so what happened to the detroit dragway? Its history?

DarkoStoj

DarkoStoj

A mysterious figure named Darko
so what happened to the detroit dragway any motor city dragway? Why did they close?

just wondering where i could find some history on the old drag strips and why they closed down.

detroit dragway & the motor city dragway on 26 mile
 
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they had a plan to redo the track in 93 or 94 and bring in a national event, local politician's, and buisness owners that wanted the land lobbied to get the plans turned down.
After that they just stangled the track with bullshit, think 97 or 98 was the last year
 
SIBLEY AT DIX....The "Dirty D", as Detroit Dragway was affectionately known, was opened in 1959 by Gil Kohn. Over the years, different sanctioning bodies came and went, including the NHRA, AHRA, and Kohns own UHRA. Detroits auto factories ran their muscle cars here and the track hosted all of the big-name racers. Garlits, Muldowney, Prudhomme, Kalitta, Nicholson, and on and on. But, Detroit was also home for many Motor City racers for nearly 40 years. And, thousands of spectators who spent their Saturday evenings enjoying the roar of the quarter-mile warriors, the smell of nitro and the bright glow of Funny Cars under the night sky.

U.S. NATIONALS....It's amazing to think Detroit, the "Motor City", home to the Big-3 Automakers, doesn't have an NHRA National Event. It doesn't even have a dragstrip anymore, since Detroit Dragway was demolished a few years ago. Detroit did host the NHRA for a short time, many moons ago. In 1959 and 1960, when the NHRA only had one national event, the "U.S. Nationals" were held at Detroit. The U.S. Nationals moved in 1961, when the brand new Indianapolis Raceway Park opened, and Detroit forever lost it's time in the drag racing spotlight.

THE END....A 1994 plan by the NHRA to rebuild the track, and bring in a national event was by killed by local opponents, sealing Detroits fate. Detroit slowly died, and finally closed in 1998. The closure forcing racers to travel to Milan or further, or back onto the streets. Following the demolition, Detroit-area industrial real estate builder Ashley Capital, built their Brownstown Business Center warehouse complex on the grave of Detroit Dragway. How ironic is it that one of the first tenants to lease warehouse space there was none other than Ford Motor Company.

RIP Detroit Dragway.

As found here:

http://www.dearbornflashback.com/detroitdragway.asp

I raced a 95 ZX-6R there once in the summer of 96.....

Matt
 
yea i was looking on the map and the detroit dragway is completely gone.

what about the motor city dragway in new baltimore by 26 mile and 94. I guess that one closed down in the late 70's, but the remains are still there.

i think we need another track around here :D
 
DarkoStoj said:
yea i was looking on the map and the detroit dragway is completely gone.

what about the motor city dragway in new baltimore by 26 mile and 94. I guess that one closed down in the late 70's, but the remains are still there.

i think we need another track around here :D
Click to expand...

If I remember right... that one now has a big tree growing right in the middle of the track
 
a group tried to get together to reopen motor city, they had the money. The township officials turned it down , stating it would bring in the wrong element, and that the noise would be too much of a problem.
 
Same thing about Onondaga, many people have wanted and tried to reopen it - but the community thinks it will attract the wrong crowd.
 
That place ruled, it was just like street racing except it hooked! Back then Milan Dragway was a joke, I had a mid 11 car that wouldn't hook there. It would hook hard at Detroit though.

It sucks that Detroit is gone but at least Milan stepped up.
 
Anybody have late pics of these spots? Google earth, or mapquest aerial views?

EDIT: found some on the provided links.
 
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detroit was doomed by local home owners complaining about the noise. signing petitions and shit. even though they bought houses near a landmark that had been standing since the mid 50's. now they complain about the trucking facility that sits abandoned in its place.,.............funny, if the track was still there, NHRA would have dumped tons of cash into the local economy. taxes would be paid on the property, the party store on sibley and allen would still be open. shame

i do have a piece of the starting line, piece of the timing tower and a few other items that had been there for decades. Ralph that used to run the starting line let me and a bunch of friends in before the land was turned over.
 
Joe said:
There is a great thread here with recent pics, search is being flakey right now.
Click to expand...

I saved a couple pics from that thread. I would love to print them and frame them in my garage.
 

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