Abandonded drag strips

[Ghoste]

I was reading that book "Lost Drag Strips" or whatever it is and thought about this one close to me so I went took a couple of photos.  This is Windsor Dragway which operated from 1968 to 1971 and given its proximity to Detroit and border crossing conditions decades before we knew what Muslim terrorists were, many of the greats had a run there.
This first pic is from the starting line looking down the track.

[Ghoste]

Here is the staging area.

[Ghoste]

And what's left of the timing tower.

[Ghoste]

And a gratuitous photo of my Charger at the old spectators entrance.  I took some others but this is a good start.
Any other members live near ghost (without an "e" haha) tracks that the general public have no idea about?

[rt green]

wow. sad isn't it?

[el dub]

A lot of them around. There was one just south of town called raisen city drag strip I went to as a kid but its gone now. Once the real estate started going up the strips started disappearing. 

[Ghoste]

Here's an opening day photo for Windsor Dragway.

[John_Kunkel]

A lot of them around. There was one just south of town called raisen city drag strip

Famous for their four side-by-side Top Fuel racing long before Charlotte.

[Drache]

The one in my home town was abandoned simply because the Timing Tower was torn down by vandals who wanted the wood only a week or so after being built. The racing club didn't have the money to rebuild and the was left to be broken up by nature.

[mopar2]

Sad but    Kool Pics. Thanks For sharing

[Aero426]

I was at this one yesterday.    The track is called Meadowdale Raceway near Chicago.    Built as a three mile road course in 1958, it had a drag strip provision added for 1968.    It closed in 1969.   Plans to redevelop it as a two mile superspeedway never came to be.   The track property then laid dormant for 35 years and was purchased from the original owners family and converted to park use.   There is a once a year car show on the old main straight.     

The photo is near the finish line of the drag strip.   Return road and road course pits were off to the left.   Grandstands to the right.     The car is sitting on a newly paved walking/bike path laid through the old course.   Pavement to the outside is original. 

[Aero426]

This was a spectator entrance.   The Pure Oil lettering on the old farm silo was restored in recent years.   Although deemed structurally sound,  local government came "this close" to demolishing the silo to get rid of the liability.    It is the only remaining landmark on the site.   

[Aero426]

This is the silo in May 1969. 

[Aero426]

Drag strip timing tower and main straight where the car show is held today.  Photo is from the 1968 Trans-Am race which was the last pro event held there.  

[Aero426]

Rare shot of a funny car at Meadowdale in 1968.

[Aero426]

My car near the old staging area.

[Aero426]

Looking back towards the timing tower.

[Aero426]

Fuel station.   It used to be very easy to find ten years ago.    Trees are taking it over FAST.   

[Aero426]

Just to the right of the fuel stand was a food stand.   This is the concrete pad.  A piece of the roof visible as well.   I never knew exactly what this was until I bought a slide on ebay a few weeks ago. 

[Aero426]

From the grandstand, you can see the Pure fuel island, the concession stand next to it and the power pole feeding the concession stand.    I have often looked for evidence of the scoring stand, but have never found a trace of it.    Much of the infield which was been scraped clean in 1958 is now heavily wooded.

[Ghoste]

Those are great Doug!  I think I may have heard of that car show.

[Aero426]

The infield power pole visible in the last photo.    Looking towards the food stand.   Gas island is just to my left.

[Aero426]

Those are great Doug!  I think I may have heard of that car show.

Thanks, it is one of my favorite places to go.    I am sure I have posted some pics of it before.  

We got to take a "lap" of the road course yesterday.     The only down side to the new paving is the old surface to the outside got covered with dirt and grass has grown in.   On the other hand, it isn't a housing development.    It is now in a major suburban area surrounded by homes.   I think the reason it is still here is the heirs of the original owner wanted quite a bit of money for the property.    

[Aero426]

This was a drive over car bridge.

[Aero426]

View of the bridge in 1968.