EAGLE — The iconic Firebird Raceway near Eagle is now listed in the National Register for Historic Places. The listing was made official December 24 of last year.

The New family established the drag strip in 1968 and has owned and operated it for the last 51 years. While a couple of other racetracks are listed in the NRHP, Firebird is the first drag-racing strip in the U.S. to achieve the honor, according to a news release from the Idaho State Historical Society.

“The Idaho State Historic Preservation Office is excited to see the Firebird Raceway listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The SHPO administers the NRHP program, which is the official, national list that recognizes places considered important in our past and worthy of preservation. Firebird Raceway is the Gem State’s only purpose-built drag strip, and is an excellent example of the property type,” stated Tricia Canaday, SHPO Administrator/Deputy SHPO for the Idaho State Historical Society.

Firebird Raceway is located in a high-desert valley in the Eagle foothills, on the west side of State Highway 16. The complex consists of about sixty acres, including the original strip and associated features of the raceway, which was completed in 1968.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.

(photo courtesy: Firebird Raceway)

