Johnsville Naval Air Station (Warminster)
ClosedClosed No longer racing, but some of the track is still there.
Also known as Johnsonville Naval Air Development Center
- Youth-group benefit races in 1963 and 1964 drew about 2,000 spectators and 162 cars
- Raced
- 1954, 1963-64
- State
- Pennsylvania
- What's left
- A good length of the old track surface is still there, in poor to good condition.
- Raced on
- A military airfield
- First race
- 1954
- Last race
- May 31, 1964
- Track
- 8,000-foot runway
- Surface
- Paved runway
- Location
- On a runway at the Naval Air Station (Naval Air Development Center)
- Sanction
- NHRA
- Elevation
- 362 ft (110 m)
- Coordinates
- 40.20107, -75.05860
Ray Frattone went to a drag race on a runway at the naval air station in 1954. On October 20, 1963, the Warminster Youth Activities Organization held an NHRA-sanctioned drag race on a newly paved 8,000-foot runway at the Naval Air Development Center, with the money going to the group’s building fund. The same group sponsored another NHRA race on a runway there on May 31, 1964, conducted by the Rotary Club and the Meter Menders Rod and Custom Club of York. About 2,000 people watched 162 cars race for class and eliminator trophies, and Gary Tomasulo of Philadelphia won top stock eliminator.
Background
The Navy ran this Warminster base from 1949 to 1993 as the Naval Air Development Center, also known as NADC Johnsville or simply Johnsville. It also carried the name Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster, and it's no longer a Navy installation.
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