It was a great race track, they had a lot of history there. For decades, the racetrack was the jewel in the city’s crown. Back in the day, locals would flock there to watch the races. You’d see cars lined up on the racetrack, ready to go off. People would crowd around the fences, trying to get a glimpse of the action. It was one of the most popular venues in the whole city. But then, time passed, and the city stopped investing in it. It wasn’t until a few years back that the place started looking half-decent again. But since then, it’s been a long road to recovery. Now, it doesn’t even look like a real racetrack anymore. It’s just dirt and some old buildings that have been there for ages.
The Decline
In the early 2000s, the city decided that it couldn’t keep funding a dilapidated track. So, they stopped fixing it up. The last real update was back in 2014, when they repaved the entire thing. Since then, it’s just been a matter of time until complete destruction. As you can see in the pictures below, it’s definitely struggled since then. The grandstand was ripped down not too long ago, and has yet to be rebuilt. The pits haven’t been used in years, and the bathrooms look like they’d need an entire plumbing team to fix them up. You’d never know that this place used to be so special.
The Rebirth
A year or so ago, the city decided that enough was enough. They couldn’t let this place go to waste, so they started an overhaul. They tore down the old buildings and started over. For the last couple years, this place has been undergoing an amazing transformation. Despite the lack of progress for years, somehow the city managed to find the money for this renovation. The whole place has been rebuilt, from the ground up. This year, they even had a mini-reunion of sorts, with many car clubs and historical groups showing up to celebrate the place’s rich racing history. It was a beautiful thing to see.
The Revival
Unfortunately, even with all the funding and effort, this place still isn’t what it use to be. The new tracks still need a lot of work, and there are a lot of kinks to be worked out. But the city refuses to give up, and continues to work hard to make this place live up to its full potential. It’s taken a lot of time and a lot of money, but eventually they will find a way to make this place perfect. In the meantime, it’s still a great place to practice for cars and other vehicles. It even has a 3.7 mile road course that they use for testing. So, if you’re looking to hone your driving skills, this place can’t be beaten. It’s also the home of the Brackenridge Steamroller Show, which takes place every winter. So, if you want to see some vintage cars and motorcycles in action, you can’t do much better than this place. The historical nature of this place still draws people from all over the world. Despite all its problems, it’s still held a special place in the hearts of many. Even if it doesn’t look like it now, this place will surprise you – it really will.