Is there a chance a renown drag strip in South Florida once destined to be a Walmart distribution center could somehow return to its racing roots? Local race enthusiasts hope so.
Nearly three years after its closure, Palm Beach International Raceway is back on the market. The property is now being advertised as an industrial development opportunity or as a potential racetrack. Located in Jupiter, Florida, the racetrack that carries a rich history of motorsports events has remained vacant since 2022, stripped of its bleachers, gas pumps, timing systems, and fencing.
The listing comes at an interesting, and somewhat coincidental, time, as local members of the South Florida racing community have urged the Board of Palm Beach County Commissioners to release a Request for Proposal (RFP) to construct a motorsports facility on a 168-acre parcel of County-owned land, known as 20 Mile Bend. The RFP is now live, and proposals are due by the end of March 2025. 20 Mile Bend is situated thirty miles south of Palm Beach International Raceway.
Last year, Palm Beach County reported record-breaking visitation to the area, attracting over 5.19 million visitors, which represents an increase of nearly 2% from the previous year. Visitor spending reached an all-time high of $4.05 billion, highlighting the region’s strong economic viability. With Palm Beach County leaders prioritizing tourism as a key goal for 2025, the South Florida racing community has been longing for a location to race, since Palm Beach International Raceway ceased operations in April 2022.
The 174.4-acre property is surrounded by protected wetlands within the Pine Glades Natural Area, which cannot be developed. The warm temperatures in South Florida make this location ideal for hosting events year-round. Currently, the site features a concrete quarter-mile drag strip, a two-mile road course, a 7/10 mile go-kart track, and a 13,000 square-foot clubhouse, all of which require significant improvements for operations to return. The property is divided into eight parcels that encompass a total of 7.5 million square feet of land, with easy access to major thoroughfares such as I-95 and the Florida Turnpike.
The Palm Beach International Raceway property has received development approvals for more than 2 million square feet of industrial space. However, demand for warehouse space has waned since the height of COVID, as long-term visitors returned to their home state.
“The [industrial] market’s overall vacancy rate was 6.7% at the close of 2024, an increase of 190 basis points from one year ago. Warehouse/distribution vacancy rates rose even more sharply, with 85% of new inventory still available for lease,” a local industrial market report stated.
Although the future of the property, and its price, remains unknown, the racing community is optimistic about its limitless potential for motorsports to return to Palm Beach County, which would provide a location for the abundance of exotic cars, passionate hot rodders, and the new generation of car enthusiasts to come together once again. Only time will tell, but many believe that this legendary raceway could make one of the greatest comebacks in motorsports history.
