Palm Beach IHRA track for sale Confirmed

March 30, 2022, 07:39 AM

muggs

Is a shame to see any track go. Raced there in 80's on a dragbike until quit to raose family. Good memories there over the years. Wish nothing but the best for staff and crew.

We will continue racing at Immokalee and Bradenton. Both have treated us very well. Have not run at Orlando yet but may at some point.

I am retired and we have capacity to do whatever we want. May even head into Carolinas this summer to run there. I ran car at Mooresville and had a blast after IHRA World Finals in 2020.

Time moves on, demographics change. We will race till too old or tracks too far. Only another 2 years and oldest grandson will be able to race.

March 30, 2022, 09:16 AM

SlyFox

I raced PBIR (then Moroso Motorsports Park) from 1983-86 while living in Broward County with my parents. My daily driver 71 Nova went 15.70's at 90mph after adding headers and a 4-bbl to the stock 307. Went there a couple of times 2009-2012 to race Super Chevy & Citrus Nationals. Good times...sure doesn't seem like nearly 40 years ago...

April 07, 2022, 08:38 PM

Bad News

As a first good start, The zoning board voted unanimously 9-0 to not approve the zoning change from entertainment to industrial.
First step is a win.
Next meeting is the County commissioners, which historically voted with the zoning recommendation, but you never know.

April 07, 2022, 09:01 PM

adv ET 266

It’s not over. Read this:
https://ongardens.org/2022/04/...arehouse-conversion/

April 08, 2022, 06:57 AM

fuzzy dice

I have my fingers and toes crossed but I am also a realist...sadly, from what I hear, even if Portman is not successful in their approval process, IRG will close the track anyway...I doubt there is a person on earth that is willing to pay what IRG is asking and make it work as a drag strip...the numbers just do not add up...now if some gazillionaire is willing to buy it and lose money every month running the drag strip, yay!...

April 08, 2022, 08:34 PM

adv ET 266

IRG dismantled IHRA. It was so sad to see them destroy ProAm and NitroJam racing, as well as the bracket finials as most in Fla enjoyed. These suits could give to ****s about Motorsport and the racing community.
Maybe a rich motorsports enthusiast will buy the track and NHRA will bring back a great program. It’s a stretch, but who knows and it’s a good wish.
Remember they own other IHRA tracks and they will have a similar fate.

April 09, 2022, 11:23 AM

Michael Beard

quote:
Originally posted by adv ET 266:
Remember they own other IHRA tracks and they will have a similar fate.

While that's true for Memphis, Maryland and Cordova have already been sold to people who are keeping them as dragstrips. Jeff Miles tried to buy Memphis, but was outbid.

April 10, 2022, 11:11 AM

Bad News

quote:
Originally posted by Michael Beard:
quote:
Originally posted by adv ET 266:
Remember they own other IHRA tracks and they will have a similar fate.

While that's true for Memphis, Maryland and Cordova have already been sold to people who are keeping them as dragstrips. Jeff Miles tried to buy Memphis, but was outbid.

As I understand, Portman purchased Memphis out from under the group that was going to buy it and keep it a racetrack.

April 25, 2022, 09:43 PM

Big Steve

https://www.racepbir.com/compo...nternational-raceway

April 25, 2022, 10:16 PM

fuzzy dice

I have been trying to let folks down easy but the latest statement by IRG makes it perfectly clear the track is finished...the Portman zoning issue is of no consequence...even if that contract fails, no track operator in this world can afford to pay what the property is now worth and run a race track profitably...I hate it but so long PBIR...by the way, IRG is selling off the fixtures already...BMP bought the stands a couple of weeks ago...

April 26, 2022, 08:45 AM

ferndaleflyer

Some of you folks down there that know Randy Larson might ask him what I advised him when that group bought the track.

April 26, 2022, 09:37 PM

adv ET 266

Has to be painful for local racers that historically refused to travel to other great regional tracks.

April 27, 2022, 07:09 AM

SlyFox

Maybe they'll start building electric cars there. Or maybe a windmill farm or solar energy farm.

May 01, 2022, 08:31 PM

Bucky

What is Mike Dunn's situation now? I read that he was a senior consultant with IHRA?

May 04, 2022, 09:52 AM

Randy Larson

quote:
Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Some of you folks down there that know Randy Larson might ask him what I advised him when that group bought the track.

Yes you did, and that warning was right on target.

May 04, 2022, 10:26 AM

David Covey

quote:
Originally posted by Bucky:
What is Mike Dunn's situation now? I read that he was a senior consultant with IHRA?

I think he is retired. His position at IHRA did'nt last long..

May 04, 2022, 05:04 PM

Bad News

quote:
Originally posted by fuzzy dice:
I have been trying to let folks down easy but the latest statement by IRG makes it perfectly clear the track is finished...the Portman zoning issue is of no consequence...even if that contract fails, no track operator in this world can afford to pay what the property is now worth and run a race track profitably...I hate it but so long PBIR...by the way, IRG is selling off the fixtures already...BMP bought the stands a couple of weeks ago...

Still a few ways it can go. Movable fixtures not withstanding. IRR has a shed on top of a container for a tower, and it has served them well for 15+ years, running 3-400 cars on a winter series event. A group that can purchase the track and land can afford some new stands.

1. Portman gets no zoning change and bails. slim
2. Portman gets no zoning change and builds on a reduced scale of what is allowed.
3. Portman gets no zoning change and builds on a reduced scale, waits a year or so for a new zoning advisory committee, gets a zoning change and builds more buildings.
4. Portman lobbies every palm beach politician (which is not illegal) and makes promises of installing a traffic signal and intersection improvements at their expense, offers some kind of land swap for some obscure "public park" and offers to pay for a few miles of 710 road widening west of the property.
5.IRG/IRGSE/TPG/First Street Financial hires a demolition contractor and applies for a demolition permit to clear the property that they already own and clears the land of all buildings and obstructions.

I'll bet on #5 myself.

May 04, 2022, 05:06 PM

Bad News

quote:
Originally posted by Bad News:
quote:
Originally posted by fuzzy dice:
I have been trying to let folks down easy but the latest statement by IRG makes it perfectly clear the track is finished...the Portman zoning issue is of no consequence...even if that contract fails, no track operator in this world can afford to pay what the property is now worth and run a race track profitably...I hate it but so long PBIR...by the way, IRG is selling off the fixtures already...BMP bought the stands a couple of weeks ago...

Still a few ways it can go. Movable fixtures not withstanding. IRR has a shed on top of a container for a tower, and it has served them well for 15+ years, running 3-400 cars on a winter series event. A group that can purchase the track and land can afford some new stands.

1. Portman gets no zoning change and bails. slim
2. Portman gets no zoning change and builds on a reduced scale of what is allowed.
3. Portman gets no zoning change and builds on a reduced scale, waits a year or so for a new zoning advisory committee, gets a zoning change and builds more buildings.
4. Portman lobbies every palm beach politician (which is not illegal) and makes promises of installing a traffic signal and intersection improvements at their expense, offers some kind of land swap for some obscure "public park" and offers to pay for a few miles of 710 road widening west of the property.
5.IRG/IRGSE/TPG/First Street Financial hires a demolition contractor and applies for a demolition permit to clear the property that they already own and clears the land of all buildings and obstructions.

I'll bet on #4 and #5 myself.