Madras Airport Drag Strip

History

The Columbia Timing Association got permission for a drag race at Madras Municipal Airport on October 5, 1952, sponsored by the local VFW post, but it isn’t known whether it happened. In early January 1957 the newly formed Century Hot Rod Club was seeking permission to build a strip at the Madras Air Base that spring, with strong support from city policeman Henry Muzgay. A local historian of the strip says unsanctioned races ran as early as 1958, and that the Loafers Auto Club got the Madras Timing Association started. Jim Livingston, one of the first organizers, helped manage the track until 1972, when he left to buy Woodburn Drag Strip.

An NHRA points race in summer 1961 drew over 200 cars and about 2,000 spectators (Hot Rod, January 1962, pages 84-85). The Madras Timing Association ran races on May 6 and May 20, 1962, and a two-day NHRA bonus points meet on June 16-17 drew almost 500 racers, including Nelson & Martin’s Dragmaster Dart. Races in 1963 fell on May 12, May 26, June 9, June 23, September 22 and October 10. Class winners got trophies on April 5, 1964, and Bill Ireland was stock eliminator runner-up on April 19. The March 1969 Hot Rod listed it as NHRA sanctioned, with Livingston as manager. It still runs under NHRA.