SPRINGFIELD, IL: During a time when more racetracks are closing than opening, the revival of Skiview Drags becomes the drag racing community’s latest feel-good story. Skiview Drags’ first chapter begins with a multi-year sanction agreement with the World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA).
Founded in 2004, but subsequently closed in 2018, racers around Skiview Drags are fortunate to have a new owner who is committed to restoring the facility to even better standards than before. The goal is for Skiview Drags to become a thriving part of the New York motorsports landscape once again with its eighth mile drag strip and half-mile concrete oval track.
“It’s been an exciting development to watch the rebirth of such an amazing facility,” said WDRA Director Jon O’Neal. “The time, effort, and money it takes to take on such an endeavor can be staggering. Luckily, there’s a dedicated group of individuals along with a supportive community surrounding the cause at Skiview. I feel privileged to be able to be a small sliver of that.”
Pat Schrader, a veteran racer, is the new drag racing operations manager and will oversee that portion of the 440-acre facility located in Tioga Center, New York. Schrader competed at Skiview during its original fourteen-year lifespan which sparked a sentimental desire to facilitate its rebirth.
“I’m a racer and I’m just trying to get this done so we can all enjoy it,” said Schrader with Skiview Drags. “The willingness of the WDRA to build programs and partners that align with our needs in this rebuild will be a benefit to both the operation as a business and the racers as patrons.”
The community echoes Schrader’s excitement as he has received hundreds of messages from former racers and fans explaining their eagerness to return to Skiview Drags. Even a small army of volunteers is working on multiple rehabilitation projects in preparation for the reopening date of April 27, 2024.
Schrader explains, “The outpouring of support we have received from the community has been great. The family feel at this facility is so strong and the WDRA fits our needs in supporting each other. I overwhelmingly heard that I should ‘just call Jonny O’ as he has a connection to the facility and the racers here.”
Racers at Skiview Drags will now get to participate in the $250,000 WDRA Summit Sportsman Drag Racing Series while enjoying an assortment of benefits and discounts exclusively provided to WDRA members and facilities. At the end of the season, Skiview competitors will get the opportunity to race at Keystone Raceway Park during the WDRA Summit Eastern Bracket Finals and at Montgomery International Dragway for the WDRA Summit World Championship.
About WDRA
The mission of the WDRA is to provide value as a sanctioning body to racers and facilities through process modernization, unparalleled service, and value-driven partnerships. For more information, visit our website at www.racewdra.com.
About Skiview Drags
Skiview Drags in Tioga Center, NY is an eighth mile drag strip that sits adjacent to a half-mile oval that opened in 2004 as the culmination of a dream. The owner, George Swansbrough, had dreamed of putting a drag strip on top of a mountain in the heart of beautiful upstate New York. The 440-acre facility closed in 2018 but was recently purchased and brought back to life with an April 2024 reopening date.
