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A new project is bringing Midway Drag Strip in Greeleyville back to life. The 155-acre property at 2498 S. Williamsburg Highway is being transformed into an automotive country club. Charleston Motor Sports Club plans to have cars on the track by the end of the year. They are in the construction bidding process currently.
The existing eight-mile drag racing facility was originally built in 2001 and was called Midway Dragstrip, for its location halfway between Charleston and Florence. The facility was run by several groups over the years and the name was changed to Midway Dragway in 2007. The racetrack was closed when Peter Evans and his team purchased the property in 2014. They reopened the dragstrip in 2016, but Evans says challenges with the paving and failure of the asphalt work forced them to close the track again. Planning soon began to expand the project to cater to high end motorsports enthusiasts. The location was perfect because it had previously been a race track facility, but Evans says the relationships he has built with people in the area over the years led him to choose the location to stay and expand.
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Automotive Country Clubs are trending across the country, according to COO, Ray Berrouët. Jeremy Porter, owner of Atlanta Motorsports Park has been instrumental to the Charleston Motor Sports Club team, serves on the advisory board, and has equity in the company. Evans has also taken inspiration from the Thermal Motor Sports Club in Riverside, California and The Concourse Club in Miami. “The support we have gotten from these clubs has been very wonderful and gratifying, and it certainly confirms that we are on the right track, so to speak,” says Evans.
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Evans has had a lifelong passion for motorsports. His first vehicle was a go-cart. He moved up to dirt bikes, then looked to progressively larger and faster vehicles. In his 20s he sold motorcycles, and raced at Summerville Drag Strip and Cooper River Dragstrip on some of the bikes he built. Evans is the founder and president of self-care luxury brands Stella Nova and Barrelli Barbers.
Evans and Berrouët have known each other for close to 40 years. They met in the 80s while working in the fine dining restaurant scene in Charleston. Berrouët is a self-proclaimed gearhead with a background in sportscars. He was the managing director of a company that restored historic Land Rover Defenders. They would modify the engines with corvette or super charged corvette engines. He also has a background in hospitality sales and marketing.
“The Club is a culmination of both industries in one place and very much a passion project,” says Berrouët. Evans chose him to join the team because of his similar passion, business principles, and the success he’s found in projects over the years.
Marlowe Evans will be in charge of track operations. He has lived at the property for 10+ years and ran the property when it was the Dragstrip. “Marlowe has worked at numerous track facilities around the country as well as in Canada and is himself a very accomplished race car driver, as well as a racing instructor,” says Evans.
Once the track is ready to roll, luxury garage condos will be built. Members will be able to keep their prize vehicle on site and can use the condo for overnight stays. Garage condos allow owners to enjoy their vehicles inside their residence, some condos will even have lifts so that cars can be raised to the upper mezzanine of the condo.
“Some people own historic vehicles, and it’s a great place to showcase and to enjoy them,” says Berrouët. “Anyone from people who have Spec Miatas, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and everything in between,” he says. There will be a member’s drivers club with fees to enjoy the tracks.
There will also be a clubhouse with dining options, a putting green, and carting track for racing go-carts. “Traditionally, go-carts have been an entry point for Formula 1 drivers,” says Berrouët. They facility aims to be family friendly. There are also plans for a hotel of some sort in the future in the phased development, but nothing is set in stone.
Berrouët says the Charleston Motor Sports Club will be a great place for like-minded people who have a passion for driving. The team anticipates a big draw from Charleston, but also from Columbia, Florence and even Charlotte for people who have interest in motor sports at this level. The proximity to big airports, as well as to the nearby Williamsburg Regional Airport, makes Greeleyville a great choice for the location.
Williamsburg County Supervisor Kelvin Washington says he is thankful the group chose Williamsburg County. “We look forward to our partnership with this group.”
For more information about Charleston Motor Sports Club, visit their website at https://www.charlestonmotorsportsclub.com.
