About Maple Grove Raceway
Maple Grove Raceway is centered around a quarter-mile straight racetrack which features NHRA Drag Racing plus many specialized automotive-oriented events throughout the season. From nostalgia racing, Top Fuel dragsters, and jet-powered vehicles to Street Bike races and Street Legal Grudge racing, Maple Grove has something to offer for almost every type of automobile interest.
Maple Grove Raceway is entering its 62nd year of continuous operation in 2024, under new ownership! The Koretsky Family purchased Maple Grove Raceway in April of 2022. It is their mission to make Maple Grove Raceway the most premier racing facility on the East Coast. It is their goal to make Maple Grove home to many other events that promote a thrilling, family-oriented place, where everyone of all ages can enjoy. The beautiful land of Maple Grove hosts not only racing but also concerts, flea markets, festivals, and more. We look forward to seeing you at the Grove!
The History of Maple Grove Raceway
Learn the history of Maple Grove organized below by decade.
1923 – Alfred and Edna Stauffer purchase land in Brecknock Township for logging business. As each parcel is cleared, he starts to develop it.
1928 – Maple Grove Park swimming pool opens
1942 – Brecknock Speedway closes due to World War II.
1957 – Friendship Motorcycle Club receives Stauffer’s permission to run eighth-mile drag races. To cut down on number of rocks kicked up by the motorcycles, Stauffer paves starting line with concrete, a racing first. Strip is built inside of old oval track and runs parallel to Bowmansville Road, about 90 degrees from the today’s track on the spectator side.
1960 – A group of local racers from the Eastern Custom Car Association – including George Weiler, Carl Ruth, Bob Eveland and Lee Crupi – approaches Stauffer about converting track into full dragstrip that can be used by cars.
1962 – Maple Grove Drag-O-Way opens in August. Carved out of the terrain by John and Roy Stauffer, the track is a fifth-mile long and 30 feet wide.
1963 – Track is widened by 10 feet for safety and a dual-lane timer is installed. Alfred Stauffer and other family members visit Cecil Country Dragway for ideas and it’s decided to expand the track again for the ’64 season.
1964 – Bob Eveland leases Maple Grove Dragway and joins the NHRA divisional program. Track is lengthened to 4,000 feet long and 60 feet wide to allow quarter-mile racing. Bob Cassidy hits 180 mph in an AA/Gas Dragster and J.D. Zink runs 225 mph in a jet.
1965 – Lighting is added. Stauffer purchases the diesel power plant used during construction of Baltimore’s Harbor Tunnel for the lights. Stauffer dies in December at 80 while surveying another piece of property. Maple Grove leaves NHRA for NASCAR drag racing sanction.
1968 – Marvin Schwartz makes Top Fuel pass of 6.91 seconds and Ron Rivero hits 204 mph.
1969 – Maple Grove returns to the NHRA and receives one of five Northeast Division World Championship Series events.
1971 – Maple Grove gets its first Northeast Division points meet; First Pennsylvania Dutch Classic and Money Trail season series. Joe and Mike Lewis are named managers. Pit area size doubled for NHRA WCS meet, which draws 425 cars and 6,500 fans.
1972 – NHRA WCS washed out by tropical storm Agnes. Lex Dudas joins MGR staff in place of Joe Lewis. Bob Parmer makes pass of 6.96 in set AA/Fuel Altered national record.
1973 – In a memorable pass, Pat Dakin wins the Top Fuel title in the All-American Pro Series with a holeshot pass of 6.15 seconds that beats Don Garlits, who ran 6.14.
1974 – MGR is named Track of the Year in the NHRA Northeast Division. Local racer Larry Lombardo wins NHRA WCS in Pro Stock.
1975 – MGR wins NHRA Northeast Division Track of the Year award again as Lombardo repeats in the WCS.
1976 – NHRA Northeast Division track operators organize the first ET Finals where drivers from member tracks compete against each other for a team championship. Team Maple Grove took second place in the first Finals at York, Pa. Since then, Team Maple Grove has won 12 championships (the latest in 2010), the most for any track in the nation. At the Pennsylvania Dutch Classic, the legendary “Jungle Jim” Liberman wins the Funny Car title over teammate Roy Harris.
1977 – Top Fuel driver Bob Edwards dies during the semifinals at the Dutch Classic. Raymond Beadle wins the first U.S. Funny Car Nationals.
1978 – Another close call at the Dutch Classic as Gary Burgin defeats Ed McCulloch (6.14 to 6.15) for the Funny Car title. Paul “Dodger” Glenn dies of injuries suffered during semifinal Funny Car accident at the Winston WCS meet.
1979 – Lex Dudas leaves MGR to become director of the NHRA Southeast Division. Mike Lewis is named general manager. Don Garlits wins the final Dutch Classic Top Fuel championship with a record run of 5.96 seconds. Al Segrini wins the U.S. Funny Car Nationals with a pass of 5.97 that ties the mark set by Don “The Snake” Prudhomme. MGR is again Track of the Year in the Northeast Division.
1980 – Maple Grove Dragway, Inc., becomes a separate operating corporation, Mike Lewis is named president.
1981 – Electronic scoreboards are installed and Budweiser sponsors new NHRA Eastern Regional event. Dick LaHaie, Gary Burgin and Frank Iaconio win regional titles before 20,000.
1982 – NHRA Regional is discontinued, so Maple Grove and Budweiser revive the Super Stock Nationals as one of two NHRA Pro Bonus events. Winners of the event include Joe Amato (Top Fuel), Dale Pulde (Funny Car) and Frank Iaconio (Pro Stock). Track pioneer Carl Ruth wins in Top Alcohol Funny Car. Event draws three-day crowd of 25,000. Connie Kalitta runs an ET of 5.61 on new track surface to provisionally break don Garlits’ NHRA Top Fuel record of 5.63 set in 1975, but it wasn’t official because he couldn’t back it up. Maple Grove is named NED Track of the Year.
1983 – Winston and MGR agree to build a VIP building and a reserved seat grandstand. Amato and Iaconio repeat as Super Stock Nationals winners, while Frank Hawley wins in Funny Car. MGR is again Track of the Year in the Northeast Division.
1984 – NHRA awards MGR a national event in 1985. Rain forces postponement of Super Stock Nationals and another storm moves the Top Fuel and Funny Car finals to Englishtown, which are won by Connie Kalitta and Dale Pulde, respectively. Sportsman finals are finished at MGR two weeks later with Bill Walsh setting an NHRA record in Top Alcohol Dragster with a run of 6.33 and Fred Mandoline does the same in Alcohol Funny Car with a 6.32. More than 15,000 attend Super Chevy Sunday. Team Maple Grove wins first ET Finals championship. MGR is again Track of the Year in the Northeast Division.
1985 – First NHRA Nationals; winners of the inaugural event were Don Garlits (Top Fuel), Tim Grose (Funny Car) and Bruce Allen (Pro Stock). Facility improvements are made, including a second reserved-seat grandstand, expansion of the pit area and 2,000 feet of fence to speed traffic flow. MGR is again Track of the Year in the Northeast Division.
1986 – MGR is again Track of the Year in the Northeast Division.
1987 – MGR is again Track of the Year in the Northeast Division.
1989 – Mike Lewis leaves MGR to take a position with NHRA, George Case is promoted to vice president/general manager. The $1 million expansion program is completed with the opening of the VIP Hospitality tower, new grandstands and track lighting system. A Compulink timing and scoring system is installed. First side-by-side four-second Top Fuel pass is accomplished by Joe Amato and Shirely Muldowney at the NHRA Keystone Nationals.
1990 – To raise money for Darrell Gwynn’s medical bills after the racer is paralyzed in an accident, a benefit softball game is held between drivers from the NHRA and NASCAR at Reading’s FirstEngergy Stadium. Over 13,000 crowd the ballpark and $150,000 is raised.
1991 – New return road that brings racers directly into the pits is complete as is a 3,200-foot concrete guardwall down the length of the track. Electronic scale is added.
1992 – MGR celebrates 30th anniversary. Retaining wall behind the starting line is completed. Cory McClenathan is first Top Fuel driver to complete run in 4.7 seconds at NHRA Nationals.
1993 – MGR is again Track of the Year in the Northeast Division.
1994 – Mike Dunn and Blaine Johnson make first side-by-side Top Fuel pass in which both drivers eclipse 300 miles per hour at NHRA Nationals.
1995 – Team Maple Grove wins fifth ET Finals championship.
1996 –In the first Pro Stock Bike race at the NHRA Nationals, Angelle Sampey sets a national record with a pass of 7.373 seconds.
1997 – MGR celebrates 35th anniversary.
1999 – Lighting is improved in shutdown area.
2001 – Because of Sept. 11 attacks, NHRA Nationals are moved to October. MGR wins NED Track of the Year.
2002 – MGR celebrates 40th anniversary. First Geezers Reunion, which features nostalgia race cars, is held. Lucas Oil takes over sponsorship of the NHRA Nationals.
2003 – Due to hurricane-like weather, NHRA Nationals are moved from September to October.
2004 – New food court area is constructed, including a beer garden.
2005 – Toyo Tires takes over as sponsor for NHRA Nationals.
2007 – MGR celebrates 45th anniversary. The NHRA Nationals isn’t completed until Wednesday because of persistent rains. Sticking around to win are Doug Herbert (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Bike).
2008 – Lex Dudas is named vice president/general manager and Mark Dawson joins staff as director of racing operations. Timing system is upgraded to Compulink fiber optics and new LED scoreboards are installed. The Alfred Stauffer Memorial Walk of Fame and Victory Lane are constructed behind the pitside grandstands. Team Maple Grove wins 10th ET Finals championships.
2009 – Track is extended to 4,075 feet making it one of the 10 longest in the nation; 300 feet of pavement was added, along with a 250-foot sandtrap. Part of track that crosses Kachel Road at the end is aligned with the pavement.
2010 – Track opens a month later with a new surface, including an extension of the concrete launch pad to 820 feet. Several track records fall during the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals, including a national mark of 4.011 in Funny Car by Matt Hagan. Mark Dawson leaves to become director of racing operations at Auto Club Dragway in California, Anthony Winchester is promoted to track manager. Team Maple Grove wins unprecedented 12th Summit Racing ET Finals championship and fourth NHRA Junior Dragster Eastern Conference championship. Over $48,000 is raised for Darrell Gwynn Foundation as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the benefit softball game. Track walk is held. Maple Grove is named NHRA Northeast Division Track of the Year for the 12th time.
2011 – Auto-Plus takes over sponsorship of the Nationals. The 27th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals features two National records: Del Worsham, Top Fuel ET 3.735 and Jason Line Pro Stock ET 6.477. Worsham’s record pass came in a losing effort to Spencer Massey in the final of eliminations.
2012 – Maple Grove celebrates 50th anniversary with Anniversary Spectacular on June 23 with several dignitaries including grand marshal Don “The Snake” Prudhomme. Race features bracket cars, jet cars and Nostalgia Funny Cars, however Bob Motz’s jet truck steals the show. Four National records are set at the 28th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Natonals: Antron Brown, Top Fuel E.T. 3.701; Jack Beckman, Funny Car E.T. 3.986 and miles-per-hour 320.58; Andrew Hines, Pro Stock Motorcycle E.T. 6.728.
2013 – Team Maple Grove wins 13th Summit Racing ET finals championship. The Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals features three great days of sunny weather and fans pack the stands each day.
2014 -Anthony Winchester steps down as Track Manager. Jason Leber is promoted to Director of Racing Operations. The NHRA Nationals was once again a huge success even though a rain delay on Saturday morning.
2015 -Maple Grove Raceway’s concrete racing surface was extended in 2008 to the 770′ mark of the quarter mile track. In the spring of 2015 ownership elected to remove the remaining 550′ of asphalt and replace it with concrete, making Maple Grove one of the only total concrete quarter mile tracks in the east
2016 – The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Pennsylvania Dutch Classic celebrate the 45th anniversary of running at Maple Grove Raceway. The NHRA National event held at Maple Grove Raceway went through a name change days prior to the event when Dodge signed on to be the title sponsor. Making Maple Grove Raceway home of the Dodge NHRA Nationals. The National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) named Maple Grove Raceway the 2016 NMRA Track of the Year during MGR’s inaugural season with NMRA.
2017- George Weiler passes, Maple Grove Raceway has entertained motorsports enthusiasts from across the globe for the past 55 years but may not exist today without the initiative of George Weiler in 1961. Maple Grove Raceway wins National Hot Rod Association Northeast Division Dragstrip of the Year.
2018- Bill Bader Jr., Owner of Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, joins Maple Grove Raceway as a consultant during the transition of the search for a General Manager. Maple Grove Raceway has a sellout crowd for the Saturday of the Dodge NHRA Nationals.
2019- Maple Grove Raceway wins National Hot Rod Association Northeast Division Dragstrip of the Year.
2020- The nationwide locked down resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic caused Maple Grove Raceway to be closed for half of the season. Racing resumed at the end of June with racer and crew events only. Spectators were not welcomed due to limiting the amount of people inside the facility. Social distancing practices were set into place for MGR staff, racers and crew members. The restrictions on crowds lead to MGR and NHRA feeling it be in the best interest of the fans and racers to cancel the Mopar ExpressLane NHRA Nationals in September. Team Maple Grove at the Summit ET Bracket Finals won the Team Championship.
2021- Maple Grove Raceway began opening up more and more with allowing spectators to enter the facility. COVID-19 social distancing protocols were still in place while trying to regain full operations.
2022- In April 2022, the Stauffer family sold the facility to the Koretsky family. Within the first weeks of purchasing the facility, the new owners were already beginning improvements to the entire property. Improvements included landscaping, paving, painting and resurfacing the starting line. MGR saw a lot of first time fans attending the PepBoys NHRA Nationals and had a sellout crowd for Saturday of the event. According to NHRA, an audience of 1,678,000 viewers watched the television coverage of the event on Sunday. There was also a peak of 2.8 million during the coverage. That makes it the most viewed NHRA telecast on FOX, and an increase of 10% over last year’s previous record.
2023- The 2023 season was all about unveiling and revamping. In May, the Patio was developed and remodeled. Late Nights at the Grove were hosted during a handful of events. The Speed Shop was finalized and opened for business, showcasing many of the sponsors. Our Souvenir Store was remodeled during the off season and reopened in July. More areas of the pits were either sealed or paved with fresh asphalt. September was a big month starting with Team Maple Grove winning a Track Championship at the ET Bracket Finals. We also had another sellout crowd for the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals on the Saturday showing. The NHRA also drew its biggest Countdown audience ever in NHRA on Fox with more than 2.1 million viewers who turned in to watch the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals. Maple Grove Raceway was also named 2023 NHRA National Dragster All Star Team- Track of the Year.
Walk of Fame
- 2019
Roger Leister - 2017
Ed Quay
Jim Conrad
Paul Werner
Terry Chandler - 2016
Jim Beattie
Sarge Arciero
Al Hanna - 2015
Don Schumacher
Tony Schumacher
Hank Endres
Paul “Dodger” Glenn - 2014
Tony Elmo
Paul Thimm, Sr
Scott Weney
Bobby Yohn
Dale Thierer - 2013
“Humble Bob” Donnelly
Vince Hamm
Al Wimmer
Don Wimmer
John Johnson - 2012
Raymond Beadle
Eastern Custom Car Association
Frank Hawley
Dale Pulde
Don Prudhomme - 2011
Don Garlits
Bob Glidden
Connie Kalitta
Shirley Muldowney - 2010
Darwin Doll
Dallas Gardner
Steve Gibbs
Darrell Gwynn
Jerry Gwynn
Kenny Koretsky
Jack Redd - 2009
Kenny Bernstein
Lee Crupi
John Force
Bob Frey
Joe Jacono
Frank Manzo - 2008
Roger Gustin
Ed Kowalski
Karl Lippold
Harold Hoch
Ernie Musser
Barry Musser - 2007
John Howell
John Gardella
John Ernesto
John Price
Walt Woolwine
Terry Bickhart
Mark Stauffer
Wally Parks
Barbara Parks - 2006
Joe Amato
Lex Dudas
Verna Gantz
Lillian Kachel
Miriam Leeser
Evelyn Lewis
Kent Lewis
Dave McClelland
Roger Sinistri
Carl Stauffer
John Stauffer
Roy Stauffer - 2005
Carroll Hine
Bill Jenkins
Bruce Larsen
“Jungle Jim” Liberman
Horace Reinford
Paul Reinford
Charlie Potts - 2004
George Case
Jim Cutler
Bob Eveland
Dick Leiby
Mike Lewis
Larry Lombardo
Kathy Musser-Phillips
Carl Ruth
Alfred Stauffer
George Weiler
Walt Weney
Greg Xakellis