runner up in ETK
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: 74DusterP457]
#72191
06/15/08 08:05 PM
06/15/08 08:05 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,445
Maryland
Dads426
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,445
Maryland
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Quote:
MOPARTS members will find this interesting. I may have my facts wrong, so please cut me a little slack.
I think the first NHRA National ET Bracket Finals was held in Pomona in 1980.
The winner was Mike Mortimer. Mike's home track was 75-80.
I'm pretty sure that you are right. After winning Pomona, he was offered a full sponsorship in 1981 from a local mopar car owner (Richard Higley who recently passed away). He drove a Scott Shafiroff style dragster (with front brakes) with a 355 W2 NASCAR style mopar motor that Mike and I built. It ran 9.40's, which in the day, was pretty fast, considering how heavy the dragster was. Since I was part of the "team", Higley let me drive a 72 big block Charger in Street. We both made it to the Division finals and made it four rounds. The next year, we mostly experimented with running Alky in a smallblock powered 70 cuda with moderate success (Alky was fairly new back then and there was little equipment geared towards using it.) After that, he got tired of driving for someone else and went back to driving his Duster, got a bunch of track championships there and sold everything in the early 90's. We are still good friends and I talk to him at least once a week (he is into the Harley scene now; no more racing). Jon
2012 422 Allstars NSS Champion
2013 422 Allstars NSS Champion
2014 422 Allstars NSS Champion
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: Kevins493]
#72192
06/15/08 08:26 PM
06/15/08 08:26 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,509
TN
SCATPACK 1
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,509
TN
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 YOU guys have that many tracks in your area?? Man are you lucky. 411 Dragway here in Knoxville is about 40 minutes ffrom me, but no one races there any more because it is so poorly maintained. Knoxville Dragway is about 2 hours away. I-75 Crossville Dragway is over 2 hours away and Chattanooga is over 2 hours away. Bristol is also over 2 hours away. Problem, is every one of them try to run Saturday nights only. Boy do I miss the good old days when you could race on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at a different track each time.
Old Geezer Racing
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Re: 75-80 Dragway Pics
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#72194
06/16/08 08:53 AM
06/16/08 08:53 AM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,445
Maryland
Dads426
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,445
Maryland
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1981 wasn't THAT long ago....  Yeah, I do need to make a pass. Just have to get used to the 3 amber tree...
2012 422 Allstars NSS Champion
2013 422 Allstars NSS Champion
2014 422 Allstars NSS Champion
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