The news coming from San Antonio Raceway lately has hardly been positive. The track was shuttered, the equipment was reportedly stolen, and then it was put up for public auction where no deal was struck. All of this was happening as the days ticked closer and closer to the IHRA Nitro Jam event that the facility is supposed to host in March. Well, IHRA was finally forced to make a decision on the event and rather than drag out the process any longer they decided to postpone the event to “the fall” and move the race to State Capitol Raceway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Slated to happen March 13/14 there’s not a ton of time to get things promoted and changed over but having been to State Capitol announcing IHRA events in the past, I can tell you from personal experience that it is a cool place with lots of dedicated fans. In a gesture to sportsman racers, none of the Pro-Am classes will be contested at Baton Rouge because the IHRA felt it unfair to make a venue change on those racers this late in the game. We think that’s the right move.
The San Antonio facility is a nice place and it has hosted many Nitro Jam events over the years. There’s a mondo huge grandstand and a track that was resurfaced (hastily) a few years back after a high profile failure during an event. On the flip side there has been a rash of badness happening there for years now. Back in 2008 an illegal gaming operation that was happening on the property was busted by Texas officials and there has been a succession of management through the place since that time.
The most interesting thing to come out of the release below is the statement that the IHRA had been in negotiations to buy the track for six months now. Previously there was no public knowledge (although the rumor mill was flying) about this being the case but with Scott Gardner’s statement below, it is now fact. Hopefully they can get the deal done and drag racing fans in the greater San Antonio area get their fill of IHRA Nitro Jam action sometime this year.
Here’s the full release from IHRA –
The San Antonio Nationals originally scheduled for March 13 & 14, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas has been postponed. Replacing that date on the 2015 Nitro Jam Schedule will be the return of the Mardi Gras Nationals at State Capital Raceway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“Time was simply running out for a resolution that the track could reopen in time to host the San Antonio Nationals in March,” said IHRA President Scott Gardner. “Our parent company, IRG Sports + Entertainment, have been in negotiations to purchase the facility for the past six months and are still pursuing the purchase of this facility. The only thing IRG was not able to confirm for us was a final timetable for the transaction, which is why we had to make this change in the schedule. We are optimistic we will return to San Antonio this fall once the ownership and direction of the facility becomes clear.”
Professional classes at the Mardi Gras Nationals will include Amsoil Funny Car, Nitro Harley, U.S. Bounty Hunters Pro-Stock, Jet Dragster and exhibition runs of the Fire Force Jet Fire Truck. The sportsman program will be E.T. bracket classes.
“We made a decision not to include the Pro-Am classes at this event namely due to a lack of notice for the Division 4 Summit Pro-Am competitors” continued Peaco. “We have handled a lot of calls from Texas racers regarding the San Antonio date and I really didn’t want to throw a venue change at the Division 4 competitors this late in the planning process. I know with the uncertainty of San Antonio’s reopening date many racers may have made other plans for that weekend. We will open the Division 4 Summit Pro-Am season at Pine Valley March 27-29 as scheduled. When we return to San Antonio in the fall we will put the event back together and we can give all the competitors plenty of notice on the new national event date.”
State Capital Raceway, located in southern Louisiana returns to the IHRA Nitro Jam schedule after a 2 year hiatus. The quarter-mile dragstrip features 660’ concrete launch pads, concrete barrier walls, Compulink timing, LED scoreboards and seating for 9,000 fans.
“I’m very thankful that Track Manager Gary Carter called us to offer up a replacement date at the facility. Track owners Lanny and Val Lewis are some of the best people in the IHRA family and they always have the welcome mat out for IHRA. I know the professional racers love the track as it provides a great opportunity to set records with an elevation of a mere 18 feet above sea level,” said IHRA Vice President Skooter Peaco.
The IHRA 2015 Nitro Jam season will open February 6-7 at Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson, Arizona.
For more information on the 2015 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series schedule and lineup, please visit www.IHRA.com for complete details.
What could you do with a stolen starting line christmas tree…. As a local racer, I do hope things can be ironed out.