It’s been said that “If you build it, they will come,” but many people struggle with deciding exactly what it is they should build. Achilles Thomas faced that exact dilemma, so to remedy the problem he seemingly built every cool thing that popped into his mind…and he’s not close to being finished!
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #193, the Interview Issue, in March / April of 2025.]
The concept of Lead Foot City was first introduced in 2020 on a slice of land in Brooksville, Florida, where remnants of a defunct chicken farm once stood. Not a spec of asphalt anywhere, just dirt and weather-worn buildings were all that remained. Among the few structures Thomas kept was a massive building he named the “Grand Ole Garage,” and along with a new concrete pad for burnouts, this was the earliest entertainment offerings of Lead Foot City.
The garage was reinforced with modern components, and has been used to host weddings, high school proms, car shows, and corporate events. The burnout pad was an instant hit, as well, and has been expanded three times to meet the growing demand. “We’ve had 800-1,000 kids out here on a Thursday night, just local high schoolers looking for a place to go and hang out,” says Thomas.
I rolled into town on a Tuesday afternoon, and Achilles and his oldest son, Evan, gave me the grand tour of this fascinating complex. Naturally, the dragstrip is what initially attracted me to this facility, and it’s actually the newest addition, having just opened in 2024. No expense was spared in its construction, which features an all-concrete eighth-mile surface and concrete walls, along with LED stadium lighting. Everything inside the complex has a city theme, so they named the track 8th Street Dragstrip.
The timing system is by Portatree, and along with a traditional Christmas tree, they also custom built a pair of street lights, one for each lane. “Based on what kind of event we’re having we can use the Christmas tree for more traditional drag racing, or switch to the street lights, which gives a more authentic street racing feel,” Thomas explains.
The most unexpected twist relating to the dragstrip is its tower, which is actually a double-decker bus that was once featured as a stunt bus in a motion picture filmed in England. The bus is not only flashy with a custom wrap, but it’s also still fully functional and is quite possibly the only dragstrip tower in existence that’s drivable!
The footprint of Lead Foot City is about 80 acres and then it turns to forest, of which Thomas owns many acres. “We’re looking at cutting some trails through the woods for Jeeps and other things,” he tells me. A lake is also being dug out, with the removed dirt used to build a huge hill that could have adrenaline-fueled purposes of its own.
As impressive as the outdoor attractions are, the newly constructed buildings and unique features they offer is what blew me away the most. For example: On Friday nights they’ll have open test-n-tune at the dragstrip, and while that’s going on, they also offer line dancing, complete with an instructor inside one of the buildings on site! There’s also concerts routinely going on over at the amphitheater. “We get such a mix of people in the crowds that we draw, and that’s what excites me the most!” says Thomas. There are multiple dance floors and stages and places to relax, eat, drink, and shop…with more on the way!
I thought I had seen everything until Achilles and Evan showed me the speakeasy they built. One of the buildings features a bookcase that holds a secret. If you knock in the right spot, a decorative license plate magically lifts up and reveals a pair of human eyes staring back at you. A password is then requested and if you give the correct response, the bookcase turns into a door and opens up to reveal a secret room.
Thomas demonstrated how it works and, honestly, I was at a loss for words. After the bookcase swung open, I walked inside this secret room and the first thing I noticed was an antique black sedan parked in the corner of the room, which resembled something Bonnie and Clyde would have used to escape after a bank heist. Antique furniture decorates the interior of the room, which features a stage for live music. Cozy booths line each side of the room for seating, while period-correct music is played over a sound system if there’s no live band that night. On any given Friday, you could leave the secret room and find your way back outside where there’s NHRA drag racing going on!
It’s hard to imagine that all of this is happening in one place. Local media outlets have dubbed it “America’s Automotive Theme Park” and the moniker has kinda stuck. And since most theme parks have annual passes, Thomas figured Lead Foot City should have one too, so he offers a variety of incentives. “A basic membership costs $25 per month and you can become a ‘citizen’ of Lead Foot City. For a basic membership, you get free admission to all our events and lots of other perks throughout the facility, so it’s a great deal for our regulars.” No surprise that membership soared to nearly 5,000 shortly after being launched.
Amazingly, towards the end of the tour, Thomas reminded me that Lead Foot City is still very much under construction, and there’s stuff in the works that he’s not even willing to discuss just yet. From what I’ve seen thus far, I can only imagine what’s on the horizon. Every day at work, there’s new ideas, and continued construction presents a brand-new adventure for the Thomas family and anyone else who visits during hours of operation.
“This is definitely a family-run operation. We’re all here together, and we enjoy goofing off here!” he smiles. I’ve seen some extraordinary stuff in my travels, but Lead Foot City is in a completely different category!
This story was originally published on May 8, 2025. 
