Old Bridge Township Raceway Park facts for kids

Old Bridge Township Raceway Park is a famous place in New Jersey, USA. It's known for different kinds of exciting vehicle races and events. It was first called Madison Township Raceway Park. It's located in Old Bridge Township, which is in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

History of Raceway Park

Raceway Park started in 1965. It was founded by Vincent and Louis Napoliello. The park began with about 308 acres of land. Over time, it grew to more than 500 acres. It now hosts many different motorsports activities.

When it first opened, Raceway Park had a single quarter-mile dragstrip. Later, it grew to offer two dragstrips. It also had three motocross tracks. There was a 1.3-mile road course track too. You could find competition go kart racing and an autocross track. There was even a special area for "ride and drive" events. The park also had its own airport nearby.

Raceway Park was very well-known. Their radio and TV ads had a catchy slogan: "Ah ha ha ha ha ha Raceway Park!" Another popular one was: "Rrrrrrrrraceway Park! ... Be there!" Many people considered it one of the best drag strips in America. It was often ranked among the top five tracks in the country.

Raceway Park used to host big drag racing events. These included the SuperNationals, later called Summernationals. These events were part of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) series. They featured powerful Funny Car and Top Fuel competitions. However, in January 2018, Raceway Park stopped hosting drag racing. This decision was made because the costs were getting too high. The areas used for drag racing are now being changed. They will become outdoor spaces for concerts. But don't worry, other parts of the park are still open! This includes the drift track, go karts, and motocross areas.

Raceway Park as a Concert Venue

Raceway Park has also been a huge concert spot. On September 3, 1977, the band Grateful Dead played there. A massive crowd of 107,019 people came to watch. This was the largest ticketed concert in the United States at that time. The show was so special that it was recorded. It was later released as part of a live album series called "Dick's Picks."

This concert was the biggest in New Jersey's history. In 2017, Rolling Stone magazine called the Grateful Dead's tour, which included this show, one of the greatest ever. Band members and fans still remember the concert fondly. Jerry Garcia's wife, Manasha Garcia, said it was a "blessing" to join the many people who attended. Other bands like the Marshall Tucker Band and the New Riders of the Purple Sage also performed. In May 2018, a new band called the Englishtown Project was formed. They celebrate this legendary concert.

Exciting Events at Raceway Park

As of January 2018, the two drag strips at Raceway Park are closed. This means Raceway Park no longer hosts any drag racing events. The 1/8-mile track used to be for junior dragsters. It also hosted "trophy" classes. The 1/4-mile track was for all kinds of vehicles. This included regular street cars and the fastest vehicles in the sport, like top fuel dragsters.

Motocross Fun

Raceway Park has practice motocross tracks. The ground on these tracks is mostly soft loam. This type of surface is great for riding. The tracks are also slightly sloped. This helps with water drainage. The park regularly takes care of the tracks. They make sure the jumps, bowls, and whoops stay in good shape. The tracks have long, straight paths for speed. They also have challenging obstacles. These include off cambers, banks, ledges, and ditches.

Drifting Action

Drifting events at Raceway Park are hosted by a company called ClubLoose. They have been holding events there since 2002. These events first started in the parking lot. Now, they only happen on the road course. There are different levels for drivers. These include introductory, intermediate, and a top level. The top level allows drivers to drift together at the same time.

Before anyone can participate, their car and equipment are checked. This is to make sure everything is safe. Only cars with rear-wheel-drive can pass the ClubLoose safety check.

Current Event Schedule

Raceway Park offers many different events throughout the year. These include car shows, concerts, and mud runs. They also have motocross events and swap meets. In the past, they used to have "Time Trials" on Wednesdays and some Friday nights. During these times, anyone could race their cars or bikes for practice.