Texas Raceway Closes Forever – Site Set For Land Re-Development

51BobbyMarriott

Texas’ famed Texas Raceway, which has hosted drag racing in the city of Kennedale since 1961, announced on Monday that — barring a miracle — it’s gates will remain forever closed after the city government ruled against its continued operation.

Track owners Dave and Cindi McMillan issued the following statement, expressing their sadness  over the decision and their appreciation for all of those who been a part of their racing lives over the years:

We had planned to race in 2017 but due to circumstances beyond our control it’s no longer an option. We are saddened by this situation but as I was reminded recently “Sometimes life isn’t fair – Dave and Cindy McMillan

We had planned to race in 2017 but due to circumstances beyond our control it’s no longer an option. We are saddened by this situation but as I was reminded recently “Sometimes life isn’t fair”. As a result, Texas Raceway will not reopen for drag racing.

We want to thank you the racers, fans, our race crew and staff for their support all these years. It’s been a wonderful 15 seasons. We want to thank Gaylen Smith and Shan Morgan for their time and their dedication they bring to this sport. These folks have always supported the racers. We hope you will continue to support Texas Outlaw Pro Mod’s and the Redemption No Prep Series. We also want to thank our sponsors who have supported us. Painless Performance Products has been a very good friend to the track and continues to support racers and hot rod enthusiasts. Reher – Morrison has always backed the track and racers. Smith Motorsport, Brink Racecraft and RockAuto.com have been great supporters. Tom Carrell; Crowley Service Center has been sponsoring the street program for years and to all those that have helped the track in so many ways; thank you. As my dad once said; “May you lights always be green, your motor never blow up and your win light always on.”

Dragzine is working to obtain a comment from the McMillan’s on the matter, but according to various reports, the city of Kennedale has long wished to gain tax revenue from the land by utilizing it for commercial or residential use. According to report by the Kennedale News in November, a contractual agreement was in place with the city to shudder the strip following the close of the 2016 season, but since that time, the McMillan’s have alluded to racing activities moving forward, even going so far as issuing a schedule for the 2017 season.

The strip is located along New Hope Road in Kennedale, just a few miles southeast of Fort Worth, and has been home to three different racing venues over the years, including Texas Raceway, the Kennedale Speedway Park, which is still operational but also reportedly slated for closure in the near future, and the defund Cowtown Speedway, all of which are located within less than half a mile of one another.

According to the Kennedale News report, the McMillan’s, who purchased the strip in 2002, were advised in 2013 of the city’s plan to close both of the remaining racing venues and have, in good faith, worked with developers interested in the property while continuing to run the dragstrip in the years since.

About the author

Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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