Did you receive a big windfall of cash for Christmas? Do you want to own a drag strip? Are you a fan of fun? Then boy do we have a deal for you! Become the newest member of the drag strip operator’s society of America by purchasing historic Quarter Aces Drag-O-Way for $395,000. Located in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, the track has been open for more than 50 years according to their website. Opened in 1962 as a strip that used a 100′ asphalt launch pad followed by 900′ of gravel for a total racing length of 1,000 feet, it has been upgraded, improved, and modernized as the years have gone on.
According to the real estate listing, the track sits on a parcel of 39.5 acres and when you see the drawing that lines out the property you’ll agree with us that it may be the weirdest looking lot you’ve ever laid eyes on. The property lines at this place look like a drawing your four year old hands you and you pretend to know what it is, make an incorrect guess and then they look at you and say, “It is a picture of mommy! I HATE YOU, DAD!” We can’t be the only people that experience such things.
Anywho…
The track has operating hours limitation from the local town, which don’t seem too bad because there are nights that the track starts eliminations at 6 PM so it isn’t like you have to have the placed locked up and closed by dusk. On Sundays things don’t seem to get rolling until 10:30 am, which means you have plenty of time to sleep off the previous night’s party. Oh wait, nothing like that happens in the pits of a drag strip.
Here’s the history of the track as published on their own website.
1958– The Quarter Aces Car Club members based in Boiling Springs, Pa. decided to purchase property and build their own drag strip. With help of some of the parents, the club members put together enough cash for a down payment on 44 acres of land on Petersburg Road that is now Quarter Aces drag-O-Way. Construction of the track was started right away but it took till the summer of 1962 before the track opened. The track had about a hundred feet of black top and the rest was gravel and was run as a 1000 ft. track. The first year the cost to race was 75 cents.
1962 to 1971– The Quarter Aces Car Club made improvements through the ten seasons they operated the track but as members got older, more family and job commitments came along and membership fell off a bit they thought about selling the facility. During the off-season the track was sold to Ron and Ethel Wallace and Ed and Kay Stambaugh.
1972 to 2007– With the new owners a name change came about. Quarter Aces was now changed to South Mountain Dragway. Many updates were performed to the track including a new tower in 1983, better guard rails more paving and other improvements. In 1985 the track become and NHRA member and the first team to represent South Mountain headed to the Bracket Finals. Lights were installed in the early 90’s and the Friday Night shows presented by Carlisle Events got under way. New track paving in 1997 was also was big improvement for the track. Finally after 36 years of continuous operation by the Wallace and Stambaugh families the track was sold in November of 2007 to local business man and big drag race fan and racer Stanley Dye of Carlisle, Pa.
2008 to present– First before any updates were performed the name of the track went back to the original “Quarter Aces Drag-O-Way” Right away big changes were coming, before opening day a completely new concrete starting line and burn out area were replaced, new moved and enlarged staging lanes were built, pit area re-graded for better drying and more room, new roads built, remodeled timing tower and food stand, new electric service, new timing system and sound system installed, more and bigger guard rail and jersey wall installed. New radios for track personnel purchased.
2009 and beyond– More paving, grandstands, scoreboards all coming this year.
More improvements are also being planned for the 2010 season. Come visit us often this year become part of the “Quarter Aces Family!”
We want this place badly! SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE TRACK AND THEN HIT THE LINK FOR THE REAL ESTATE AD!
THANKS TO JOE GRIPPO FOR THE TIP!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE REAL ESTATE AD FOR QUARTER ACES DRAG-O-WAY IN BOILING SPRINGS, PENNSYLVANIA
I’ll just reach into my pocket and see if I have the change.
Nope! A couple thousand short.
I’ll go halfers with ya.
get flood insurance
Flooded twice recently, owner has had enough. Shame but the rising ocean levels and active weather patterns are here for the foreseeable future. I’m sure the local political pressures are at play also.
I’d be interested to know how often deer run onto the track.
No deer
But good luck not pissing of the neighbors.
They have been trying to shut it down for over 20 years!
Maybe the neighbors would rather have a mo home park next door instead of a race track. That thought just might help out their disposition…..
never
Hell with the neighbors! Tracks been there longer then them!
That’s vintage jimmy
This is a great place. If I had the money I would buy it. This track also come with a loving family called THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN FAMILY. There are a lot of racers waiting for this track to reopen. The diehard family will come back.
I put this on my facebook page and got this response from Carlisle exhibitor/seller Jimmy Milsted….
Jim Milsted Thomas E Loughlin Jr , maybe Carlisle Productions is going to buy it ! They just raised all of the fleamarket/car corral spaces by $10 each. They already run some races there so would be a natural for them.
Perhaps someone from the track should contact that operation.
Would be a shame to lose a good facility….but I don’t know how to fight floods. I rained out or on 28 of my 32 last drag racing events nationwide. and went under. Good Luck drag racers !
Tom Loughlin Jr National Director emeritus DRAGBIKE! USA
Went to this track in the early 80’s with my dad. We are still racing today. This is were we started racing and still go back every now & then. Nice people to race with. Hope it keeps going.
I think you could make money at this track if you repaved it and could run more than one day a week maybe some index racing and heads up stuff on sat and bracket racing on sun , put up walls along Petersburg rd to help with noise and make all cars run muffler this would help with the neighbors . I hope someone buys the place I’d hate to see another track go to the wayside
Actually, despite the comments above, You cannot race after dusk – the lights were put up illegally. The Track pollutes the Stream running through the property, There is no water or plumbing for the Fans or Food Service. The Track is too short with a hair-pin turn at the end. It has lost money every year, and gets flooded and rained out all the time. It is in a Residential Area, but is grandfathered in – It was not there before many of the homes. Overall it is a blight to the area, sucks as a track, and should be closed up in favor of better tracks. It is bound by Court Order to the current operating schedule of one day a week with a defined Season.
Why don’t you say who you are and we can help you with the move my truck is big enough to move your trailer and at no COST!!
I raced at this track from the early 70’s thru the mid to late 90’s and have made hundreds of passes with no issues even one time the throttle stuck open I had plenty of room to get stopped. The shut down area is adequate for the cars that run there, I have raced at racks where I have had to get on the brakes far harder than I ever had to at Quarter Aces. The “hairpin” turn is not really that tight. I haven’t been to the track in a few years and I am sure there are still improvements needed but it is far better than it was years ago.
As to the car that was “shot” across Red Tank I was there the day that happened. It was unfortunate. There were 2 things that happened to that car that caused the accident and those have been addressed so that type of accident should never happen again. Also the shut down area has been improved since then to help keep cars from leaving the property.
I hope the track is able to open in the future so that myself and my sons can race there again.
I bet you weren’t there before the track, “neighbour”.
@Neighbor: I would hate to see that pollution you are talking about harm all of the minnows that frequent the stream at the dragstrip. If you call what happens at that track pollution, you don’t know what pollution is. The closest thing to pollution at that track is you defecating into your toilet, let alone the post that you have made.
We had record-setting dragsters travel down that track on a 4.30 second pass. The parachutes deployed and he safely made it around the “hair-pin” turn you speak of. I think it is comical that you would say that because, I would assume that you have never drag raced in your life. Safety is South Mountain/Quarter Aces number one concern. We can’t and will not race without certified EMTs and Firemen on site in case of an accident.
To my home away from home, South Mountain/Quarter Aces Dragway. I hope you find a new loving owner, and I shall return to you for a full season!
that neighbor is a true JACKASS to even say such that he obviously has no clue about!
So where was your “Safety” when you shot a racer across Red Tank Road?
Neighbor,
It seems you have a lot of hate for the track sorry to hear the track has not been a good neighbor. It has deep roots in the Boiling Springs/Carlisle area and I know with the right people it will be a premier motorsports family friendly park. I’m in town today interested in saving this piece of American History. Many years ago a Prominent Doctor had a vision to have a place for young men and woman to test there creations Hot Rods jalopy’s. The Millers had a vision to run a car show in the 70’s and now have made the Carlisle area a place to come. I’m just a man with a vision too. I would like to speak with you before I leave today over a beverage of your choice or a later date at a place of your choice.
Respectively,
Mike Natoli
Well said Mike . It would be great to see you or someone you know take this situation over . Fellow 71 duster owner Bill Bartasek
The track definitely has potential……yes the shutdown is short, but like mentioned above, index races and small tire heads up classes would do well here. I would say it should handle 4.30 ets
The issue is, can the “new owner” race more than once a week? Ideally you would like Fri-Sun and one day mid week. And what are the curfews for those days? Can you run at night? These are all factors that would make or break a sale. $395 is not much for a track, but you cant make a profit running once a week.
Mike Natoli is a true racing gentleman, His integrity is beyond reproach.To the neighbors of the track this is for you,If Mike Natoli says he is going to work together with you to turn this into a safe racing product that works for all (neighbors and racers) you can bet the farm that he will do exactly that.So i say put down the complaint book and give the man his do.He will turn it from eye sore to a racing gem stone before you can say Honey The Cow Got Out !!
WILLIAM WATERS.
AGREED !!!!!
If you could race more then 1 day a week that would be great. It would bring people in to the area, that would create money for the area and make jobs. The track would hire people to help it run. Plus it could also help the area business. Race tracks are not bad places. Helps keep people out of trouble and not racing on the streets. I hate to hear people talk bad about tracks. Ran at this track a lot growing up. Nice atmosphere. Hope this track stays around so my kids can race on it. My uncles ran at this track back in the mid 60’s. Hate to see it stop.
i would not want to race on that track running 4 second et it has steel guard rails also a dip in the left lane.God forbid if you hit the guard rail,it would tear the car open.i would not want to hit that at 150 mph. a guy.with a dart hit a guard rail in the Midwest and lost his life.the shutdown is short also.
There are very few 4 second cars that ran at this track. Also the ones that did CHOSE to do so. If you wouldn’t want to run 4 seconds there then don’t.
Well the obvious upgrades needed are Jersey barriers, grade and repave the surface, and clear topend of some trees so you can have an approved sand trap w/catch net. Digital scoreboards also. This all costs $, and you need more than one day a week of racing to make the necessary profit.
With said improvements, I don’t see why you couldn’t have fast cars.
To be safe and smart about it, you would probably have to have a 4.50 et limit for a while, to see what the track will handle.
Does anyone know what the curfews and race day limits really are? Im curious.
There is a long standing Court Order that limits the Season to specific dates, but basically April to Oct. There are limits to the day length – no car starting before 10:30am and no running after around Sunset – actual times for the weeks are in the Court Order. It can run 3 Friday evenings (with time limits), but cannot run those Sundays. It gets 2 double day runs – Memorial Day and Labor Day. There is some other stuff in the Court Order, but that is the gist. If the Track violates the Order (as the last Owner did) it goes to court and the Loser pays the Court costs of the winner (Cost the previous Owner about $5,000 last time – scheduling and running a 4th Friday – after being advised not to). The Court Order carries forward to new home owners and new Track owners.
If that’s true, only “2” Fridays from April-Oct?! and only 2 full weekend runs per season?!……I cant see anyone making the investment unless they can re-negotiate the terms of the court order. A new owner cannot make a profit with those restrictions.
Its no wonder further upgrades were not made by the current owner.
That court order sounds like a vendetta against the track owner, very unreasonable.
There schedule says cant start open header cars before 10:30am. If you have cars with mufflers you might be able to let them run before that time? Lets face it if talk to the right people the right way you might strike a deal with the township. Just a thought. Hope this helps.
The township would not become involved with the conflict between strip owners and neighbors. Therefore a law suit was filed and both owners and neighbors worked together and came up with an agreement which was then issued as a court order.The court order also states NO drag cars (nothing about mufflered or not) can be started before 10:30 am on Sundays and 1 PM on the 3 Friday afternnon races. If anyone is interested in seeing the court order it is attached to the deed of the dragstrip. Hope this helps.
Hey “Sorry Guys”why are you so helpful?
It don’t sound like the owner and neighbors worked together on an agreement to me……no track owner would agree to such strict operating hours and schedule.
The starting before 10:30am is no big deal, but if the other stipulations cannot be re negotiated for the new owner I don’t see anyone making the investment.
Its a shame, the track has potential, especially if you can run Fri-Sun.
I have been going to this track since 1982 @3 years old and grew up racing here with my dad and brothers and to see the neighbors complain about a race track that was built long before your homes is completely bull shit and you know who you are cause there only a couple of you that are total dicks. This track in the 80s and 90s you could race here 3 days a week. The hair pin turn Yea sure Ok well I ran 4.30@165 mph and easily slowed down. So to the Neighbor that dislikes this place sell your house and move then. I hope that when the track is purchased it will reopen multiple days and it can be down cause what was signed I personally would wipe my ass with if I purchased. Neighbor get your facts before u state things about the track.
Well put Chris Powers. I grew up there also. My dad took me every weekend. It was fun and the people are nice and friendly. Had lots of fun. Hope this place open stays open.
I’ve herd the track has been sold anyone have any info ? I hope someone bought the place with a good layer and can change the run schedule re-pave the place and run some index races that would be awesome !!! U can count me in
I have been coming to this track since the mid 60s. I do not race but enjoy the track and the nice people. I would hate to see this track close because of a few unhappy people. I think with proper representation from both sides of the issue there could be an agreement for both sides. I hope the track stays!!!!