The state of Florida is home to fantastic drag racing tracks like the NHRA’s Gainesville Raceway, Bradenton Motorsports Park, and Orlando Speed World Dragway. While these tracks continue to thrive, other tracks like Palm Beach International Raceway and Emerald Coast Dragway have closed. It looks like Immokalee Regional Raceway will soon be added to the list of tracks closed in the Sunshine State as well.
The Immokalee Regional Raceway was started over 20 years ago by Ralph Hester. Hester opened the race track at the Immokalee Airport after learning that locals needed a place to legally race. The airport worked with Hester to make this possible, and locals responded by coming to the race track in droves. The Immokalee Regional Raceway’s bracket racing program has flourished over the years, and many people bring their street cars to the track on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, the airport has decided to expand by building more hangars and leasing the land where the racetrack is located. Hester has negotiated a deal with the future tenants of the expansion that will allow the racetrack to operate until March 2025, after which the Immokalee Regional Raceway will be shut down for good.
According to Cape Coral’s Fox 4, Hester has looked into the possibility of relocating the track, but he is unable to find the funds or land necessary to make it happen in the near future. It’s a shame that the state of Florida and the sport of drag racing are losing another facility. This is a painful reminder of how important it really is to be positive and support your local track.
