The sudden, middle-of-the-night shuttering of Atco Dragway in July 2023 didn't just break hearts; it fueled a massive wildfire of rumors that refused to die out. If you spent any time on New Jersey racing forums or scrolling through South Jersey community groups that summer, you saw one name popping up more than any other. Fletcher Cox. The former Philadelphia Eagles powerhouse and Super Bowl champion is a massive figure in the drag racing world through his Cox Racing team, so the connection felt natural. People wanted to believe a local hero had stepped in to save the historic 1/4-mile strip.
But here is the reality. Fletcher Cox did not buy Atco Raceway. Despite the intense wishful thinking of the racing community, the track didn't go to a savior with a helmet and a jersey. It went to a giant corporate entity focused on logistics and storage. The confusion is understandable because Fletcher is deeply embedded in the scene, often seen at tracks with his incredibly fast 1960s Mustangs, but the paper trail for Atco leads in a very different, much more corporate direction.
Why Everyone Thought Fletcher Cox Bought Atco Raceway
When a community is grieving the loss of a landmark that stood since 1960, they look for a glimmer of hope. Atco Dragway wasn't just a slab of asphalt; it was a cultural hub for the Northeast drag racing scene. When the announcement hit on July 18, 2023, that the track was closing "effective immediately," the vacuum of information was filled by speculation.
Fletcher Cox owns several high-end radial tire cars and has spent years competing in the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) and other major circuits. He's a fixture at tracks around the country, and he’s known to have the capital and the passion to run a facility. South Jersey locals started connecting dots that weren't there. They saw his success with Cox Racing and figured, "Who better to keep the lights on than a guy who loves the sport and has the money to do it?"
Honestly, the rumor gained so much traction because it felt right. It was the "movie ending" version of the story. In reality, the track was sold to Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA), a multi-billion dollar company that specializes in salvaging and storing vehicles. They didn't want the Christmas tree or the burn-out box; they wanted the acreage for parking.
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The Brutal Reality of the Sale
The closure of Atco was a shock because it was still a profitable, busy enterprise. Usually, tracks die slow deaths—the grass grows long, the bleachers rot, and the crowds thin out. Atco was the opposite. It was packed. The Tuesday night "Street Legals" were legendary.
However, the land value in that part of New Jersey has skyrocketed. The owner, Lenny Kaplan, had been at the helm for decades. When a massive offer comes from a company like IAA, which needed a massive staging ground for vehicles, the math becomes impossible to ignore. The property, located at 1000 Jackson Road in Atco, NJ, sits on roughly 180 acres. For a business that needs to store thousands of cars for insurance auctions, that's prime real estate.
The Timeline of the Shutdown
The end was swift. On a Tuesday morning, the track was posting about upcoming events. By Tuesday evening, the gates were locked for good. Rumors suggested that the deal had been in the works for years—potentially as far back as 2020 when a land-use application was filed—but the racing community was largely kept in the dark until the ink was dry. This suddenness is what sparked the Fletcher Cox rumors. People couldn't believe it was just... over. They assumed a new owner was waiting in the wings to renovate.
Fletcher Cox's Actual Role in Drag Racing
While he didn't buy Atco, Fletcher Cox is far more than a "celebrity hobbyist" in the racing world. He’s a legitimate team owner and competitor. His team, Cox Racing, is a powerhouse in the Radial vs. The World category.
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- The Equipment: He’s famously campaigned a gold-leaf-trimmed 1968 Mustang and a white Fox Body Mustang that are engineering marvels.
- The Driver: Fletcher often collaborates with world-class drivers like Shawn Ayers to pilot his machines, though he's often found in the pits turning wrenches or monitoring data.
- The Investment: We aren't talking about a guy with a trailer and a dream. We're talking about six-figure engines, specialized electronics, and a full-time crew.
His commitment to the sport is why people were so convinced he was the buyer. If you see Fletcher at a race, he isn't sitting in a VIP suite; he’s in the dirt, checking tire pressures. That "one of us" reputation made the Atco rumors feel plausible. You’ve got to appreciate the irony: the man has the resources to buy a track, but his business model is focused on winning races, not managing a facility with massive overhead and environmental regulations.
The "New Jersey Factor" and Land Use
Buying a race track in New Jersey isn't like buying one in Georgia or Texas. The regulatory hurdles are insane. You’re dealing with the Pinelands Commission, noise ordinances, and environmental impact studies that can take years to clear.
When IAA bought the property, they didn't have to worry about "noise" because wrecked cars don't make any. They just need a place to sit. For a private buyer like Fletcher Cox to take over Atco and keep it as a race track, he would have had to battle increasing pressure from neighbors and local government officials who often view tracks as nuisances rather than historic venues. It’s a sad trend. Since the early 2000s, dozens of tracks across the Northeast have folded under the weight of rising taxes and land development pressure.
What’s Left for South Jersey Racers?
With Atco gone, the "Did Fletcher Cox buy Atco Raceway?" question has shifted from a hopeful rumor to a footnote in the track's eulogy. The loss left a massive hole. Where do the racers go now?
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Basically, the options are shrinking. Island Dragway in Great Meadows is still kicking, and Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania (which was actually bought by another racing family, the Koretskys) is the new home for many Atco refugees. The Koretsky purchase of Maple Grove might actually be another reason the Fletcher Cox rumor started—people saw one famous racing family save a track and hoped Fletcher would do the same for Atco.
Comparison of Regional Options
| Track Name | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Atco Dragway | Atco, NJ | Permanently Closed (July 2023) |
| Island Dragway | Great Meadows, NJ | Operational |
| Maple Grove Raceway | Mohnton, PA | Operational (Saved by Koretsky Family) |
| Cecil County Dragway | Rising Sun, MD | Operational |
| Englishtown (Old Bridge) | Englishtown, NJ | Closed for Drag Racing (Drifting/MX only) |
The Legacy of Atco and the Cox Connection
Atco was special because of the "sea level" air. Because the track was sitting at a very low elevation, the air was dense, which is a recipe for massive horsepower and world-record times. Fletcher Cox's cars have run some incredible numbers there over the years. That’s the real connection. He was a customer and a competitor who helped put the track on the map for the modern era of radial racing.
It’s important to understand that Fletcher’s retirement from the NFL in 2024 has only increased his time spent on the track. He’s more active now than ever. But being a team owner and being a track owner are two different universes of stress. One is about speed; the other is about property taxes, insurance liabilities, and neighborhood complaints.
Actionable Insights for Racing Fans
If you're still holding out hope that a "mystery buyer" will swoop in and reopen Atco, it's time to face the facts. The site is being converted into a storage lot. However, there are things you can do to support the remaining tracks so they don't meet the same fate:
- Support Your Local Track: Don't just go for the big "National" events. The Tuesday and Wednesday night test-and-tunes are what keep the lights on.
- Follow Cox Racing: If you want to see what Fletcher is actually doing, follow his team on social media. He is a great ambassador for the sport and seeing a high-profile athlete invest in drag racing helps the industry’s overall health.
- Advocate for "Race Legal" Programs: Many tracks are under fire for street racing spikes in their area. Supporting programs that bring street racers onto the track can help prove the facility's value to the local township.
- Watch the Koretsky Model: Look at what happened at Maple Grove. That is the blueprint for saving a track—passionate racers with business savvy taking over. If another NJ track ever hits the market, that’s the community's best shot.
At the end of the day, Fletcher Cox remains a hero in Philadelphia and a titan in the drag racing world. He just isn't the owner of Atco Raceway. That chapter of history is closed, and while the rumor was fun while it lasted, the reality is a lot more quiet and a lot more corporate. Support the tracks that are still standing, because as we learned with Atco, they can disappear in a heartbeat.