Empire Dragway
Empire Dragway, formerly known as New York International Raceway Park, is a quarter-mile drag strip located in Leicester, New York.
Overview
The track first opened on August 29, 1971. The track was first owned by Peter Geib and Ron Mangone and Abe Hamza. Mr. Hamza was a concert promoter and Mr. Mangone was a successful contractor. Corwin Boddy designed the property area and Mr. Mangone's company built the track. Originally proposed as a full motorsports complex, there were ambitious plans to build a motorsports facility that would host oval racing, a full road course. In anticipation of hosting future National Events, a change of sanctioning bodies was made to IHRA in 1989 and held its first IHRA Empire Nationals the following year. Many schedule changes and facility improvements were made under Metcalfe's ownership.At the end of the 2013 season, a Livingston County successful businessman, Jerry Scaccia and wife Clara, purchased the facility and intended to operate it on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. The track has undergone many major improvements since the change in ownership—long needed basic maintenance, repaving, a new competitor entrance was constructed which made easier access for racers, much needed new drainage, rebuilt timing tower, updated timing system, improved lighting and installation of concrete barriers running the full length of the strip on both sides, with other minor changes as well. The Scaccia's first season began 4/19/2014; the inaugural full season ended 10/25/2014. The Scaccia's still own and operate the facility and continue to make further updates and improvements.