Woodburn Dragstrip facts for kids
The Woodburn Dragstrip is a special place in Woodburn, Oregon, where super-fast cars race! It's a quarter-mile long, which means the cars race for about 400 meters. This track is a big part of the NHRA racing world.
History of the Dragstrip
The Woodburn Dragstrip first opened its doors in June 1961. Back then, it was a shorter track, only an eighth of a mile long. It was run by groups called the Multnomah Hot Rod Council and the Northwest Timing Association.
Just two years later, in 1963, the track was made longer. This change allowed cars to race the full quarter-mile distance. In 1972, a person named Jim Livingston bought the Woodburn Dragstrip.
Why Woodburn Dragstrip is Special
Since 1972, the Woodburn Dragstrip has won many awards. It has been named the NHRA Track of the Year in the Northwest many times. For example, it won this award five years in a row starting in 1999!
In 1989, the local business group, the Woodburn Area Chamber of Commerce, named it the Business of the Year. This was a big deal because it was one of the first race tracks in the country to get such an honor.
Woodburn was also the first dragstrip on the West Coast to use electronic scoreboards. These scoreboards help everyone see the race times right away. In 1999, Jim Livingston added more seats for fans. These seats used to be in a big stadium called the Seattle Kingdome.
Racing Events and Fun
The Woodburn Dragstrip is a very busy place! It hosts racing events almost every weekend from March to October. During the warmer months, from May to September, you can even find races happening on Fridays.
The track is co-owned by the Livingston family and Joey Severance. People say the dragstrip was built on an old airstrip, which is a flat area where airplanes used to take off and land.
