We found a neat story from Chattanoogan.com that gives the history of Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip. We like to think that the problems associated with opening a strip with respect to noise, community support, and other issues are new. They’re not of course, and this story proves it.

Like so many stories of race tracks opening it was the vision of one man who deicded to fight the good fight and see his idea through the rapids of governmental red tape. He finally got the ok, built the strip and began hosting races every weekend.

There were some miscalculations made (like building the strip 100 feet from a residence!), but according to the story the track was mostly well received at first, but that support began to erode when groups of citizens organized to shut the track down. This was all happening in the late 1950s, although it seems like it could be going on today.

Source — Chattanoogan.com — The Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip