Greater Des Moines Drag Strip/Des Moines Dragway

Dennis and Larry Day built this strip on their father Ernest Day’s farm, four miles northwest of Des Moines and 3 1/2 miles south of Grimes. It was 3,500 feet long and 60 feet wide, with the quarter mile paved and an oiled dirt shutdown. The Greater Des Moines Council of Automobile and Motorcycle Clubs sponsored the races. A May 30 opening slipped to a two-day opener on July 13-14, 1957, and Mayor Ray Mills dedicated the strip before the Sunday race, which drew 3,000 people.

Racers came from several states each week and took many of the trophies and records. Frank Galuska of Monmouth, Illinois, won top eliminator in his dragster at 110.42 mph on August 4. George Roseland of Omaha won the automobile division at 110.70 the next week, and Duane Burson, also of Omaha, beat 165 entries at 118.42. George Bowles of Moline, Illinois, set a track record of 119.20 mph on September 1 before 2,500 people, at a two-day meet with more than 300 cars, more than ran at the Nationals in Oklahoma City. Galuska came back on September 15 for a record 120.96. On September 22 Bob Johnson won top eliminator in his dragster at 107.84 mph and 12.57, and Bob Elic of Omaha set a strip record of 121.78 mph in 11.12 seconds. Gene Stanley of Omaha won on September 29 at 12.65 and 120.00, and Bill Barbour of Omaha raised the record to 124.65 mph on October 13.

Writing in Drag News on November 2, 1957, Don Elliott reported that the strip, about 15 miles northwest of Des Moines off Highway 6, finished its first regular season on October 20 under NHRA sanction and was a success both financially and competitively. Dennis Day, president and main stockholder of the corporation, said public reaction had been very good, which showed in the crowds. Elliott said the special high-abrasive asphalt gave such good traction that the Fall Championship produced a rash of broken axles and differentials, and racers had to drive and gear for it almost as if it were concrete. He called the facilities, including an air-conditioned tower, fully adequate, noted the strip record of 126.50 mph, and doubted it would survive the first meet of the next season.

The 1958 season opened with a two-day race on April 5-6 and again drew big crowds and fields. Night racing began on Saturday, August 2, 1958, though only cars with headlights could race, to add to the strip’s lights. Howdy Williams of Omaha closed the season on October 26 with a record 129.49 mph. Another out-of-stater, Dick Witherby of Rockford, Illinois, opened 1960 on April 24 with a record 140.62 mph in 11.21 seconds before 2,995 fans. From 1961 until it closed in 1967 it was called Des Moines Dragway, and in mid-1961 the full 3/4-mile length was paved.

Missourian Lou Cangelose smashed the strip record on April 29, 1962, with a 9.02 at 173.01 mph in his A fuel dragster. On May 13, 1962, 3,000 fans watched Art Arfons run 225 mph in 3.79 seconds in his “Green Monster” jet dragster, an unofficial world record he couldn’t back up. Rod Stuckey set a track record of 181 mph on May 30. That June burglars stole the timing clocks, and that and other troubles led Ernest Day to halt racing until September 23, 1962. It reopened then under new manager Bob Johnson, who ran it more conservatively and stopped booking the big names who had come early in 1962. AHRA sanctioned the strip in 1964. On July 5, 1965, Ed Stoffles of Milwaukee won top fuel and set a track record of 184 mph in 8.43 seconds. A housing development begun in 2000 wiped out the old strip.