[70 bird]

Looks like Milan is the latest track to close. Hate to see them close, nothing really left in the Detroit area now. Word on FB is its going to make way for a housing development.


https://milandragway.com/

[Tom Vaught]

Kind of sad, I know people who moved out of the city to the Milan area to be closer to the track and to be able to race easier on the week-ends.

Now with the track closing and a housing development coming down the way they will have to drive across the state or to Norwalk Ohio to be able to race their cars.
A few hours drive again vs being close to the track, if they continue to race.

Course the deal might fall thru for Milan, as it has several other times. The clean up will be cubic money.

Tom V.

[indymanjoe]

Lapeer is still open.

[grandam1979]

Milan was poorly managed and had lots of problems with employees being rude to racers and family to put it nice. The track for the most part is a dump I have been going to Milan since 1983 and very very little has ever been done to update the track.

[track73]

Joliet (Route 66) is closing to make rom for more warehouses and trucking terminals. ICYMI

[hojs69]

Ouch, that is somewhat sad.

Brings me back to the years of my "youth."

[GTOGEORGE]

Actually its for sale.........until someone buys it, it will be down. We have like 5 other drag strips within 2 1/3 hours in lower Michigan.


GTO George

[GTOGEORGE]

Originally Posted by grandam1979

Milan was poorly managed and had lots of problems with employees being rude to racers and family to put it nice. The track for the most part is a dump I have been going to Milan since 1983 and very very little has ever been done to update the track.

Track is FAR from a DUMP, one been going there sine the 70's. Can it use some improvements.....YES, are there worst Drag Strips ..............YES.



GTO George

[turbo69bird]

Don’t people understand the value of history.
They will regret this forever trust me CT dragway is gone since 80s and people still are miserable about it.

Same with a bunch of local airports. The interest in drag racing may come and go , but Once the tracks are gone they are gone forever .

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by turbo69bird

Don’t people understand the value of history.
They will regret this forever trust me CT dragway is gone since 80s and people still are miserable about it.

Same with a bunch of local airports. The interest in drag racing may come and go , but Once the tracks are gone they are gone forever .

If you like the history of these old tracks and lament them closing: There are two books out that are must read. Lost Drag Strips Volume 1 and 2. I have to say they are both just great reads IMO. I enjoyed them immensely, tons of history I did not know.

[70 bird]

Originally Posted by turbo69bird

Don’t people understand the value of history.
They will regret this forever trust me CT dragway is gone since 80s and people still are miserable about it.

Same with a bunch of local airports. The interest in drag racing may come and go , but Once the tracks are gone they are gone forever .

This is very true! Same things were said about Detroit Dragway, its a dump poorly managed...ect. Now everyone would love to have it back. They even had Detroit Dragway reunion weekends at Milan.

[Region Warrior]

Still miss US30. Been since 84, I think...
Grew up about 4-5 miles away. Around 10 yrs old up till old enough to drive, rode my bike there every National event. And a lot of other weekends.
Was lucky enough to race there from 77 till moving away in 82.
Moved back 2-3 miles away in 85. Couple of us would race snowmobiles there late nights. We had 4 escape routes

RT66 is about an hour away, but haven't been there in years.
Another half ass strip about 45 minutes away. And full of undesirables...

[mgarblik]

We used to say the same thing about Kil Kare Dragway, our local track near Dayton, OH. Used to make fun of it's grass pit areas, gravel return road sections, and broken blacktop everywhere else. Steel guard rails with deadly open areas and cutouts, all wood stands. as we began traveling with the Grocery Getter car matching racing at every track you can imagine in a 600-700 miles radius, Kil Kare looked better and better! We actually had our 2nd best 60ft. time ever at that track. In the last 7-8 years, the new owners have spent considerable $$, millions in fact, upgrading every aspect of the facility. Local government and some nearby residents fighting them every step of the way.

[GTOGEORGE]

Originally Posted by 70 bird

This is very true! Same things were said about Detroit Dragway, its a dump poorly managed...ect. Now everyone would love to have it back. They even had Detroit Dragway reunion weekends at Milan.

Detroit Dragway was not poorly run the Millionaire owner was a a$$hole cheapskate. It could have been one of Michigan’s best but he sold it to the highest bidder instead of selling it to someone wanting to keep it a drag strip.


GTO George

[Jack P.]

https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net...2d&oe=609058FA

Somebody is not good with money.

[70 bird]

Originally Posted by GTOGEORGE

Detroit Dragway was not poorly run the Millionaire owner was a a$$hole cheapskate. It could have been one of Michigan’s best but he sold it to the highest bidder instead of selling it to someone wanting to keep it a drag strip.


GTO George

He wanted to put a ton of money into the track and make it like Norwalk. He brought it up to township leaders and they didn't want a large facility so the a-hole sold it. Now its a 1/2 empty warehouse.

[grandam1979]

Originally Posted by GTOGEORGE

Track is FAR from a DUMP, one been going there sine the 70's. Can it use some improvements.....YES, are there worst Drag Strips ..............YES.



GTO George

It has the same bleachers from the 80’s and the same pavement except for at top end in the pits. It’s the only track I ever got a flat in a drag radial in the pits. I stand by my first opinion.

[GTOGEORGE]

Originally Posted by grandam1979

It has the same bleachers from the 80’s and the same pavement except for at top end in the pits. It’s the only track I ever got a flat in a drag radial in the pits. I stand by my first opinion.

I run 5.0’s there all day long, car goes straight. I don’t sit on bleachers although the staging lanes can be tricky. Out of 6 drag strips in Michigan it’s probably no.3.


GTO George

[GTOGEORGE]

It could be tied for no.2 with mid-Michigan it’s close.


GTO George

[burd]

There’s a few places marked off to race if you know where they are.