The first time I became aware of official drag racing in Alaska was over ten years ago. It was the day I made my first climb up the Butte, a tall hill in the middle of the community of Butte just south of Palmer, Alaska on the Old Glenn Highway. I had heard stories from my grandpa about his late night escapades racing around Anchorage back in the 50s and 60s, but had never known there was a legal venue. Just as I reached the top of the Butte, which sits at the base of Pioneer Peak, overlooking the Knik Glacier, my attention was quickly drawn to a long stretch of pavement sitting isolated from the main roadways. I had to ask my hiking companions what I was seeing. They were able to inform me it was the Alaska Raceway Park. From the distance I could vaguely hear the deep roar of engines and I sensed the energy and excitement of a world of racing and fast speeds completely unfamiliar to me.
The Alaska Raceway Park has had a long and evolving history since it first opened in 1964, the same year as the notorious Good Friday Earthquake. Originally it was called the Polar Dragway, and through the decades it has been known by many names, and multiple operators have leased the track. In 1994 the track’s name was settled to its current one by Top End, Inc after they purchased the raceway from the original owner and operator, Lee Nelson. In 1998, Earl and Karen Lackey, co-owners of Top End, Inc, purchased the remaining interest in the raceway and have maintained ownership and operated it for the last sixteen years.
In their first years of ownership the Lackeys made extensive improvements to the park. Most notable was in the year 2000 when they replaced the thirty-five year old race track. With precise machinery they repaved 4,100 feet of asphalt along with a 300 foot heated concrete launch pad. Just recently an expansion of their racing activities was approved by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly, so land is currently being cleared and the park will be able to hold more forms of racing in the near future.
This year [2014] is especially noteworthy for the Alaska Raceway Park because it marks the 50th anniversary of the raceway’s existence. The Alaska Raceway Park has had a full season of special events which will continue on into September. They are part of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and are looking forward to racing for many more years to come. If you have not yet checked them out you can join the action at Mile 10.4 of the Old Glenn Highway. Check out their website www.alaskaracewaypark.com for more information and a current schedule of events.
The first time I became aware of official drag racing in Alaska was over ten years ago. It was the day I made my first climb up the Butte, a tall hill in the middle of the community of Butte just south of Palmer, Alaska on the Old Glenn Highway. I had heard stories from my grandpa about his late night escapades racing around Anchorage back in the 50s and 60s, but had never known there was a legal venue. Just as I reached the top of the Butte, which sits at the base of Pioneer Peak, overlooking the Knik Glacier, my attention was quickly drawn to a long stretch of pavement sitting isolated from the main roadways. I had to ask my hiking companions what I was seeing. They were able to inform me it was the Alaska Raceway Park. From the distance I could vaguely hear the deep roar of engines and I sensed the energy and excitement of a world of racing and fast speeds completely unfamiliar to me.
The Alaska Raceway Park has had a long and evolving history since it first opened in 1964, the same year as the notorious Good Friday Earthquake. Originally it was called the Polar Dragway, and through the decades it has been known by many names, and multiple operators have leased the track. In 1994 the track’s name was settled to its current one by Top End, Inc after they purchased the raceway from the original owner and operator, Lee Nelson. In 1998, Earl and Karen Lackey, co-owners of Top End, Inc, purchased the remaining interest in the raceway and have maintained ownership and operated it for the last sixteen years.
In their first years of ownership the Lackeys made extensive improvements to the park. Most notable was in the year 2000 when they replaced the thirty-five year old race track. With precise machinery they repaved 4,100 feet of asphalt along with a 300 foot heated concrete launch pad. Just recently an expansion of their racing activities was approved by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly, so land is currently being cleared and the park will be able to hold more forms of racing in the near future.
This year [2014] is especially noteworthy for the Alaska Raceway Park because it marks the 50th anniversary of the raceway’s existence. The Alaska Raceway Park has had a full season of special events which will continue on into September. They are part of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and are looking forward to racing for many more years to come. If you have not yet checked them out you can join the action at Mile 10.4 of the Old Glenn Highway. Check out their website www.alaskaracewaypark.com for more information and a current schedule of events.
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Anne Sanders was born and raised in Alaska. She graduated with a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Alaska Anchorage. With a love for the written word, she recognizes the treasure of stories and fascinating people Alaska offers. Paired with her husband Cecil who compliments her narratives with his eye for the visual, Anne is on a mission to bring her beloved home of Alaska to life on the pages of Last Frontier Magazine.
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