It appears our grim speculation from late February 2012 is coming true. Word coming out of Arizona and from a well placed source are agreeing that Firebird International Raceway will cease to operate in April of 2013. Where things go from fairly concrete to totally fuzzy is when the conversation turns to what the next phase of the property’s life will be. There’s one camp saying that the Native American tribe that owns the land will raze the place and expand their already huge resort casino area. The other camp and the one we’re hoping is correct says that the track will stop operating in April 2013 but that closure will be for the tribe to upgrade and improve the facility. The track will reopen as a better facility and we assume will run on a full schedule, including the NHRA national event. We’ve got phone calls into multiple places right now, trying to verify this information.
It would seem highly unlikely that the current management of the facility would remain if the place were to close and go through a renovation process. Charlie Allen has been at the helm of that track for many, many years. Like all track operators he has his supporters and his detractors. This situation isn’t one he can be blamed for as the track sits atop land controlled by the tribe and they’ll decide the fate of the place after the doors close in 2013.
Stick with us on this. We’ve got the phone lines burning for more info, confirmations/denials, etc!
Another lesson learned. Never dump a ton of money into land you can never own and be kick out of at the tribes will. It’s like building a 4 million dollar drag strip in Mexico.
Yikes, progress always destroys history. I hope it can be worked out to keep the location FIrebird is a nice place for use to visit in February to escape the cold.
Loss of a race track is NEVER “progress.”
I doubt it will reopen as a drag strip. There is no money to be made by a drag strip compared to a casino for the tribe said to say.
Doesn’t the “tribe” (which is likely merely a front for the corporate interests who run the gambling halls) have thousands of acres of “indian country” upon which to build more ways to scam money from losers? With the boom in “Indian gaming,” aren’t there already more casinos than drag strips in America? Do we really need another one?
And as Dover, as well as many horse racing facilities across the Country prove, gambling cons and racing faclilities are not mutually exclusive. If they really need the space, why not just build the casino/parking garage over the pit area . . . that way the pits would be enclosed and they could build ways to rip off math-challenged gamblers to the moon!
It’s sad that the all too common economics of drag strips (a beloved track built on leased land) may claim another viable facility. It’s also sad that greed and callous insensitivity may triumph over the needs of the racing community.
Right on Speedy! As far as I know, and I may be wrong, I don’t think they don’t pay any taxes on that land or on any purchases they make so who’s getting ripped off there…
Sorry to see Charlie Allen get screwed like this. I hope he finds a new place and open a new track…tall order!
I live a few miles from the there and it’s not looking good for the track. The Natives want to expand the Casino and build a Shopping Mall where the Drag Strip sits now. It’s all about money. If Firebird goes I think it will be decades before somebody builds another track out here. The IRL cars were a bust for the local economy and even Nascar doesn’t set this town on fire anymore. You wouldn’t know they were in town if you didn’t follow thier schedule.
First it was OCIR ……..How about we just buy geronimo a new Cadillac
Location!Location!Location!
Firebird holds at least a mile of prime IH10 frontage road in what used to be a tiny town west of Williams AFB,Chandler was some 30 miles from down town Pheonix. Now with freeways,misplaced Californians,and the housing built to hold them Firebird is now a road block to real money and part of Pheonix Metro.
When I first went to Firebird in ’82 the tower wasn’t finished yet and it was out there.
Now just like my old base it darn near in town.
I’m sure somebody in one of those new houses just reliesed there $500k condo was less than 1/2 a mile from race track.
Speed World in north. west phx is also…….. closing no drag strips in phxthat makes phx az the largest street racing city in the country its only 120 miles to tucson. this means some real bargans on drag cars in phx area come on ebay…and bring cash to the south side of phx no guaranteed car just a meating with the telling them w..hy you brought cash to the southside of Phoenix and was robbed at gunpoint
SPEEDWORLD is not closing.
Shades of Beeline Dragway…….And I was just about to build a new car. You couldn’t pay me to tow across town to Speedworld either! Guess I’ll build a rock buggy instead.
Maybe the indians should start racing and then they would understand the importance of this sport.
So far the tribe is building it’s shopping outlet anyway without tearing down the track and building a huge multi entertainment center in Maricopa as well. Refurbishing the track would just add to the whole real estate area just like they’re doing by Harrah’s Casino. If they do it, it will be better than it ever was. Just wait and see.