The resurrection of Arizona’s premier racing facility will be complete by the end of the summer of 2013. ArizonaAutoScene.com is reporting that the track is going through some renovations and improvements through the normally blazing summer months and will be back in action hosting a Lucas Oil drag boat series event in September 2013. The official opening will apparently be celebrated in October of this year with a special event. We’re not sure what that event will center around of who will be involved, but we’re thinking that it will be good as it seems no expense is being spared in bringing the track back up to snuff.
The is obviously fantastic news for racers who competed at the track Charlie Allen was in control of for decades. The track ran a full program for racers on all levels, was on the NHRA tour, and the strip was but one part of a larger complex that featured a road course and even a lake to race drag boats on. As we understand it, all of those elements will be back in play when the so-called “switch” is thrown to get racing operations fired up again. The Gila River Indian Community seems to be showing their commitment in making this venue a long term success because of the people it has brought in to manage the place as it reenters active service for the racing community. They didn’t just grab two guys off the street, they got experienced veterans that should really be able to work wonders with the track and its various properties. Dick Hahne, the former VP of Daytona International Speedway is leading the charge and Bill Schneider has also been brought on in a senior leadership position. Schneider has owned an operated a multitdue of strips in the mid=west.
Rumors persist that Allen is championing another racing facility in Arizona and apparently construction may actually be ready to start on that.
CHAD NOTE: From the moment it was announced that Firebird would be closing and that the Indian Community that owned it would be taking over, I have said that there was no way this track would be closed long. These are very smart business people who have made billions through their casinos. I firmly believe that the rumors and smack talk about how it would never reopen were simply coming from old staff and/or their entourage. As we said, this place is now reopening, and will probably be better than it has been in decades. Congratulations to all the Arizona drag racers, boat racers, and road racers. Your patience for a few months seems to be worth it now.
As an Arizona boy, This is awesome news… The re opening of this track along with the possibility of another track opening soon is a great thing for our southwest brotherhood of racers.
Wow! that is great news, just when I thought that we had no place to race I’m glad that someone had the seen the light. I talked to one guy about 2 weeks ago that said he was selling his entire race operation cause he couldn’t race!!!
Coming from Chicago where we have many great drag strips circling the city I was very disappointed when both Phoenix strips closed. This is great news!
This is going to be awesome ever since both raceways closed driving hasn’t been the same. Hopefully the second raceway will be close to Speedworld because i live down the road from there and I liked being able to race my car there because it was so close. Also looking forward to run what you brung fridays. Love drifting, and out here in az there is no other place to do it but Firebird.
Rumor has it that John Force is involved with a mega raceway project for Tucson to be announced in July
Caution We only hope the Drag Strip will be improved , but don’t count on it yet The head person comes from a roundy round, road course background and does not know one single thing about Drag racing wow, now the other person is from a Drag racing back ground , but what improvements will be done to the Drag Strip remain to be seen. The whole place has been stripped of all equipment no phones, no tables no chairs no electronic equipment most of the score boards have been stripped and I suspect a lot of wiring has been taking by the previous owner , so far as of today nothing has been done to the whole place . We are thinking that the whole place will be for drifting, road course and ? but no concerns about improving the Drag Strip ,the pits or other . Supposedly they have a contract with nhra and that they said that they had to improve the place we all know that does not include the pits . we hope we are wrong for sure.
We lost Speedworld earlier this year and I was afraid Thunderbird would go the same way. Thanks to everyone for making this happen.
This is great news for nus that really enjoy the sport of racing,,,, I moved here two yrs ago and moved close to the track figuring I would get to enjoy my sport close to home!!! Then came the news it was closing,,, Talk about being bummed!!! Every year I kept up grading my ticket purchases thinking this year I’d be in the best seats at the starting line!!!Then I watched as they started tearing them down talk about being down in the dumps!!! The thing is I fly my father out here from pa every febuary… I thought it was all over for my father and I to attend the nhra events together!!!!! I want to thank the new owner for making this possible again and of course thanks to the previous owne for giving my father and I these great times at your events!!!! And last when can I expect to order my tickets for the next event coming in febuary!!!!!!