The Biloxi Dragway was a
NHRA
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...
/AHRA-sanctioned Quarter-Mile Drag Strip located in
Biloxi
Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
, Mississippi, United States and operated from August 18, 1957 to July 1, 1967.
History
Many drag racing pioneers raced at Biloxi.
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits,
Tommy Ivo
Tommy Ivo (born April 18, 1936), also known as "TV Tommy" and "Instant Ivo" is an American actor and drag racer, who was active in the 1960s racing community.
Acting
Ivo was born in Denver, Colorado. His acting career began in the early 1940s, ...
,
Art Arfons
Arthur Eugene Arfons (February 3, 1926 – December 3, 2007) was the world land speed record holder three times from 1964 to 1965 with his ''Green Monster'' series of jet-powered cars, after a series of ''Green Monster'' piston-engine and j ...
,
Chris Karamesines,
Ronnie Sox, and Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge. Locals, Paul VanderLey, Candies & Wale / Hughes, and Joe Teuton. 101 Hall of Fame associations are currently documented with the Biloxi Dragway.
Built by Earl C. Nolan for $30,000, the strip operated under the name of the "Gulf Coast Drag Strip" from 1957-1964. On May 8, 1960 an incident took place with a dragster crashing in to the fence toward Hwy 67 caused the ownership to change hands, with events being canceled in 1962. From 1962 Harvey & Bill Walther operated the venue till its closure in 1967.
Early on Keesler field men under the name "Keesler Coasters" competed in a dragster representing
Keesler Air Force Base
Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, a city along the Gulf Coast in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. The base is named in honor of aviator 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler Jr., a Mississippi nati ...
.
On Dec 22, 1963 A Nationally Ranked Match for Drag News took place for number 4 in the United States. Albert Waits vs Vance Hunt.
Many Championship Events were held at the dragway, such as the yearly Mississippi State Championship, three Gasser Championships, and a B/Stock Championship.
Classes included:
Motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...
s,
Gassers, Super Stock,
Funny Cars, and
Dragsters
Since 2006 Gulf Coast
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...
Michael "Cory" Evans has extensively researched the history of the Biloxi Dragway. Local and national racers have since shared there experiences for the website, and upcoming book. In 2018 Cory Evans recreated the Biloxi Dragway for the video game
BeamNG.drive as it appeared in 1967.
References
{{reflist
External links
Official Site
Racing