If you are a New Jersey native you might be familiar with Raceway Park in Old Bridge. For those that don’t, it is a little piece of automotive heaven offering everything from motocross, to drag racing and my personal favorite drifting with our good friends at Clubloose.
Clubloose is a local grassroots drifting community that gathers at Raceway Park throughout the season to teach local drivers the proper driving techniques and putting a spectacular show for the spectators that come. Clubloose is where I got my start as a videographer in 2005 and it is great to see how far Petty and Tim have brought the event since my first trip.
My favorite part about the progress of Clubloose and the reason I am writing this article is the track side bar, Sneak Pete’s.
Originally a bar for the drag strip side of the facility, Sneaky Pete’s has found a permanent home at the road course at Raceway Park and one of the most divey places you can get some craft beers and a guaranteed good time in Jersey.
That’s right, craft beer at the race track. At Clubloose you no longer have to be subjective to cans of fizzy yellow crap. Here you will find tall boys of Dales Pale Ale, Mama’s Yella Pils, and the fan favorite Hell or High Watermelon.
Maybe you prefer draft. How about a cold glass of Weyerbacher Last Chance IPA or the sessionable Yards Brawler.
I had to stop for a moment and take in a beer before shooting some more. The Last Chance IPA was perfect to start as I listened to the array of engines ripping around the track dwelling to the old days when this bar did not exist here and thanking the beer gods for bring my two passions together.
Probably the coolest thing about Sneaky Pete’s is the décor.
The walls are filled with old flyers, race car parts, neon signs, and even old beer signage.
Out in the pits you will find a bunch of 90’s sports cars from days past. Whether you are a Nissan, BMW, or Mazda fan, you will most certainly find something to geek out on.
On track we see a lot of action.
Car’s ripping past you at speed at the point of control and losing it is fascinating to experience.
You have all sorts of skill levels ranging from amateurs to professional drivers like Chris Forsberg, Vaughn Gitten JR, and Ryan Tuerck from Drift Alliance.
Of course drifting takes a toll on your vehicle. Some of these guys will go through more tires in one weekend then you would in your life.
Aside from tires you may have to deal with other mechanical issues. My friend Steve Angerman hit a rock, splitting open his oil pan. He had a spare so he was back on track a few hours later.
Don’t forget your Clubloose gear. They always have rad shirts for sale as well as posters from the East Coast Bash’s of the past.
After wandering around for some time I was feeling a little thirsty again so I decided to head back to Sneaky Pete’s for another beer. How can you pass up a tall ass can of Dales Pale Ale? Canned two weeks prior at their new spot in North Carolina, it was one of the freshest Dales I have ever consumed and the perfect beer to quench my thirst.
At the end of the night the drivers are done driving, so there is only one thing left to do, PARTY!
The bar is filled with great conversations, a few crazy people, and everyone’s favorite, blowing fire balls.
Clubloose is a great time and it was nice to sit back at look at the event from a different perspective this time around. I would like to thank Clubloose for having me out and I hope we can get some more craft beer related things going on there in the future. Cheers to Matt, Tim, and Kevin and the whole staff at Raceway Park for making the greatest place on earth even better.
-Brian
Additional photos provide by Mike Spock Media