Frederick Municipal Airport

The Road Angels Car Club of Frederick, under Middle Atlantic Timing Association supervision, began quarter-mile drag races at the airport on June 24, 1956. That day 2,500 spectators saw Mike Gurtizen win top eliminator and set an East Coast record of 125 mph in the Gent’s Roadster club’s rear-engine dragster from York, Pennsylvania. The second meet, July 15, drew 125 racers from Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and 4,000 fans, and Larry Hickey set a track record of 132.35 mph. The August 19 race drew 120 racers and 5,000 spectators, and the season finale on October 14 had 320 entries. Frederick County allowed the club only two races in 1957. In 1959 the Frederick Tall Cedars of Lebanon asked to hold three races and were turned down. Charlie Roberts remembered going to drag races there around 1961-62.