Losing another race track
March 28th, 2022, 12:45 PM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Losing another race track
Just saw this in the news:
https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/...after2023event
The final NHRA Arizona Nationals will take place during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season as Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park finishes its run on the NHRA circuit.
After providing nearly 40 years of drag racing excitement and memorable performances to NHRA fans, a new overpass/roadway for the Interstate 10 extension will use the space currently occupied by the track.
“Arizona has been an incredible supporter of the NHRA and Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park for the past four decades and we are very grateful for this tremendous fan support,” said Elizabeth Antone, Wild Horse Pass Development Authority General Manager-Interim. “We know this final race will be a celebration that NHRA fans are famous for.”
“We want to thank Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and the Gila River community for their dedicated commitment to drag racing,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “The NHRA Arizona Nationals have provided NHRA fans countless memories for many years, and our race teams, partners, and NHRA officials look forward to celebrating the track in 2023 as we close out this chapter in NHRA history.”
As NHRA looks toward the future, it will focus on venues not currently on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit to fill the spot of the Phoenix event starting in the 2024 season.
“Our focus remains on making the NHRA an incredible experience to our fans, race teams and partners, and we are working on several new destinations,” Cromwell said. “With interest from multiple NHRA member tracks within each region across the country, we are excited about the possibilities for a future NHRA national event.”
NHRA’s longstanding “Duel in the Desert” became a Southwest fixture starting in 1985 and the NHRA Arizona Nationals have been a favorite for race teams and fans throughout the years. Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park has also been home to several historic and record performances during its extensive history, including Tony Schumacher’s historic 330-mph run in 1999 and his record-setting pass in 2018.
Schumacher has five career victories at the facility, while Funny Car legend John Force’s eight wins in Phoenix leads all drivers. Matt Hagan set the track record in Funny Car at this year’s event in February, going 3.823-seconds at 333.41, while Brittany Force went 3.643 at 337.92 to set the Top Fuel track records in 2020. Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) all won in front of a huge crowd at the 2022 race.
The date and ticket information for the historic finale of the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park will be announced at a later date.
* Editor's note: It is unclear if Radford Racing School -- previously known as the Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving -- will also be impacted by the new overpass. The racing school is adjacent to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. AutoRacingDigest.com is attempting to get more information and will post updates as they become available.
https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/...after2023event
Terrible news, NHRA fans: Phoenix track to be torn down for freeway overpass
The 2023 Arizona Nationals will bring to an end nearly 40 years of racing at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.The final NHRA Arizona Nationals will take place during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season as Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park finishes its run on the NHRA circuit.
After providing nearly 40 years of drag racing excitement and memorable performances to NHRA fans, a new overpass/roadway for the Interstate 10 extension will use the space currently occupied by the track.
“Arizona has been an incredible supporter of the NHRA and Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park for the past four decades and we are very grateful for this tremendous fan support,” said Elizabeth Antone, Wild Horse Pass Development Authority General Manager-Interim. “We know this final race will be a celebration that NHRA fans are famous for.”
“We want to thank Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and the Gila River community for their dedicated commitment to drag racing,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “The NHRA Arizona Nationals have provided NHRA fans countless memories for many years, and our race teams, partners, and NHRA officials look forward to celebrating the track in 2023 as we close out this chapter in NHRA history.”
As NHRA looks toward the future, it will focus on venues not currently on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit to fill the spot of the Phoenix event starting in the 2024 season.
“Our focus remains on making the NHRA an incredible experience to our fans, race teams and partners, and we are working on several new destinations,” Cromwell said. “With interest from multiple NHRA member tracks within each region across the country, we are excited about the possibilities for a future NHRA national event.”
NHRA’s longstanding “Duel in the Desert” became a Southwest fixture starting in 1985 and the NHRA Arizona Nationals have been a favorite for race teams and fans throughout the years. Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park has also been home to several historic and record performances during its extensive history, including Tony Schumacher’s historic 330-mph run in 1999 and his record-setting pass in 2018.
Schumacher has five career victories at the facility, while Funny Car legend John Force’s eight wins in Phoenix leads all drivers. Matt Hagan set the track record in Funny Car at this year’s event in February, going 3.823-seconds at 333.41, while Brittany Force went 3.643 at 337.92 to set the Top Fuel track records in 2020. Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) all won in front of a huge crowd at the 2022 race.
The date and ticket information for the historic finale of the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park will be announced at a later date.
* Editor's note: It is unclear if Radford Racing School -- previously known as the Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving -- will also be impacted by the new overpass. The racing school is adjacent to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. AutoRacingDigest.com is attempting to get more information and will post updates as they become available.
Last edited by Fun71; March 28th, 2022 at 12:47 PM.
March 28th, 2022, 08:06 PM
#4
Oldsdruid
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southside Vajenya
Posts: 10,313
Bound to think it was an income-producing property, both for Phoenix local government and a lot of nearby support businesses. Makes you wonder why that spot was selected for the overpass.
Almost smacks of using eminent domain to run new Interstates thru low-income areas in the 60s and 70s to get rid of them.🙄
Almost smacks of using eminent domain to run new Interstates thru low-income areas in the 60s and 70s to get rid of them.🙄
Last edited by rocketraider; March 28th, 2022 at 08:08 PM.
March 28th, 2022, 09:30 PM
#5
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Red Oak, Texas
Posts: 2,974
As with all other tracks that get shut down, the property owners can get more income from selling the land than they get from a once or twice a year race venue. The property that was the old Dallas International Raceway, is now covered up with brick and mortor. Green Valley is now a high dollar residential neighborhood.
March 29th, 2022, 07:10 AM
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Rosemark, TN
Posts: 473
Memphis is about to loose MIR as well.
https://wreg.com/news/local/is-this-...n-near-future/
The streets here are insane anyhow, I imagine it will get worse.
https://wreg.com/news/local/is-this-...n-near-future/
The streets here are insane anyhow, I imagine it will get worse.
March 29th, 2022, 07:16 AM
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Evansville, IN
Posts: 10,401
Memphis is about to loose MIR as well.
https://wreg.com/news/local/is-this-...n-near-future/
The streets here are insane anyhow, I imagine it will get worse.
https://wreg.com/news/local/is-this-...n-near-future/
The streets here are insane anyhow, I imagine it will get worse.
March 29th, 2022, 07:28 AM
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Rosemark, TN
Posts: 473
Yeah if you're not doing 80 in a 55, you are gonna get run over or shot... to blend in it helps to take the tags off your car, then start swerving in traffic at 80, and pre-emptively shoot at anyone in your way. Don't worry though, you probably wont get pulled over even though the cops are sitting on the interstate with their lights on... you know "for safety"
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