LIHU‘E — Drag racing at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana will be delayed until at least the Fourth of July race. Members of the Garden Isle Racing Association board of directors met with Gov. Neil Abercrombie Friday for an
LIHU‘E — Drag racing at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana will be delayed until at least the Fourth of July race.
Members of the Garden Isle Racing Association board of directors met with Gov. Neil Abercrombie Friday for an update on the release of funds for improvements to Kaua‘i’s Westside racetrack.
The Kaua‘i Raceway, on state lands managed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, is scheduled to be repaved and have safety improvements work done.
During the meeting, Abercrombie said the bidding and contractor selection process was complete and work at the Mana track should start very soon. The governor said he already signing the authorization to release $1 million for the work.
“We really appreciate the state’s attention to the track,” GIRA president Tony Ricci said. “The support and partnership from the state will help GIRA fulfill its mission to promote safe motorsports, to host family-oriented community events, and to educate and encourage safe driving on public roads.”
While work is being done on the track, GIRA has curtailed its monthly drag racing, states the Dragrace Kaua‘i website.
There are no races scheduled from March through June while the repaving and safety improvement work is being done.
“We’re okay to miss a few races to get a better and safer track,” said Jesse Kealoha, a longtime racer, echoing the sentiments of other racers.
Kealoha said Kaua‘i is home to the fastest dragster in the state, but that record was set on the Maui track which was resurfaced in 2011.
“Our Mana track has not been resurfaced since it was built many years ago,” said Glen Montemayor, a GIRA director who has seen three generations of his family race at Mana. “We really need this to help GIRA get more street racers off the streets and into a safe, sanctioned environment.”
Abercrombie was also treated to a visit with several of Kaua‘i’s Junior Dragsters who rolled their vehicles to the meeting.
The Junior Dragsters are scheduled to be among the first drivers to use the resurfaced track, the Jr. Dragster Challenge tentatively scheduled for July 5 and 6, according to the Dragrace Kaua‘i website.
GIRA is a nonprofit organization which promotes safe motorsports and responsible street driving.
GIRA hosts NHRA-sanctioned drag racing at the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in Mana and includes classes for street-legal cars, imports, Jr. Dragsters, and purpose-built race cars.
Visit dragrace-kauai.com for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
