Magnolia Drag Strip Closing

[padam]

UMTR just published their 2025 schedule, and Magnolia isn’t on it. I asked and was told Magnolia wasn’t opening.

I did a little digging and the only thing I could find online was that there are a couple of no-prep races that are supposed to happen, but nothing else.

I can’t say I’m surprised. I raced there last fall, and before eliminations started Jim Rankle called a drivers meeting and told us he didn’t have the money to pay the purses, but if we wanted to do a gamblers race he could pay in Summit Bucks. Not a good sign.

 

[BB BEEPER]

Sorry to hear that. I raced there alot in 1970's.

 

[PRHeads]

Hate to hear that.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Sad day

 

[Budnicks]

Irwindale (new one, not the org. in SoCal) was shutdown recently now too

sad ****, we used to have like at a min. at least 28 dragstrips here
when I was a kid riding around with my stepdad Bob...

we have like 4 now

 

[peabodyracin]

If it isn’t the skyrocketing value of the land, or the neighbors moving in and then complaining/petitioning, or the tree huggers lobbying over anything they can think of as an environmental issue, or the cost of insurance. Take your pick.

 

[padam]

I’m not too sure what happened at Magnolia.
The land is leased to the track operator, but there are a lot of restrictions on it because it is in a flood plain and is under the control of the Army Corps of Engineers (if I am not mistaken.)

Anybody that has raced there in the last few years can tell you that the place has really gotten run down.
I believe the whole track surface needs repaved.

I don’t know if the condition of the facility is a result of people not coming out, or if people don’t come out because of the condition of the facility.

One of my issues with the place is that if there is any hint of bad weather or if the pits are wet they cancel the race. If it rains during an event they will not dry the track.
I think last year they only had a couple of races through June.

The don’t have effective lights, so they won’t run after dark. (I think the no prep guys bring their own lighting.)

I have heard the operators complain that they don’t make money, and that is really the bottom line.

 

[oldkimmer]

Dam, that’s too bad. Hate to loose another track. Kim.

 

[Dennis H]

Sad to hear.

 

[Don selleck]

 

[QuickBpBp]

Sorry to hear I don't like hearing of Tracks closing since once they are gone they are gone.... There was an old 1/8 mile track Vargo Dragway that closed down many years ago but the new owners had a car show there once a year. Sadly that went away too.

 

[oldbee]

Mid 70’s, I remember a 5min shutdown because a Piper Cub was landing!

 

[padam]

 

[fourgearsavoy]

I raced there with UMTR years ago and it seemed like the place was on life support then. I just remember all the grass coming through the shut down lanes.
Gus

 

[Cranky]

A few years ago around here it seemed like more tracks were opening but not anymore.

 

[padam]

I raced there with UMTR years ago and it seemed like the place was on life support then. I just remember all the grass coming through the shut down lanes.
Gus

Yeah the shut down is really dangerous now. I wouldn’t race there if I had a fast car.

 

[padam]

I raced there with UMTR years ago and it seemed like the place was on life support then. I just remember all the grass coming through the shut down lanes.
Gus

You gotta get back in the UMTR. We need more cars in Street Stick.

 

[Cranky]

You gotta get back in the UMTR. We need more cars in Street Stick.

Yeah the shut down is really dangerous now. I wouldn’t race there if I had a fast car.

The old Houston track (HIS) was that way in the shut down.....but it's wasn't bad feeling. They paved it but just the middle so whoever crossed the line first got to run down the new part....unless the race was close. the return road was what was really bad.