By Marty Gordon
After the coronavirus shut down racing this summer at Motor Mile Dragway and Speedway, the drag strip, which has been in operation since 2004, is on the market for sale or for lease.
The price tag has been listed as $1.95 million.
The eighth-mile drag strip has been International Hot Rod Racing affiliated and helped to jumpstart the career of Riner’s Mat Hagan, who won the NHRA Funny Car World Championship in 2011 and 2014.
No events have been held at the facility during the pandemic.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Track General Manager Michelle Vaught said due to the recent developments and restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the stay-at-home mandate issued by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, Motor Mile Speedway and Motor Mile Dragway would not open for the 2020 season.
“All special events have been cancelled as well as track rental,” Vaught said. “The number one goal is to keep all employees, racers and fans safe and healthy. With the decision coming early, it gives all racers the opportunity to explore other racing options, should other tracks decide to operate this year. We also value our sponsors and understand that all have faced some economic impact from the virus and will need the remainder of the year to recover financially.
“This was a difficult decision,” the track general manager said, “and one that was not taken lightly. We realize this is an unfortunate turn of events for the local racing community and we sincerely value each racer and fan. We encourage communities to adhere to the current mandates and protocol; practicing frequent hand washing, social distancing, and staying at home. We appreciate your understanding and support during this challenging time.”
Motor Mile Speedway has showcased grassroots NASCAR racing since 1988. In 31 seasons, the speedway has crowned 15 different NASCAR Late Model track champions and has been the home track of two NASCAR Weekly Series national champions on six different occasions: Philip Morris (2006, ’08,’09) and Lee Pulliam (2012, ’13, ‘15).
Motor Mile Dragway has showcased high-speed drag racing action since 2004. In its brief history, the dragway has spawned several successful careers, most notably Hagan’s. The dragway hosts a variety of seasonal events, including its wildly popular Friday Night Fury program.
In another local racing note, Doug Moore, a former track champion at Motor Mile, passed away recently at the age of 73. Moore was a long-time Streak Stock division competitor.
