Fremont Raceway or Baylands Raceway Park in California was a staple of the drag racing world for the better part of 30 years. Amazingly for those who hung out there, we are not coming up on the 30th anniversary of the track’s closing at the end of 1988. We stumbled upon this TV commercial, voiced by Steve Evans that lays out the “Last Drag Race” that was held at the track. It sure seems like a blow out affair with funny cars, top fuel dragsters, nostalgia action, and all the big heroes of the day. Of course, the timing of the race allowed all of those racers to be ready to rock because we assume it was run very closely to the NHRA World Finals which would have had all the bad asses in the country a few hours down the road in Pomona.
Starting as so many strips did, on a war surplus airfield, Fremont or Baylands Raceway Park became a well known track across the country. It was not some big mega-facility but it was a functional, working, weekly strip that served the needs of the Bay area community. Located about 50 miles from Sears Point, it was across the bay from the city of San Francisco and by all accounts kept pretty busy over the years. The track was replaced by a large car dealership or at least that is what was slated to occupy the property according to the news report below.
The land the track was on was not owned by the track but rather by the railroad. They apparently got an offer they could not refuse and that lead to the closure of the strip. Sad stuff and a very typical story when we talk about drag strips in California.
If you ever raced at Baylands or Fremont, here’s some memories for you!
I was there that last Wednesday night, many really great memories from Fremont, it was nice to think about going to the races and just go (lived in Alameda at that time).It was a much more innocent time. Did much tuning on Christy Rd. before track opened Wednesday afternoons (uncap, put slicks on, etc.) LONG LIVE FREMONT
So does anyone know if the “Foreign Auto Mall” is still there?
the Durham Rd. exit is now Automall Prkwy, think where track was is still half empty. A bunch of car dealers there.
I just check Google maps, the latest photos don’t show the outline of the track anymore, but construction hadn’t started.
I was there also, for the last Wednesday night. Most people think “the last drag race” was its final event.
The manager of Fremont has been managing Sonoma’s drag strip since 1989, but retired earlier this year. There are still a few of Fremont regular racers that still race, but I didn’t recognize anyone from the news segment as someone that still races.
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Up until a few years ago it was still an empty lot. Built up all around it. I remember about 10 years ago I could still see the outline of the track. It’s depressing to know a track will never open in this area again. Way too much high density housing and tech companies. Sometimes l wish I still lived in the sticks!
I was born in Fremont and literally the first sounds I can clearly remember as a toddler are of the Fuel cars that ran Fremont in the early 70s. I lived in the Irvington district of Fremont, which was only a couple miles from the track.
Unfortunately, I moved away from the Bay Area during the time that Baylands was still operating. I eventually moved back to the Bay Area and (not surprisingly) got into drag racing. Too bad Fremont had already shut down by then. I really wish I could have experienced it when I lived there.
It’s good to see that it’s still fondly remembered today.