Who wants to buy a drag strip?

As risky a proposition as such a venture is in this day and age of a struggling economy and endlessly complaining neighbors, owning and operating a drag strip still seems like one of the coolest gigs one could have when things are going strong.,,,emphasis on the “when”.

If, however, such an undertaking is of interest to you and you just happen to be sitting on a pile of cash that you’re not already thinking about loaning to us, the current owner of the Mid America Motorplex, Mark Tincher, has the racing complex, located in Pacific Junction, Iowa, up for auction to the highest bidder. Built on a 205 acre tract of land of Iowa farmland, 180 of which is in fact still farmland with soy bean crop planted, the facility features an eighth-mile drag strip and a 2.23-mile asphalt road course. Of particular value as well is the multi-story timing tower that’s capable of simultaneous drag strip and road course operations, and the other various outbuildings on the property.

According to a report this week by WOWT Channel 6 News, the chosen auction company, Auction Solutions, issued a release stating that after 12 years in business, Tincher is ready to step away. Track General Manager Jim Howe echoes those words, explaining that the owner is looking to turn to a new chapter in life, void of the ups and downs of operating a raceway.

Howe remains confident that a racing-minded buyer will step up to the plate to assume the ownership role of the multi-use facility, allowing operations to continue in 2014 with little to no disruption or drastic changes.

Envisioned as a national-level, multi-purpose driving facility with modern day features, the road course of the Mid America Motorplex was completed in April of 2002, with the drag strip following one year later in April of 2003. The track is NHRA sanctioned, hosting Summit E.T. bracket racing events, heads-up street car races, motorcycle drags, and more. The track boasts 40 employees, most of whom are seasonal part-time workers.

For those curious, the auction goes down at 10 a.m. on November 23.