Firebird had a team meeting tonight. They announced that the Nationals held there in February will be the last. The lease on the track is not being renewed by the reservation. Our last team Firebird race will be on March 23.
That sucks, must want to build a casino on the site. I've been there a few times and actually made my first pass there, it's a very nice facility.
thats a real shame. that is a really nice facility. i hope that some one does take the track over. didnt the nhra pull one of their big show events out of there this year?
Hate to hear about yet another track closing. Hope some one steps in to keep it open. Our local track closed in april after 50 years but a new party steped in and reopened it as IHRA track. Hope they get it worked out.
it sure seems more and more like drag racing is a dying sport. it really does sucj because its tons of fun even if you only get to watch. teh track nearest to me seems to be alive and well thank fully running every wednesday and saturday
Hate to hear that about Firebird! The local gov't and residents who like to build houses close to race tracks are trying to put the hurt on one of our local tracks! They say its to loud......Imagine that!
We have the same problem over in the UK, Idiots buy house's near race tracks and then complain about the noise!!! Simple answer don't buy a house near a race track if you don't like noise!!! I have heard of one track in the UK that purchased all the surrounding house's within a few miles and now rents them to motorsport nuts Thats the way to go!
Bryant, NHRA is still there. They changed it to October for one year, than changed it back to February. Next years race in February may be the last unless the tribe comes to an agreement with NHRA. NHRA has said that FB is the 6th largest venue they have and probably doesn't wannt to lose it.
It's really sad that the indians have that much power. I know it's there land and all. They make tons of money off the casinos and now they want all the money from the track. greedy greedy greedy!!! Oh well.
May be they could open up a betting area to wager on the passes using the bracket model to set the odds, I think it would work, it could be huge.
Have just heard that April of 2013 will be the end of Firebird Raceway as it it now known. A new track is planned, and the land has been or will be purchased very soon. The track will be similar to the Current raceway but will not be on a leased land. The track should open sometime in 2014...............
We had heard that Charlie had bought some acreage near Casa Grande But that was also said to be just a rumor, by track management. However you never know as they might not want anything public until after everything is final.
In all fairness to the Native American community, Charlie Allen and the locals had issues with each other since they were first building the place. I'm holding out hope that it will open back up with new management (Indian or otherwise) but it all depends on how many upgrades NHRA forces on them. At some point the cost of staying open will outweigh the benefits. It's good to note though that the dragstrip isn't the only thing in jeopardy. There's the lake (if you want to call that pit a lake) that they race boats on and then the road race track with Bondaurant and now the off road track. I would think that it would be in their best interest to keep it all open for the revenue of all these, but it is not my investment. I understand that someone wants to build a mall on that property so who knows. Luckily we still have Speedworld (by the hair of our teeth). I heard the rumor about Charlie Allen having some property as well, but that's just a rumor as far as I know.
