Now the suburban Nashville track in Goodlettsville, Tenn., is celebrating its partnership with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA). The two sides have renewed their sanctioning agreement for the 2023 season.
Rick and Charlotte Gonzalez, who have owned the track since 1989, are ready for another year of IHRA Summit SuperSeries racing. Rick is general manager and race director. Charlotte handles administrative duties and works in the tower during events. The racetrack is blessed with a track crew that has been with them for many years.
“We decided to go with IHRA the year before last and our racers were excited about it,” Charlotte said. “We knew it was the right place for us to be again this year. The IHRA Summit SuperSeries points focuses on your bracket racers and offers an incentive for them to be a part of the World Finals.”
Music City racers did well at the 2022 IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals including Top (Box) champion Kelby Walker, who made it all the way to the semifinals. Austin Boone in Mod (No Box) reached the quarterfinals, while other representatives were Thomas Kleppin in Sportsman and Jacob Poss in Junior Dragster.
The Tennessee track also hosted an IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Hagerty and Moser Engineering in 2021 and is slated to host another one in 2023.
“We’re really excited to host the Sportsman Spectacular,” Charlotte said. “That event worked out really well for us, and it’s such a cool deal as the racers love winning those Ironman trophies.”
Charlotte’s family has long been involved in drag racing, so she appreciates the rich history of the track which opened July 4, 1958. Her family formerly operated Owensboro Raceway Park (now Windy Hollow Dragway) and other tracks including Beech Bend Raceway, which they continue to operate.
As for Music City, she calls it a labor of love which they’ve poured their hearts and souls into.
The facility features concrete walls, new aluminum bleachers on one side of the track, newer restrooms and over 350 paved, striped parking spots for the racers. There is even a numbered, reserved parking option. With an attitude of giving back to the racers, the money paid to reserve those spots goes into the track’s points fund at the end of the season.
The concession stands are run by their daughter, Rachel, a trained chef who went to culinary school. Racers and fans alike rave about the pan fried chicken tenders.
While close to Nashville, they like the fact the track is 17 miles away on 135 acres in the country where you can’t immediate tell that you’re next to a major metropolitan area. There are positives with Nashville being one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. It has brought several new faces to Music City Raceway.
“We have new racers show up often,” Charlotte said. “Nashville is booming and we have racers come in from all over the place. We’re glad to be part of that growth with the race track. I don’t see anything changing. I think Nashville will continue to boom and Music City Raceway is going to grow right along with it.”
To learn more about this exciting facility, click here to check out the track’s website.
