NHRA and track business

In the year On Nov. 1, In-N-Out Burger also became the title sponsor of the Pomona, Calif., drag strip and NHRA Finals.

The move takes some away from rumors that the 70-year-old race will go the way of Atlanta Dragway, Houston Raceway Park, Virginia Motorsports Park and Old Bridge (NJ) Township Raceway Park — all of which have left the NHRA. Starting schedule 2018. Arizona’s Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park will hold its final event in February.

But the No. 66 raceway in Joliet, Ill., will return to the schedule next season after a two-year hiatus.

Perhaps more significantly, the NHRA announcement strengthened the sport’s footprint in Southern California. Along with the announcement today that the NHRA signed a multi-year extension, at least through the 2033 season with Los Angeles County Fairplex, the turn of fortunes was truly something to behold.

Five of the 19 Nationals-events in the past five years have gone from the schedule, with the NHRA losing 25 percent of its tracks. So entering into multi-year deals with Fairplex and In-Out Burger represents a push for the broader problem.

That’s what the Environmental Protection Agency is doing to order a policy that could destroy a traditional American pastime that generates thousands of jobs and supports a robust $2 billion market.

On the eve of his September 7 testimony before the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in support of recognizing the Motorsports Protection Act, Top Fuel racer and team owner Antron Brown argued the urgency of preserving auto racing.

“SEMA and all PRI members and PRI staff have been fighting the RPM Act battle for the past six years,” Brown said. “A lot of people didn’t even know what was going on behind the scenes. The EPA, they have the Clean Air Act, and they have a lot of cases where they’ve overstepped their boundaries, and they prohibit people from modifying standard race cars, motorcycles, cars, so they can compete on closed course circuits like ours. On the run.

“To go from Junior Dragster to Pro Stock Champion like Erika Ender, the RPM rules are waiting for us if we can get through this,” Brown said. Without that, the New Jersey kid who modified the GXR 1100 from a road bike to a drag bike… If I hadn’t been able to do that and the drag strips at Atco Dragway, Englishtown, Cecil County, Delaware and the surrounding area, I wouldn’t be here today as a professional drag racer.

“I think this is very important and very important for our future generations, because that’s how you can do it at a reasonable level. And that’s the thing. It’s just educating them, educating everybody on Capitol Hill about what we’re doing.

PRI officials described the RPM Act of 2021 (HR 3281/S.2736) as “a common-sense, bipartisan piece of legislation that would allow racers to compete to protect the right of Americans to convert street vehicles into special race cars and the motorsports parts industry’s ability to sell products. The bill clarifies that it is legal to make emissions-related modifications to convert a street vehicle into a race car used only for competition. It ensures that the manufacture, marketing and installation of racing equipment is legal.

It says, “The RPM Act changes the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act does not allow a motor vehicle designed for road use — including a car, truck, or motorcycle — to be converted into a special competition vehicle.

And while it may seem like an exaggerated leap to suggest that NHRA’s In-N-Out burger ad has fended off threats from the EPA, it’s not. The connection is there — in the fight to preserve longtime businesses (the legendary Pomona Drag Strip turns 70 in 2023 and In-N-Out Burger celebrates its 75th anniversary) and American traditions.

In-N-Out Burger Owner and President Lynsey Snyder, a former drag racer herself – “Racing and hot rods have been such an important part of our history at In-N-Out, and our love of racing has been a big part of my family, as well. I have many special memories of being on the Pomona Drag Strip, many of them with my dad, and I really look forward to many years of In-N-Out participation.

“We’ve been blessed with many loyal customers who are race fans, and we’re excited to see them at the track.”

That’s the heart of business: relationships.

Some become famous. Some don’t. For example, Virginia Motorsports Park owners Tommy and Judy Franklin said in a prepared statement that VMP’s termination and renewal of its contract with the NHRA “will only harm its financial need to continue to grow as an institution.” That is the era of business.

But former Pro Stock driver Kenny Koretsky represents the flow of the business. His KPK Entertainment property saved Maple Grove Raceway near Reading from bankruptcy earlier this year. It was another coup that the NHRA could count on in 2022.

Sinking millions of dollars into the acquisition, upgrading and updating of the 60-year-old venue, Koretsky, who has been part of historic drag-racing milestones, has elevated the quality of NHRA drag racing as a Philadelphia-area business magnate. .

In addition to overseeing construction on campus and mowing acres of grass, Koretsky has furiously directed traffic, fixed restrooms and recently emptied the trash during the countdown to the Pep Boys National Team Championship.

His attention to detail showed his passion and dedication to the sport.

Other racers have expressed interest in owning a race track. Scrappers Racing boss and Top Fuel racer Mike Salinas said he has inquired about buying Florida’s Palm Beach Intel Raceway.

That didn’t work out, but a San Francisco-area businessman said, “We’re looking at four facilities right now. We need improved facilities. They’re all on the East Coast.” But Salinas said he recognizes the dangers of trying to get all parties on the same page: “It’s almost impossible to find like-minded people.” He also said, “He was looking at some of these other tracks before they got into trouble, but it’s a little hard to jump into the middle of something that’s already messed up.”

Still, he’s entertaining the idea.

“There is a solution to do this,” he said. “We have a lot on our plates as individuals and business owners and racers to find the right people. So we have to find those leads. I think it’s out there. I think it can be done. But we have to come together as a team and work together and make sure we all have the same goal: racing and success and fun.” For a competitive society.

John Power, the NHRA’s most successful driver with 155 wins, said he had his eye on two racetracks he wanted to buy, but abandoned the idea after realizing he couldn’t have it.

He said, “I’ve talked to them (NHRA executives) about it for years and they’re not sold on it.” There are only two places that interest me: California (Pomona), because that’s my home, and Indy. But they don’t sell indies. I’m not doing anything right now, wait and see what happens.”

Koretsky cautions that owning a racetrack can be expensive and time-consuming, and may not be for everyone. He said he wouldn’t encourage it unless someone went into the deal with their eyes (and wallet) open and an emotional connection to the place. For him, “Maple Grove is such a special property,” he said.

Koretsky’s purchase of Maple Grove Raceway, the return of the Joliet event and developments at Pomona have been bright spots for the NHRA heading into the new year.