The drag strip was built on what became a racing complex comprising a dirt oval track, road course, and sand drag strip. In 1973, the track briefly closed when the promoters failed to keep up with their lease rent. This was just the first of an on-again, off-again history of racing at the track. After their lease with the James Campbell Estate ran out, the drag strip had to close.

 

 

CLICK HERE to see video slide show of Hawaii Raceway Park in the 1960s, 6:12 minutes, music only/no sound

CLICK HERE to see brief 8mm video clip of Hawaii Dragway, produced by James Amos, pan to 6:24 minute mark thru 6:39 minute mark

2004 aerial view of Hawaii Raceway Park

1986. Courtesy of Tracy Arakaki

 

Drag races took place on a runway of the WWII airfield at the very northern-most tip of Oahu. There were three old WWII airfields in close proximity to each other on the northern part of the island. The Kahuku Point Airfield at the very tip had the most facilities of the three. It had two paved runways and a taxiway paralleling the northern runway. Walter Dick recalled, "I was one of the group that initiated drag racing at the Kahuku strip. I was a 'founder' of the local hot rod club (circa 1952). We negotiated with the local Philipino farmer leaseholder for access to the site. We used the end of the South segment of the strip. We had to chase the cows off before we could race. The North segment of the strip had the antenna field for the RCA short-wave transmitting site and also served as a National Guard summer campground.

 

 

July 4, 1961

 

Research help is needed to determine the years this strip operated and details about its history. Races were held at the Kona Airport, which had been built and opened in 1970. Drag races began at least as early as 1977, when the strip operated under NHRA sanction.

 

 

Listing in ​​​​​​​National Dragster, Dec. 23, 1977. Courtesy of Mel Bashore

 

Drag races began in 1971 under NHRA sanction. It was first called Mana Raceway. Located just northwest of Kekaha, It still runs quarter-mile races today, called Kauai Raceway Park, under NHRA sanction and operated by the Garden Isle Racing Association. It is also locally called Mana Drag Strip. In 2013, the strip was renovated and resurfaced with $1.3 million from the state legislature. The racing surface had deteriorated greatly, last being resurfaced back in 1972. It reopened in 2014, after 18 months of refurbishing and track improvements.

 

 

Listing in ​​​​​​​National Dragster, Dec. 23, 1977. Courtesy of Mel Bashore

CLICK HERE to see TV news feature on Kauai Raceway in 2010, 1:43 minutes

 

This quarter-mile NHRA-sanctioned drag strip is located at the old Puunene Army Airfield north of Kihei.  Drag racing on Maui dates back to probably the 1950s when racers used the old airfield for impromptu racing. In 1963, the Valley Isle Timing Association was founded and VITA sponsored racing on the airfield that year. Accoriding to the track's official website, VITA-sponsored racing at Maui is (in 2016) in its "42nd consecutive race season." This calculates to 1974 for continuous racing operation. Maui Drag Strip first came under NHRA sanction in 1977.

 

 

Listing in ​​​​​National Dragster, Dec. 23, 1977. Courtesy of Mel Bashore

CLICK HERE to see video footage of Maui Raceway Park, 2011,  8 minutes