Thursday, July 20, 2000

Checkered Flag
At least one drag strip will come to Abilene
Land deal near Abilene Speedway almost complete for building smaller-scale facility
By Ted Dunnam

When plans fell through to bring big-time drag racing to Abilene, Orville and Virginia Pirraglia figured that they had to stomp their foot on the accelerator.

The couple has acquired 174 1/2 acres of land near Abilene Speedway and Mesquite Hills Motocross Park for a smaller-scale facility, but one which certainly could serve the needs for avid drag racers.

Virginia says the land sale should be completed Friday.

“This is something we started working on right at the end of May,’’ she said. “We’re drag racers ourselves and Orville is a member of the Abilene Performance Car Association, and he’s helped with the Abilene Shootout Drag Race here.

“When we heard the rumor of the big track deal moving out of Abilene, that’s when we started working on ours. There are so many drag racers in this area, and we want them to have a place to here to race.’’

The track will be a one-eighth-mile strip, probably of an asphalt surface.

“We looked at doing the whole thing in concrete and weighed the pros and cons,’’ Virginia said. “But the cost goes way up if you use concrete.’’

Once drawings of the facility are finalized, then contract work will begin.

“If everything goes as planned, I’d like to start saying we could do dirt work within two weeks,’’ Virginia said.

Abilene’s city board of adjustments approved a request by the Pirraglias, who live in Merkel, to allow a racing facility on land that is zoned as an agriculture open space. A special exemption of the board approved nine days ago will enable the couple to build the $500,000 drag strip near the two existing racing facilities.

Meanwhile, Paul Lenker and Mike Dohrse, promoters of the Star of Texas Raceway facility, are still trying to find a home for their proposed track in the Big Country. It is a proposed quarter-mile drag strip intended to host International Hot Rod Association events as its main attraction.

Several communities in the Big Country have shown interest, but thus far nothing has been finalized.

Fan participation

Spectator races will be held Saturday night at Abilene Speedway with the winner pocketing $50. Fans may bring their street cars from the parking lot for one-on-one single-lap elimination races.

IMCA modifieds, limited late models, super stocks, street stocks, mini modifieds and pure stocks will be featured this weekend at the track.

Contact assistant sports editor Ted Dunnam at dunnamt@abinews.com or at 676-6771. We are on the Web at sports.texnews.com.