Quaker City Raceway in Salem, Ohio, is scheduled to go up onto the auction block on October 17, 2010. The track was put up for auction a couple years ago, but with a reserve. This time there is none, so it will sell. It may sell to someone who just wants 160 acres with a road on it already, in which case the drag strip will be done for. We hope that doesn’t happen as we’re always creeped out by closed drag strips.
The current owner, Dan Swindell, has held the property (plus 22 more acres) since 1999 and is ready to retire. All of the track property, including support vehicles, a fire truck, and other equipment, will be sold. Prior to the announcement of this auction Swindell had apparently been working with the government of Salem on a plan to sell them the land. They were going to turn it into industrial property. Not good.
We’ll know by the end of the day on October 17th whether or not the place was sold to someone who wants to operate a drag strip or to someone who wants to build an industrial park. We hope option one pans out.
LINK: Auction Listing for Quaker City Raceway
LINK: Quaker City Raceway Auction News Story in the Salem News
