Humanoid 2.0

https://patch.com/new-jersey/manalap...rk-englishtown


Breaking: That means the fabled Summernationals, a beloved summertime drag racing event, will no longer be held at Raceway.
By Carly Baldwin, Patch Staff | Jan 17, 2018 1:36 pm ET | Updated Jan 17, 2018 2:01 pm ET


ENGLISHTOWN, NJ — It's the end of a fabled Central Jersey institution: The iconic Raceway Park in Englishtown suddenly announced this week they will no longer be hosting drag racing. Calling it "a new era for Raceway," the Napp family, which owns the park, says they will no longer have drag racing there.

The 480-acre Raceway Park will remain open, however, and the Napp family promises most of the other events there will continue, including auto swap meets, car shows, motocross racing/practice, kart racing and drifting.

The grandstand and about half of the drag racing strip will be converted to an outdoor concert venue.

The news means the fabled Summernationals, a beloved summertime drag racing event, will no longer be held at Raceway. The National Hot Rod Association, which runs the Summernationals, seemed very disappointed in Raceway's decision:

"Yesterday Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., informed NHRA that it will no longer host any drag racing events at its facility, effective immediately. This includes the 49th annual NHRA Summernationals, scheduled to take place this June," the National Hot Rod Association said in a statement they released.

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Raceway Park is about as close to Nascar-territory as New Jersey gets: It's technically located in Old Bridge Township, but the beautiful, rural farming country that surrounds the raceway looks more like the Deep South. Every year, thousands of people from across the tri-state area descend on Englishtown for the Summernationals and other car racing events.

The Napp family called it a "reorganization."

"Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, the Napp family-owned and -operated business, announced today a reorganization of the company's business operations," the company said in a statement on their website. "To achieve this goal, Raceway Park will no longer conduct quarter mile or eighth mile drag racing events effective immediately."

"It is with a great sadness that the Napp family is discontinuing drag racing, however the family looks forward to continuing to provide the best outdoor events in this new era of Raceway Park," they said. "The Napp family wishes to express their most sincere gratitude to the NHRA, and the many thousands of racers and fans, without whom would have never allowed Raceway Park to become the iconic and nationally recognized drag racing facility it has over the past five decades."

Z0HS1CK

So i guess island it is?

I never been a fan of drag racing anyway. There's always lime rock, where real racing happens.

Gordonm

It will fold up shortly and become a housing development. They caved in.

1rawTA

I believe IAA-- copart is leasing part of the land for 15 years and 75mill

Michael G

This news is depressing.
I can not ever remember drag racing not being there, part of my youth.

blueray16

End of an era for sure.
I was never a bracket racer (way too inconsistent) but did enjoy test and tune nites on occasion.

Truth be told, I preferred Atco. Far fewer"ricers" there in recent years.
Also, over the years, consistently had better times at ATCO.

Been to Island a few times and always my worst times there. Though I really did enjoy that banked lefthander onto the return road.

fastback79

Hope this doesn’t become a trend. Eventually the video gaming culture will take over

striper

I haven't been to Island in many years. From people I know who go there regularly, times are at least .2 slower than E-town, and lots of ricers go there. However, Island has history associated with it. From what I've read the first 200 mph pass ever done was by Don Garlits in an early Swamp Rat fuel dragster. My friend (RIP) used to go there with his '70 Nova. He'd drive there from Parsippany area, run 9.80s, and drive home.