With No Plans or Leaseholder in Place for 2024, is Sturgis Dragway’s Future in Jeopardy?
The “off-season” when most race tracks are closed due to winter weather can bring about some off-the-wall and interesting stories. On Friday January 5th, we detailed about how Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park was starting on updates to the facility, including a new tower.
Over the weekend, rumors began swirling that Sturgis Dragway in South Dakota might be closing for the 2024 season, and possibly beyond.
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In trying to sift through the social media tidbits, we turned to Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive and Rocky Mountain Race Week announcer Adam Dorey, who recently relocated from Colorado to South Dakota.
He confirmed hearing rumors about the track’s possible closing, and Adam was named / suggested by some to be a part of the track coming back to operation.
Today, the track put out a statement on Facebook: “Due to the earlier post being shared on Facebook, we wish we could’ve been the ones to make this announcement. After much careful thought and consideration, countless nights of no sleep, crunching numbers trying to make this work, Black Hill Dragway LLC has decided not to renew the drag strip lease. We want to thank everyone who has supported us and became our friends and extended family these past years! This was inevitably one of the hardest decisions to make. We will miss all the people who made it possible!”
Sturgis Dragway, which first opened to enthusiasts in 1987, is the only track in South Dakota with National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) sanctioning. The track’s most recent event as held in October 2023, and it now stands cold with no leaseholder. Could the track be in danger of closing permanently, or can a new team step up to assume the lease and get the track operational for this season?
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sturgis Dragway.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com