Darana Motorsports Park (Benson)
ActiveActive Still racing today.
Also known as New Dunn-Benson Dragway; GALOT Motorsports Park; Dunn-Benson Dragstrip
The former GALOT Motorsports Park is branded Darana Motorsports Park - Benson and was offered for auction in 2026.
- Raced
- ca. 1960-present
- State
- North Carolina
- Raced on
- Built as a drag strip
- First race
- about 1960 (owners say 1957)
- Track
- 1/8 mile
- Address
- 555 Dragstrip Rd
Benson, NC 27504 - People
- Dallas Parker, builder
- Roger and Brian Williams, owners (2010)
- Earl Wells, owner, GALOT Racing (2013-)
- Sanction
- IHRA
- Elevation
- 235 ft (72 m)
- Coordinates
- 35.32136, -78.51223
Big races
PDRA East Coast Nationals
A stop on the PDRA eighth-mile series featuring Pro Mod, Pro Boost, Pro Nitrous, Pro Street and junior dragster classes. In 2026 the series also finished its rained-out Carolina Nationals here the same weekend.
PDRA DragWars
The late-season PDRA race at Benson, one of the last stops before the series world finals.
North vs. South
A track-promoted heads-up race pitting northern and southern racers against each other.
History
Dallas Parker built the Dunn-Benson Dragstrip, and W.C. Williams has described its early days. The current owners, GALOT Racing, say it opened in 1957, but records of its start are thin and nothing confirms that, so about 1960 is the best estimate for now. In 2010 Roger and Brian Williams owned it as the New Dunn-Benson Dragway. Earl Wells, founder and owner of GALOT Racing, bought it in 2013, made major improvements and renamed it GALOT Motorsports Park. GALOT stands for “Get a Load of This.” It took NHRA sanction in 2016 and runs eighth-mile races. Its early years need more research.
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