Over the last couple of years we all have heard of rumors about Englishtown Raceway Park in New Jersey being forced to close over noise pollution issues. It is no secret that the local towns and housing developers lust to close the venerable track down and develop the property. A local source that has been very reliable in the past with info that the E-town track is really at risk and for several reasons. First, the money offered for the 500-acre tract is seriously large and, second, the noise issues that are on-going are due to be brought up again at the New Jersey state level, which would cost the Napp family a lot of money to fight.. Sources were told that the Napp family recently turned down an offer of $180 million for the property but counter-offered saying that if the offer was raised to $200 million the family might consider. The track is owned by eight people, and a $25 million golden parachute for each of the owners would be pretty hard for anyone to resist. With houses being built closer to the track literally every day, history indicates that it seems inevitable the track will eventually be closed and sold. It will be a sad day when it happens..........
I used to be there every weekend in the late 70's and early 80's. Lots of memorys from there. Be a shame to see it close.
Money always TALKS ... And it always WINS ... With all the ongoing polictics and all ... I would sell it ... 25 million and no further meetings, *****ing or problems ... Where do I sign ... ? if I owned it.
Same thing happened to East Windsor Speedway which is only a few miles away. It hasn't been torn down yet, but the track closed a few years ago due to complaints from neighbors in newly built developments (even though they had signed deeds with specific restrictions disclosing the noise of the Speedway nearby). Even if the complaints hadn't been filed, all the develpoment around the speedway has caused serious drainage problems. Whenever there is rain, it all ac***ulates on the speedway property and it takes days to dry out. Progress....leads to NIMBY (not in my back yard).
If E town goes down it will take a big bite out of my life. I am one of the fortunate guys to have had the experience of racing weekend TOP FUEL events with front motored and rear engined cars. I drove my own TF cars named "GOOD VIBRATIONS". I drove the" HIGH ROLLER" and Pete McKewin.s "OUTER LIMITS" all ole 392's for power. In 1972 I made the very last run that was run at E Town at midnight.12:01 to be exact, and that run was in the "OUTER LIMITS top fuel car. After that they imposed a curfew. You know that ain't happnin in 2007. Yea, the Knapps have been fighting the noise thing for quite a while. It will be a sad day if it goes away. God Speed Vinnie, rest in peace . GOLDY
First went there in 1973. It was out in the boonies. That said through the years ,houses,condos etc began inching closer. Ya know people that move next to an airport...Same thing here. Very sad since that track is Nationally known and has such a rich racing history. They also have dirt bikes,Jet Ski racing and another eighth mile drag strip and an airport there. Quite a place !!!
Flemington Speedway got shut down like that ,,total BS,,It's like they build there on purpose..Is'nt there a airfield over there (E,town)as well ?? In our town people bought a house next to the railroad tracks then went to boro meeting and complained about noise from the Train,,,I really don't understand what people think sometimes,,or maybe it that thy have a lot of $$ so they can get whatever they want
I've been expecting this to happen sooner or later. NJ is blessed with three tracks...Island, E-Town and Atco. E-town is by far the most modern and extensive facility of the three, and I'll be sorry to see it go. If I owned it, however, I would have tired of the complaints a long time ago and sold out. I'll never understand the mentality of those who move near an airport, track or some other facility that is established, and then complain about it. Why move there to begin with? It's ironic that once E-town is gone...the property will not sit ide. It will be developed with more housing in an already crowded area...or some sort of industry will move in. Those that complained might find that they got what they asked for...and their situation is worse for it. Sounds fair, no? -Scott
the knapps stated years ago if they shut down, they will build a lot of low income housing units on the site. this has been an ongoing battle, every few years it gets harder and harder, a lot of it is the idiot import racers driving liek fast and furious on the way out. the track has no control over it but they do attract the crowd. i remember my brother went to one of the town meetings in '92 or something, when it was real close to closing. i like the place, but it keeps getting more expensive to run the car, the lanes get filled with slow cars that tie everything up, it is not what it used to be and i can almost not give a **** if it closes or not. 2 or 3 years ago i had my car there almost every week running the balls off it. yeah it would ****, but what can you do.
...Then there's Island Dragway up in Northern NJ. Not as built up, but they got in a legal battle with the local sod farmer a few years ago. He was trying to take the land over. When they had those meetings the town turned out to support the track. They're still going strong...I'll be racing there Sunday. -Scott
If E-town closes, they're not gonna build low-income housing on it, they're gonna build high-income developments, just like everything else around it. Those newer houses are half a mil-plus. **** those rich ********ers.
It'll be big $$ homes for sure. First went to E-town in 1970 at the ripe age of 2. I still have 8mm film of me (with no ear protection) jumping with glee as the Funny Cars shot past. It's really weird to watch the films, especially since there's nothing there but woods. I feel like I grew up there. When my father lost interest, I still went as I grew older - I dated a girl whose mother worked for the Sr. Napps, I used to get to be in the tower during the Summernationals or any other event. How many awesome tracks have to be lost? Westhampton (where my father raced), Bridgehampton (where one of my racing coaches was track manager), East Windsor, Flemington, the list goes on. I can't blame the Napp children, I'd take $25M in a heartbeat, but couldn't they negotiate with the new owners of the NHRA or some other track owner (ISC?)
How would you take the money for the land AND keep the track the track is going by the wayside for houses, not just to someone else who wants to run a drag strip.
I agree with how do you buy or build a house next to a racetrack and then complain about it??? I think you have to see where the actual complaints are coming from. There is big money to be made by developers on that property. The only way they can obtain the property is if it closes because otherwise it wasn't for sale. The only way to close it is to complain about the noise. It is a shame as automobiles seam to be the answer to all the problems. It is ok for Home Depot to sell millions of gallons of paint every year. The excess of all those gallons get poured down every drain in America. Amazing how they do not have a recycle program of any sort?? But remove modify your car and you are the cause for global warming. Automobiles are the most recycled product produced. Sorry getting off topic.
i was at e-town when it open a buddy of mine wil stevie run a 61 vett.and i a 51 ford with a 303 olds in it those were the days i hope the knapp,s hold on to it
Don't just post things on here... take action... reach out and let people know how you feel... let the media know too... You might be surprised how much power we have!
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