Fading Thunder...Abandoned Racetracks in Virginia and the Carolinas

I worked for Paul's brother, C.L., in 1977. I was the furniture stripper and repairman in the back of his antique store there on VA Route 40 just West of Ferrum, VA. Paul and Hattie ran the barbque restaurant down the hill from the shop. I frequented the place. Very nice people.

And I worked on Bobby Lewis' pit crew for a little while somewhere in there. Bobby is Paul's nephew.

But that was all a long time ago.

 

I google earthed the area where the Floyd Racetrack was supposed to be. It looks more like the parking lot just south of there is maybe the correct shape with little pond for watering track. I could be way off being built in 1954, and not saying what year it closed. I also saw this article on Brian Katen who was mentioned earlier it says he has been to the sight and found half buried tires forming a fence on the site.

article mentioned www.research.vt.edu/resmag/fall2004/racing.html

 

I was wrong, the marker used to locate the old Floyd Speedway was correct. I found some of Mr. Katen's info and a pamphlet that gave me some interesting data. It was a 1/2 track semi-oval and it was operated by Curtis Turner who was born in Floyd (program was from 1955 was wondering how long Mr. Turner operated the track as his Grand National career seems to have been prety intensive by 1956?)

 

CL Radford told me that he and his brother and Curtis used to really tear it up there in Victory Stadium in Roanoke. That stadium is long gone. Sad.

 

......John ,I was on the 64 team of Lester Gupton when he won Limited sportsman state championship ,Billy Smith, Billy Thurston, Jimmy Scott..Going farther back Butch Torrie, Bo Jones ,Ken Dyke,Fred Hall,John Rainy, Ray Platt, Puddy Williams, A.W.Weaver, Runt Harris

 

I know it is not VA or the Carolinas ... but can anyone identify this 1961 Chevy running at Phenix City Dragway in this photo from 1962 or 1963?
Joel

 

jACK, i CANT SEE FOR THE LIFE OF ME SEE WHY WE NEVER CROSSED PATHS BEFORE I MET YOU THROUGH OUR FRIEND ED HARDY. SO MANY THINGS AND PEOPLE IN COMMON. i HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE HAMB GROUPE RUN UP AT YORK RIVER STATE PARK ON APR THE 14TH. PIC-NIC I HOPE YOU CAN COME.... BRING SOME FRIENDS

 

Flatheads at South Boston (VA) Speedway...a shadow of the way it used to be, but I'll take whatever I can get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sALC-Afm9SY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9EFX7kQJBs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdmVrnY3RmE

 

A little off topic, but I thought you might enjoy this news story....

Where will future rodders and automotive archeologists go to study how racing was "way back in 2012?" Maybe to Junior's property outside of Charlotte. Wonder if he's got any old stuff there?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nasca...or-car-graveyard-bird-eye-view-133101035.html

 

This sure looks like Rockingham to me. JC

 

JC, I'm with you. I just don't think it is Sanford. Looked and looked for a pic of the now gone Sanford Dragstrip and none have turned up anywhere.

Anybody?

 

I saw "Terrible Tommy" race LMS many times, in the 4X then the #12 sponsored by the Richmond TV Channel 12. Tommy was a hell of a racer but didn't win many friends as patience was not one of his virtues. I remember Sonny Hutchens saying "You can run all night side by side with Ray (Hendrick) but after a few laps with Tommy it's a wreck". At one time or another he fueded with just about everyone but the biggies were his battles with Ray, Sonny, and a legendary one with Geoff Bodine (who had left the Modifieds and was driving Zervakis' car on his way to Cup). That one left scars on a lot of people, the highlight being at race at Oxford Plains up in Yankeeland. After some beating and banging, Bodine turned Tommy. Tommy managed to get a piece of Geoff as he went around and both cars pit. As Bodine was leaving, "someone" tossed a couple of lugnuts at his car, one of which hit him in the mouth...not that a fat lip ever stopped Bodine from running his mouth. Also saw a fight on a grand scale at Southside "back in the day", a couple laps into the feature Sonny spun Bill Dennis, who was a pretty clean driver. Coming off 4 on the last lap, Bill repayed the favor and won the race. As the cars entered the pits after the race Sonny rammed Bills car at about 40 mph on pit road. It looked like the WWF,about 30 people fighting in the pits, people from the crowd trying to climb the fence. Those were the days!

 

Yeaup, fight your way in to the race track and then fight your way back out..not that way any more though. ...well maybe once in a while....

 

Theres a killer old track here in Hamilton, I think it used to be Satellite speedway, maybe.. I'll have to go and take some pictures.

 

I seem to remember a big suspension for Tommy when he nailed Bill Dennis at speed at Langley in the pits after the checkers...
and, of course, the night they had to turn out the lights at Lonesome Pine to sneak Tommy out with an escort of Sheriff's deputies.

 

any body remember the Dude Ranch .aka Langley Speedway now... I'm thinking early 60s when it was dirt. I was 14, fresh from N.C.(farm boy) I first heard the cars running from where I lived and had to go see what that thundering sound was. I have been hooked for life...couldnt wait to be 18 to get my nascar lic. Well now thats another story!....

 

John, a few years ago another site I frequent had some pics from the Dude Ranch, I'll see if they're still up.I started going to Langley when it was still dirt and the Modifieds were the top division, cars ran Saturday night and bikes on Wednesday night.Hell, they even had a "Cup" race there on dirt before it got high falutin'.

 

I would love to see some of those photos. do you remember Jim crow jr when they ran the 6 cyl class there on dirt. he won track champion in that class the last year it was dirt .I also ran that class with a 6cyl 55 ford, then moved up to limited sportsman when it got paved. I lost all my photos many years back and would like to see what you post ..Thanks... John

 

From the Ralph Rose Scrapbook as posted on Vintage Racer:

50 Lap Feature ad for the "Virginia Peninsula Speedway"
This later became the "Dude Ranch Speedway" and is now the present-day "Langley" Speedway. The crowds shown in this picture are sitting in the main grandstands which were located on what is now the backstretch of Langley Speedway.

 

Forgot this was about Virginia and the Carolinas, N/M.... lol

 

Royall Speedway, Richmond Virginia 1952. PS- I guess before they had in car cameras there were in car camera men!

 

These are from Illustrated Speedway News. Does any one have any info on Captain William Clark who was the photographer?

 

Illustrated Speedway News July 29th 1952. Greensboro NC Fairgrounds.

 

I have seen a video on You Tube of Royall at that same time period.
Here is a great one from Richmond Fairgrounds in 1960 or 1961. My favorite, Johnny Roberts in the flaming #7 coach. The winner was Pay Platte in the beautiful #283 coupe. Wendell Scott is seen in the #89.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZYyixWTnWw

 

Thanks for that download Jenn 300. I love the coupes and coaches, even a 53 Stude.

 

OOH YEAAH Jend, I loved the video, Thanks

 

The Dude Ranch pics were originally at racerap but they aren't up any more, sorry.I remember Jim Crow well (my last boss is his son-in-law) and run into him from time to time. I also remember when he had the Shell station on Richmond Rd. where the Taco Bell is now, always had a race car or three out front!

 

Here is the video from Royall that goes with Karl Stark's article. I know Ray Hendrick drove that #39 for a time. The #40 was from Silver Spring, Md and had several drivers including Wally Campbell and Lou Johnson.
Karl, you know how much I like Richmond area Modifieds.

Larry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPQ369O17a8

 

Larry, I'll keep looking for more. Thanks for the youtube references.

 

R.I.P. Wilson County Speedway Promoter James Jones


Just read that James C. Jones of Goldsboro, NC passed on April 15 in Wayne County, NC Memorial Hospital at age 83. His name can be found in various old race listings from Coastal, Wake County, Raleigh Fairgrounds, Wilson, Wilmington, Occoneechee and other places.. Also raced as Jimmy Jones and Jim Jones. One of Jack Walker's listings on his Carolina Race Place site shows James racing at Coastal Speedway/Myrtle Beach from 1955-1957.

James was a dirt track racer in both Carolinas and the promoter of Wilson County Speedway in Wilson, NC from 1963-1978, some real glory years for that wonderful old ghost track - "The Gem of the East."



James started 11 NASCAR Convertible Division races - 10 in 1957 and one in 1958 as well as his two Cup starts in 1956 and 1958.

Four of James' 1957 NASCAR Convertible Division starts were at Virginia tracks - twice at Norfolk and once each at Richmond and Martinsville.

Link to Jame's complete NASCAR Cup and Convertible stats:
http://racing-reference.info/driver/James_Jones



From Stock Car Racing Wiki:
James Jones is a former NASCAR driver from Goldsboro, NC. He competed in two Nextel Cup Series events in his career.
Jones debuted in 1956, racing at Wilson. Starting 21st in the twenty-four car field, Jones completed all but thirty-one laps in route to a career-best 15th place effort.
His other race came in 1958, when James raced at Raleigh. Starting 51st in the massive fifty-five car field, Jones completed all but thirty-eight laps in route to a mid-pack 29th place effort.

That's James in 12th place at the Wilmington, NC Legion Stadium points for 1954 - one spot ahead of "The Woodchopper" - as posted by Jack Walker on Stock Car RacersReunion.