Drag City (Ringgold)

Closed

Also known as Ringgold Dragway

Funny car racer Shirl Greer managed the track and promoted big races
Used an old traffic light as its starting light for several years

Raced: 1960-84
State: Georgia
What's left: You can still spot it in aerial photos, or broken pieces of the track surface remain.
On the site today: Undeveloped land owned by a church
Last race: 1984 season
Track: 1/5 mile
Location: Highway 41 at Salem Valley Road, two miles east of Ringgold
People: Shirl Greer, track manager (1970s)
Chuck Heath, manager
Sanction: IHRA
Elevation: 774 ft (236 m)
Coordinates: 34.91058, -85.07932

Drag City sat two miles east of Ringgold where Highway 41 meets Salem Valley Road, and it opened as a 1/5-mile track. It ran at the same time as another Ringgold strip, Brainard Optimist Drag Strip, and the two got along fine. For several years Drag City used an old traffic light in place of a Christmas tree. Funny car racer Shirl Greer managed it for a number of years and promoted some big races, mostly in the 1970s. In April 1972 the owner ran newspaper ads looking for someone to lease the track, pitching it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make big money quick. IHRA sanctioned it in later years, and it was called Ringgold Dragway while Chuck Heath managed it. The track closed after the 1984 season, and the guardrails, buildings and timing equipment were all removed. A church bought the 38-acre site but found the land flooded easily, so it stayed undeveloped. In 2010 it was listed for $275,000.

1971 topo map of site of Drag City, just east of Shookville

2009 aerial view of former site of Drag City

"Once in a life-time chance to make big money quick!"
1972 newspaper ad — "Once in a life-time chance to make big money quick!" 1972 newspaper ad

Terry Hood and Sherrill Gossett racing at Drag City

Jerry (driving) and Doug Potter (in white on right) at Drag City

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