Panaewa Drag Strip to close for renovations

The Panaewa Drag Strip will close for at least six months for renovations starting as early as October.

The project, estimated at $4.5 million, will involve repaving the drag strip, making the facility handicap accessible, building upgrades and installing a sewage system, a Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation spokesman said.

“This is going to be a major construction project,” he said. “We can’t have the racing going on while we are doing this.”

Bids for the project are due Thursday.