60-year-old beloved New Jersey racing institution may be destroyed to make way for housing development
Published on Jul 21, 2025 at 5:34 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Jul 18, 2025 at 12:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, a New Jersey racing institution for the past six decades, is facing an uncertain future.
A large section of the historic motorsport venue could soon be cleared to make way for a new housing development.
The plan is part of a statewide push for affordable housing – but for racing fans, it feels like the beginning of the end for a local icon.
And they aren’t the only ones unhappy.
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Plans are already in motion to redevelop part of the track’s land
Opened in 1965, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park made a name for itself in drag racing – hosting everything from grassroots events to major NHRA competitions.
But drag racing shut down in 2018 due to rising costs.
Since then, the rest of the 534-acre venue has remained active with drifting, motocross, karting, and even a round of the Formula Drift championship.
Now, that too could be under threat. Township officials are considering a plan to build 600 homes on the site.
It’s part of a statewide push for more affordable housing, with Old Bridge assigned a target of 673 units under New Jersey’s Fair Share Housing Plan.
Only half the land is viable for construction due to environmental limits, but that’s still a major portion. Some motorsport space could remain, along with commercial and retail areas – but nothing’s guaranteed.
Town leaders themselves admit they’re not happy about it.
“If it were up to me, I’d put up a ‘closed for building’ sign in this town,” one planning board member said. “But if we don’t comply, we get sued.”
This isn’t the first redevelopment for this New Jersey racing institution
In 2023, Raceway Park fought a similar plan that aimed to rezone part of the property for single-family homes.
They sued the town, calling it a move that would ‘rob them of their use of the property.’
Negotiations have been ongoing ever since. And the latest twist came last month, when the planning board voted to begin the formal process of evaluating whether the site qualifies as an ‘area in need of redevelopment.’
Park-goers fear this time may be the beginning of the end.
It’s a scenario playing out across the US – just last year, Atco Dragway shut down after 63 years of operation. Now Raceway Park could follow.
If the redevelopment goes ahead, the US state won’t just lose a racetrack – it’ll lose a massive piece of its motorsport history in the form of this New Jersey racing institution.
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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.
