OLD BRIDGE – Raceway Park announced a reorganization of the company’s business operations, which includes eliminating drag racing at the Old Bridge track.
Raceway Park will no longer conduct quarter-mile or eighth-mile drag racing events effective immediately, according to a statement released by the Napp family, who own and operate the racetrack, on Jan. 17.
The 49th annual National Hot Rod Association’s (NHRA) Summernational drag racing events were scheduled for this June at Raceway Park.
Raceway Park will retain and use the stadium portion of the facility, including the VIP hospitality tower and grandstands, and continue most of its operations including the spring and fall auto swap meets, car shows, motocross racing and practice, kart racing, as well as drifting, a full schedule of road course activities, mud runs, monster truck shows, and musical concerts and festival events, according to the statement.
The long-standing Old Bridge Township Airport, owned and operated by Raceway Park, will also continue to operate as normal.
“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. The Napp family would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the employees that have served our drag racing customers so well over the previous years. 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,” according to the statement.
Raceway Park has been a family-owned and -operated business since its opening on July 4, 1965.
In an interview, Steve Mamakas, executive officer of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development in Old Bridge, said the decision was tough to make considering the family’s and track’s history.
“What we see it coming down to is that the facility and track is a family business transforming with the times as any other,” he said. “The loss is the history drag racing at Raceway Park played in the development of the sport and having Old Bridge Township known all across the country. Also, it will be a big loss for the many weekend warriors that enjoy the hobby and thrill of the competition that happens on the strip.”
Contact Kathy Chang at kchang@newspapermediagroup.com.
