Maple Grove Raceway to go to all-concrete racing surface

[NickHolt]

Maple Grove Raceway to go to all-concrete racing surface

Maple Grove Raceway (Jan 16, 2015) - Maple Grove Raceway's NHRA-sanctioned dragstrip will undergo a significant facelift in order to create a better, more consistent racing surface for its racers.

 

The track will be torn up beginning at the 770-foot point of the track and will continue past the finish line. The track currently is concrete from the starting line to the 770-foot point. The old paving will be replaced to create an all-concrete dragstrip from start to finish.

 

"We are making a significant investment in the track to create a better, more consistent surface for our racers," said MGR Vice President & General Manager Lex Dudas. "Maple Grove Raceway is famous as the NHRA's quickest and fastest track where national records are set. We are confident our racers will be excited about the improved surface and the fans will be thrilled with the speed and performance."

NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car champ Matt Hagan, who won the Funny Car final at the NHRA Nationals in October and went on to earn his second points championship, commented, "Maple Grove was the turning point for our team," said "It is where we took over the points lead and never looked back. I love racing at Maple Grove especially when the conditions are always so good, usually good enough to set a world record. The track is phenomenal, prep is phenomenal and the fans are phenomenal. I am looking forward to getting back there to try to set another world record.”

 

Erica Enders-Stevens won the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock championship and is a fan of MGR.

 

"This is great news," she proclaimed. "Maple Grove is a really cool track and when the weather conditions are good, the naturally-aspirated, 500-inch motors we use in our race cars can really make big horsepower. A lot of places say they are record-setting tracks, and it's true there have been records set elsewhere, but Maple Grove offers up those kinds of conditions every year so it's great to know the track will be able to handle it. It'll be good for the fans watching also. I love the facility."

 

Work on the track will commence as soon as the weather permits. The concrete work will be done by Descco Design & Construction in Fleetwood, Pa.

 

Due to the track reconstruction, drag racing at MGR will start on May 2. The spring flea market and swap meet will take place on the raceway grounds on April 11.

 

Now in its 53nd year of operation, historic Maple Grove Raceway is recognized as one of the leading NHRA-sanctioned drag strips in the United States. MGR’s 31st annual NHRA Keystone Nationals Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national event will take place Oct. 1-4, 2015.

 

For more information, call Maple Grove Raceway at 610-856-9210 or visit www.maplegroveraceway.com. Follow Maple Grove Raceway on Facebook and Twitter (@maplegrove).