LaPlace Dragway

LaPlace opened May 1, 1962, north of New Orleans on Highway 61. It was built on Haydel family land, Louis Haydel was president, and Tom and Bertele Lasseigne ran it. The asphalt strip, laid on a shell base, was 60 feet wide and 3,500 feet long, and it allowed both gas and fuel cars. In April 1963 Connie Swingle won top eliminator in Paul VanderLey’s A/FD at 8.50 and 171 mph, and a month later VanderLey raised the record to 173 mph. Bob Lace, 28, of Dallas was killed in time trials on September 8, 1963, when his car left the track at over 100 mph and rolled repeatedly.

NHRA divisional meets were held there in late September 1963 and on May 7, 1967. On October 20, 1968, Chris Karamesines beat Tommy Ivo in a match race with a best of 6.94 and 221.66 mph. The biggest crowd came on March 30, 1969, when 8,000 people saw David Chenevert of Metairie win over a fuel field that included world champion Bennie Osborn. Ron Godfrey became manager in 1970. One short history says the track used two Chevy-powered roller starters, so cars didn’t have to push-start on a fire-up road.

Tom Sanford bought the track in the early ’70s and soon sold it to Norman ‘Moose’ Pearah, who owned it from 1974 to the last races on March 22-23, 1980. LaPlace hosted the first Cajun Nationals on April 23-25, 1976. Full results are hard to find, but Lee Shepherd won Pro Stock and Richard Tharp won Top Fuel driving for Candies and Hughes.