75-80 Dragway

[IronDuck]

I see this re-opening as one more sign, a divine directive, if you will, that I should purchase a classic car!

GTO, GTX, 69 mustang, 68 camaro, Vette (convertible), Nova, Road Runner, Chevelle SS 454!

I am not picky...

Let the hunt begin!

 

[71Chevelle427]

I see this re-opening as one more sign, a divine directive, if you will, that I should purchase a classic car!

GTO, GTX, 69 mustang, 68 camaro, Vette (convertible), Nova, Road Runner, Chevelle SS 454!

I am not picky...

Let the hunt begin!

Quite the wish list. Good Luck!

 

[IronDuck]

Quite the wish list. Good Luck!

I'm not greedy!
Just wanted to be certain if anyone was cleaning out their garage and needed to get rid of that old car that's been sitting there taking up space, they understood, I open to towing away almost any classic make or models!!

 

[lawdogmd]

Still looking rough

I drove by the track this morning and it still looks pretty rough and overgrown. I hope it takes off as I'd like to get out and watch a few races.

I do like Wilcom's Inn, so maybe a good dinner and race date night!

 

[Brickman301]

What's weird is, most of the people (all over the internet) talking about the re-opening, are saying it has a "new owner", but for years it was always said, that the only way the track could ever re-open, was if it was still owned by the Wilcom's, and if Bill Wilcom ever "sold" the property, it could/would never be a track again.

So, we can only assume it is being "leased".

What's even weirder, is not that long ago, people were also ecstatic that Wilcom's Inn, a restaurant owned by the same people, re-opened...but a quick Google, says it is owned (since 2016) by Peruvian's?

I do know a LOT of people are getting excited, and wanting to race there again, but supposedly there will NOT be any type of bracket racing like people's fathers, uncles, neighbors, friends, etc., did there "back in the day"...

For those unfamiliar, "No Prep" and "Grudge Racing" (which is what the "rumor" says will be the only racing there), is normally 1/8th mile head's up racing. There are no time boards functioning, and may or may not have, a "Christmas tree" to start at...like at a sanctioned NHRA/IHRA dragstrip. This looks like it will be an "Outlaw" track, which basically means...they have their own rules, or lack thereof. It's not the As Seen On TV Street Outlaw's scripted crap.

Here's a decent example of a "No Prep/Grudge Race" scenario that's supposed to be at 75/80 soon. Track even looks similar, lol.
https://youtu.be/xJ1XNQ4H5J8

That would explain HOW they could possibly be re-opening in a month or less.
If there's no major electrical work needed to restore timing boards and overhead lighting, no permits for the concession stand, and whatnot, they literally only have to do, what they are doing...which is do a lot of clearing, and open the gates.

Yea, I’m not sure, but last I heard The Wilson’s still owned it.

If they are not going to do “bracket racing”, it would definitely be faster and less expensive for them to open.
Heads up or grudge racing is ok I guess, but I prefer bracket racing.
I do hope they run the 1/4 mile. I’m not a big fan of the 1/8 mile racing. I’m probably the odd ball thinking like this.

 

[SavageShooter]

Longtime drag racing fan crewman here. It will take a lot of money and hard work to get it back to where it should be. New surface, safety, lighting, timing, etc. i hope it happens but on the other hand I hope the right type of people would be there. I went to the PDRA North-South Shootout Nats. this past Fri. and Sat. It was held at M.I.R. Maryland Int'l. Raceway that is one of the best dragstrips on the east coast. The best one in MD. Cecil Co., Mason-Dixon are the other two.

 

[Jk2013]

Badass Nat’l!!

 

[Calpoke]

Yes yes, Capitol drag strip had a Jet engine car there one time that you needed ear muffs for. US 30 Drag way, York, Pa. had Sox and Martin Team racing there too. I never ventured over to Cecil Country Drag strip. They had a guy who ran a Mustang that was in the know way back then. Radio commercials would pump you up with excitement for the weekend drive to the tracks.

 

[Speed3]

Longtime drag racing fan crewman here. It will take a lot of money and hard work to get it back to where it should be. New surface, safety, lighting, timing, etc. i hope it happens but on the other hand I hope the right type of people would be there. I went to the PDRA North-South Shootout Nats. this past Fri. and Sat. It was held at M.I.R. Maryland Int'l. Raceway that is one of the best dragstrips on the east coast. The best one in MD. Cecil Co., Mason-Dixon are the other two.

Agreed on all accounts..75-80 was in rough shape 20 years ago. It really needs a resurface. Cars(decent street car) have gotten pretty fast these days, trapping over 150mph in the 1/4...the runoff there is not real long.

MIR beat track in MD, never ran Cecil but Mason Dixon is great track also. I can hear the cars running in the summer from my house.

 

[mtlcafan79]

Cecil just poured a brand new concrete pad. Their prep is pretty solid. The Yellow Bullet Nationals draw a legit field of cars every year.

 

[CelticBiggie]

From the people cleaning it up.

 

[Screwatts]

Aww man! This is incredible. I used to go there as a teen and the thought that I'll be able to take my son makes me so happy.

 

[71Chevelle427]

Agreed on all accounts..75-80 was in rough shape 20 years ago. It really needs a resurface. Cars(decent street car) have gotten pretty fast these days, trapping over 150mph in the 1/4...the runoff there is not real long.

MIR beat track in MD, never ran Cecil but Mason Dixon is great track also. I can hear the cars running in the summer from my house.

Believe it or not, about half of the cars listed, to be racing, in the post that CelticBiggie quoted, are much faster than that...in the 1/8th mile.
On a prepped track, X275 cars have been over 170mph in the eighth mile at 4.1x-4.2x seconds. That is 100% NOT going to happen at 75/80, but that's the current speed and times on a GOOD track with awesome prep, like MIR or Cecil. 100% right about that shutdown area at 75/80 though, lol. I always thought people were joking when they said if you couldn't stop, you ended up in a corn field, but that is a fact.

Cecil just poured a brand new concrete pad. Their prep is pretty solid. The Yellow Bullet Nationals draw a legit field of cars every year.

I can't wait to go back. Cecil is my home track. I run the StreetCar Shootout every month, and this Saturday was supposed to be our next race. Sucks, but for a track owner to close and fix the track, in peak season, says a lot. That's probably the difference between dragstrips being owned and/or ran by RACERS, like MIR, Cecil, and now 75/80, and tracks owned by "business ventures", like in Jersey, where they literally closed down a major dragstrip to use it as a flood car parking lot...

Aww man! This is incredible. I used to go there as a teen and the thought that I'll be able to take my son makes me so happy.

That's awesome! My first trip to any dragstrip ever, was 40 years ago (at age 18), to Capitol Raceway...I still recall the radio ads, "Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, under the lights at Capitol Raceway!"...

All 3 of my kids used to go with me, to spectate, and now 2 of my Grandkids have been to watch "Grandad" race...It's a great feeling.

One of my favorite pics ever, shared below. My 2 oldest grandkids watching me (red Trans Am) whoop some 3rd gen sandbagging Camaro, and knocking him out of the Top 10 for the year.

From the people cleaning it up.

Sweet! Thanks for posting.

.

 

[DanGuy48]

100% right about that shutdown area at 75/80 though, lol. I always thought people were joking when they said if you couldn't stop, you ended up in a corn field, but that is a fact.

I remember a really nice altered running there and his chute didn’t open and he ran out the end. When they towed him back, there was a cornstalk embedded about 2-3 inches into the fiberglass front body work, must have hit it just right.

 

[FFBWMD]

I'm curious also whether they will run 1/8 or 1/4 mile, might have to go back and make a few passes for old times sake...

 

[71Chevelle427]

I'm curious also whether they will run 1/8 or 1/4 mile, might have to go back and make a few passes for old times sake...

All I can share is that the classes listed above, are 1/8th mile classes...

#2, I'd bet was also an 1/8th mile Index deal

As for #9 on that pic above, Test & Tune, that could go either way.

 

[gtodave]

Hopefully T&T is 1/4. All of the other events (fast cars) at 75&80 have been 1/8th as long as I can remember. My current truck is the only vehicle I've ever owned that I didn't get it to the track within 2 months of owning it...I need to see what she'll run

 

[Mule]

I see this re-opening as one more sign, a divine directive, if you will, that I should purchase a classic car!

GTO, GTX, 69 mustang, 68 camaro, Vette (convertible), Nova, Road Runner, Chevelle SS 454!

I am not picky...

Let the hunt begin!

A place in Kingsville, G&M Automotive, deals in classic cars.

Their vintage inventory is pretty light, at the moment. But, they have a '66 Vette, and '69 Chevelle. (396, though)

https://www.gmautomotive.net/inventory

 

[rtse4me]

I assume it will be an Outlaw track?
Glad it is reopening and it won't be just no prep/grudge. It would be great if Capitol reopened also but that is doubtful

 

[MigraineMan]

Yesterday's drive-by: