Meziere Enterprises, headquartered in nearby Escondido, is a major sponsor of the Barona Drag Strip. Don Meziere drove the family Cobalt to a recent NHRA National victory. (Note: Don just won his second NHRA title of 2016 at Sonoma.)

The track became successful, in spite of the remote location (only a cow or coyote could hear the noise) so in 2003 they opened the Barona Drag Strip with an eighth-mile distance.

In 2013, Steve Barcak’s popular Pontiac Heaven event was stranded in Arizona due to a temporary total shut down of all three drag venues. Barona manager Rick Reynolds stepped up and offered the track as a substitute.

For those who may have trouble understanding the drive to Barona, try to remember that until Carlsbad Raceway opened in 1965, area drag racing was held at the extensive air base near Ramona. The town is located at the junction of Highways 67 and 78, just 6 miles from Barona Raceway. While having a drag strip near Interstate 5 sounds like a great idea, where are Carlsbad and OCIR today?