Lead Foot City: A New Place to Race in Florida
In recent years, reports of new racetracks coming online have been on a steady upswing. The next location slated for a new racetrack is Brooksville, Florida, which is 40 minutes north of Tampa in Hernando County. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2024, Lead Foot City recently announced its facility expansion with the addition of an eighth-mile dragstrip.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #190, the State of Drag Issue, in September/ October of 2024.]
Achilles Thomas, the owner and esteemed “Mayor” of undoubtedly the fastest “City” in Florida, is no stranger to the world of motorsports and entertainment. Thomas grew up in South Florida and was a regular attendee at the former Moroso Motorsports Park. He moved to Brooksville 22 years ago to relocate his family business, Monster Transmission & Performance.
Achilles Thomas, Lead Foot City owner
While the Hernando County racing community eagerly awaits the opening of the dragstrip, fortunately, they have not been starved for motorsports events in recent years. Prior to dragstrip construction, the facility has been operating to test the waters and feel out the interest of race fans in the area with its current venue attractions – a 14,000-square-foot burnout pit, 20,000-square-foot climate-controlled building, 6,000-square-foot bar and grill, and massive open-air pavilion.
To date, the 80-acre Lead Foot City has hosted hundreds of events including massive car shows, burnout competitions, concerts, swap meets, and fireworks displays. The initial outpouring of support for the facility was strong, to say the least.
“Thousands of people poured through the gates at each event – it was a mad house,” Thomas says. “It was exciting but also overwhelming because there is such a demand here.”
The support from the community is the reason why the Lead Foot City team has moved forward with the expansion of the dragstrip. However, Thomas is adamant that his facility is so much more than just a racetrack. He proudly labels it as a full-blown “motorsports and entertainment complex.” The facility’s name, Lead Foot City, encompasses Thomas’ intention to create a diverse space for gearheads and car enthusiasts that goes beyond falling under the category of an ordinary racetrack.
Although racetracks are not always an easy sell to surrounding neighborhoods and local governments, Thomas says the support from Hernando County is beyond compare. Throughout the process of rezoning the property from its prior use as a chicken farm, the county fully supported his plans and classified the property to fall under the county’s “spectating and games venue” category, which allows for a noise ordinance exception during any type of spectating events. With this classification, events can now run until 1 a.m.
“Not too often do you get this type of support where they approve construction of a dragstrip but also give you that kind of noise clearance. I am blessed to get that from Hernando County,” Thomas says.
In an effort to safeguard the up-and-coming facility, Thomas, too, has become an active member within the local business community. In recent years, he has served as Vice Chair on the Tourism Development Council as well as serving as a longtime member of the Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Lead Foot City has gained a solid relationship with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, which has considered using the facility for emergency response driver training. The Sheriff is also anxious to get the younger joyriders off the public streets by directing them to Thomas’ sanctioned facility.
Currently, the construction of the eighth-mile dragstrip is in its final stages. From the burnout box to the finish line, the racetrack will be made up of 770 feet in length of concrete that transitions to asphalt through the shutdown area. While many people question why Lead Foot City will be an eighth-mile dragstrip instead of quarter mile, Thomas says that there are restrictions on the land that required his team to decrease the length.
In addition, Lead Foot City is catering to street cars and designing the facility to have a street racing feel, although it will be equipped with a Christmas tree and timing system. However, Thomas is open to feedback from the racers on what type of events should be hosted at the facility. On their website, there is an online form that Thomas encourages everyone to fill out to see what the majority type of racing is desired – prepped, unprepped, bracket, roll, etc.
Above all else, Thomas wants visitors of Lead Foot City to understand that this a family operation built purely for the car community. The team under Thomas’ leadership is doing this on their own because they feel that there is a need. Lead Foot City is not trying to compete with other tracks for customers. Rather, they are providing a unique facility for their local community to enjoy family fun entertainment focused on motorsports.
“It’s going to be a really fun place,” Thomas says. “We have more surprises in store for everybody.”
To show your support of Lead Foot City, follow them on social media @LeadFootCity or check out their website, www.LeadFootCity.com.
This story was originally published on October 3, 2024.
The post Lead Foot City: A New Place to Race in Florida first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
