MANA — “Motor enthusiasts, start your engines!” The command from Gov. Neil Abercrombie was welcomed by thousands of people who flocked to the Kauai Raceway Park over the weekend to celebrate the completion of the $1.3 million renovation project. “We
MANA — “Motor enthusiasts, start your engines!”
The command from Gov. Neil Abercrombie was welcomed by thousands of people who flocked to the Kauai Raceway Park over the weekend to celebrate the completion of the $1.3 million renovation project.
“We had more than 1,400 paid viewers Friday night during the fifth annual Rudy Ramos event, and we anticipate more than 2,000 paid spectators for the Jr. Dragster Challenge,” said Tony Ricci, president of the Garden Isle Racing Association, host of the weekend drag races.
The blessing marked the end of a four-year journey, including 18 months when the race track was completed closed after GIRA started to work on a plan to redo the facility to promote safe motorsports by hosting family-oriented community events and educating and encouraging safe driving on public roads.
And the end project pleased racers.
“This is almost a perfect track,” said Louis Rodriguez Jr., a former Mainland nitro funny car driver and longtime NHRA-certified starter at the Kauai Raceway Park. “The track is at sea level, one of the very few that is at sea level, and has zero air. This is perfect. Before the renovations, you could see the crown change with the tide because just three feet below the surface, there is the water table.”
Rodriguez said reworking the track improved conditions for drivers resulting in good speeds.
Walt Barnes, a GIRA official and longtime racer at Kauai Raceway Park, said the overall goal was safety.
“It is way safer,” Barnes said. “The surface is now smooth. The cracks which used to collect debris are gone. We now have a flatter surface where the tires can grip better resulting in faster times down the track.”
Rep. Dee Morikawa said while the project came in at $1.3 million dollars, a lot of volunteer work from the community helped out.
“This one is for you, Peter Ishibashi,” Morikawa said. “A few years back, you said if you had a million dollars, just think of what you could do with this track.”
The project was administered by an Oahu-based firm, Limtiaco, who worked on the design and construction phases. A lot of the work was done by GIRA volunteers and community sponsors.
The quality of the completed track offers top-notch racing conditions for racers while improving spectator views.
Mike Rice of California, an official with the NHRA, the umbrella for GIRA, presented Ambercrombie and GIRA with a plaque announcing the Kauai Raceway Park as the Most Improved Facility in the Pacific Region for 2012.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
