36°
The schedule for the remainder of the year has been canceled, the raceway said on Facebook Tuesday night, July 18.
“Thank you all for your patronage and memories over the years,” the Camden County stadium wrote without providing a reason.
The post drew more than 1,100 reactions and more than 450 comments on DragCoverage's Facebook page.
Ron Gilbert said: "Breaks my heart! My son is gonna be really upset! Glad he was able to experience and run his car before it closed."
"I'm so sad! It was on my short-term bucket list to be able to race my car at," Crystal Marie added.
"Lotta good times there!" William Aperson noted. "Don't have any of the trophies any more! Just memories!"
Atco Dragway was billed as the oldest drag-racing strip in New Jersey. It was the first official drag strip in New Jersey, originally opening in the Atco section of Waterford Township in 1960
The post said the racetrack is immediately and permanently closed.
The strip’s event calendar had listed dozens of events scheduled through November, including events this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday that are now canceled.
The announcement came just days after the 29th annual Pan American Nationals were held at the racetrack.
“Special thank you to our 29th annual Pan American Nationals racers and crowd for making Atco Dragway’s last event the biggest and best one ever. This isn’t the end for import racing in the northeast!” the Facebook post said.
In June 2020, a Change.org petition was created to save the drag strip from becoming an auction site.
Its future was unclear as of press time.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Lower Merion-Narberth and receive free news updates.
