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Lost race tracks

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ob1, Feb 23, 2010.

  1. Ob1
    Joined: Jan 21, 2010
    Posts: 411

    Ob1
    Member

    Here is one in my neighborhood, the old Charleston Rebel Speedway, a dirt track from the old days. If you have Google Earth, you can plug these coordinates in, enable Historical Images and see the track still there in the trees in 1989. Now, a warehouse...

    32.778977,-80.164888
     
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  2. jokerjason
    Joined: Oct 18, 2006
    Posts: 356

    jokerjason
    Member

    Thats cool man. I Always liked pictures of the old Vallejo speedway. I am pretty sure nothing is left of the place but not positive. There use to be a drive in also out there, I'll see if I can find some pictures. See ya, JOKER JASON.
     
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  3. BadgeZ28
    Joined: Oct 28, 2009
    Posts: 1,165

    BadgeZ28
    Member
    from Oregon

    There was a 1/8 mile drag strip in Eugene Oregon back in the 60's-70's named Balboa. The land was eventually declared wetland and allowed to return to nature.
     
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  4. mrflagman
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 15

    mrflagman
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    Here are some photos of a track near me in Black River Falls, Wi. This was one of the tracks Dick Trickle cut his racing teeth on in the late 1960's and early 1970's.
    Looking down the Backstretch.
    [​IMG]
    Part of the Frontstretch wall.
    [​IMG]
    A view of the Start/Finish line.
    [​IMG]
    Try this link to see more:
    http://s854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/mrflagman/Ghost Tracks/
     
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  5. bobj49f2
    Joined: Jun 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,926

    bobj49f2
    Member

    Hales Corner Speedway in Hales Corners Wisconsin, one of the best known tracks in the area now a bunch of over priced condos. It's faint was sealed when the condos and shopping malls started popping up. People started bitching about the noise and traffic on Friday and Saturday nights, why the hell did they move next to a race track if they didn't want the noise?

    Same thing with all of the drive in movies in the area, all of them were gone by the mid 80's, the Starlite, Victory, 24 Outdoor, 59 Outdoor just to name a few of the dozen or so that were in the Milwaukee area.
     
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  6. xhotrodder
    Joined: Jul 2, 2009
    Posts: 1,665

    xhotrodder
    Member

    We used to have an old 1/4 mile dragstrip in Louisville, Ky. called Cedar Creek Dragway. Not sure what is on the site now, farm land or houses.
     
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  7. Rocket455
    Joined: Feb 24, 2010
    Posts: 2

    Rocket455
    Member
    from Lebanon me

    There is an old track in the woods about 20 min. from my house. Ill take some pics next time I go by.
     
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  8. GREASEMONKEY72
    Joined: Nov 29, 2007
    Posts: 497

    GREASEMONKEY72
    Member

    i love seeing the pictures of the old race tracks, wish i could see them all in person
     
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  9. bobj49f2
    Joined: Jun 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,926

    bobj49f2
    Member

    It would just depress you, I know it would depress me.
     
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  10. GREASEMONKEY72
    Joined: Nov 29, 2007
    Posts: 497

    GREASEMONKEY72
    Member


    thats true but atlest id be there instead
     
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  11. edweird
    Joined: Jan 4, 2009
    Posts: 3,186

    edweird
    Member

    i know exactly where that is. I drove by it every day for 18 yrs.
     
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  12. Here's the old Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta. All the greats raced here back in the 40s, 50s and 60s.

    [​IMG]


    Here's the same view today ....
    [​IMG]



    The grandstands at Lakewood ....
    [​IMG]


    Grandstands today ....
    [​IMG]


    A view from the grandstands, ca. 1950s
    [​IMG]


    Same view today ....
    [​IMG]



    Aerial view during Lakewood's heyday ...
    [​IMG]



    Now ....
    [​IMG]


    :(:(:(
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2010
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  13. Don't forget the track that's under Lake Lanier here in GA- became visible again furing the drought last year!
     
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  14. k9racer
    Joined: Jan 20, 2003
    Posts: 3,091

    k9racer
    Member

    A friend of mine named Mike Bell from ata ga is cataloging/ photo and history of all the closed tracks in Ga.. He is also cataloging for history about all the drivers who lost their lifes while racing in ga.. Later... Bobby
     
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  15. Oakland California had a speedway located where the Easmont Mall is now at Foothill Blvd. and Edwards Ave IIRC.

    Photos and other information seem pretty hard to find.
     
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  16. UNSHINED 2
    Joined: Oct 30, 2006
    Posts: 1,164

    UNSHINED 2
    Member

    Hey flagman- Wheres that track in BRF? When did it close?

    I can't believe I didnt know it was there..
     
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  17. Hyway Hauler
    Joined: Aug 31, 2009
    Posts: 670

    Hyway Hauler
    Member

    Here is what remains of an old 4/10's of a mile oval track 10 minutes from my house. It closed in the late 1970's:( It was called Hurricane Speedway, in Blezard Valley, Ontario.

    hurricane_1.jpg

    hurricane_2.jpg

    article1.jpg

    article2.jpg
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2010
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  18. mrflagman
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 15

    mrflagman
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    It is north of BRF on HWY 12. About a mile past I94. Behind an used car dealership. Used to be A Chrysler dealer. The track was one of the first to be paved in WI. I think in 1961 or 62. Closed in 1971.
     
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  19. CONNMAN
    Joined: Jul 19, 2006
    Posts: 1,297

    CONNMAN
    Member
    from Lampe,Mo.

    >>>>>,Pioneer Raceway ,,Des Moines ,Ia,,1/4 mile dirt track ,,my aunt raced there in the '40's n '50's after she was a Pilot in WW II ,,ferry'ing B-17 aircraft to England ,,
    >>>>>,Des Moines DragStrip ,,in the '50's n '60's ,,raced there when i was in hi-school,,
    >>>>>,HOBBS New Mexico ,an abandened USAF flying wing air strip ,,,the AHRA Super Stock Nat'ls was held there in '63,,i was stationed at Walker AFB in Roswell ,,first time i met Dickie Harrell there ,,racin' a 409 Chevy Impala,,
    >>>>>,Anchorage DragStrip,,,raced there in '64-'65 when i was stationed in the USAF there ,,bought up by the Oil Companys and turned into the main street for a subdivision,,
    >>>>>,Polar Dragway ,,Alaska ,,built in '64 ,,,i raced there 'till '6
    9,,,now been sold and renamed Alaska Raceway Park ,,
    >>>>>,Lakewood Drag Strip ,,Tennesee ,,was featured in the movie ,,Two Lane Blacktop ,, now abanded ,,
    >>>>>,Lions Drag Strip ,,California ,,bulldosed and now an industrial park ,,
    And they just keep[ on going away ,,,SAD ,,,
     
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  20. allyoop
    Joined: Jan 17, 2010
    Posts: 195

    allyoop
    Member
    from Michigan

    Onondaga Drag Strip in MI closed back in 1978 and there were pig huts on it just a few years ago. I would drive by and get sad. Then in the last two years they cleaned it up and started running 1/8th mile old school style. Tuesday they actually got the TWP to allow a special use permit and they plan on opening it back up. I'm 5 minutes away so I'll be driving there in race trim:D
     
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  21. Where was this at exactly??
     
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  22. Pioneer Raceway was on SE 14th Street but I don't remember the cross street,. The track was approximately 1 mile north of Bob Trostle's old sprint car garage, or maybe 1 1/2 miles north of the intersection of SE 14th and Army Post Road. The track was on the east side of the street and has been gone since the late 1950's or very early 1960's.
     
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  23. DAVEG2
    Joined: Feb 27, 2010
    Posts: 332

    DAVEG2
    Member

    Silver Spring Speedway-Mechancsburg,Pa

    Flemington Speedway-Flemington,N.J.

    Danbury Racearena-Danbury,Ct

    Reading Fairgrounds-Reading,Pa.

    All great tracks that are shopping centers now.
     
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  24. Here is the quarter mile oval at jantsen beach in Portland Oregon, I raced here in the late 60s. It's a shopping mall and condos now.
    [​IMG]
     
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  25. hotrodsnguns
    Joined: Apr 3, 2004
    Posts: 545

    hotrodsnguns
    Member
    from Fresno, CA

    Kearney Bowl Fresno, CA 1\4 paved oval
    Raisin City Drags near Fresno now raisin grapes
    Fremont Drags- Fremont CA Oval track there also
    Clovis, CA turned rodeo grounds into a half mile dirt track. last race there was a stock car race with hemi Dodges and 429 boss fords still there but too much noise
     
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  26. hotrod32@usfamily.net
    Joined: Jan 24, 2008
    Posts: 251

    [email protected]
    Member
    from st paul

    wow bob troslte what a guy bough some parts from him years ago said he broke jeff gordon in as a kid I figured the guy was just a nascar fan wow was i surprised guys the real deal and cool besides my fav track gone................ mar wentsville mo
     
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  27. Signpainter
    Joined: May 4, 2010
    Posts: 22

    Signpainter
    Member

    Old sight of Vallejo Speedway. You can barely make out the oval at 45 degrees. You can see the road leading up to the track.

    [​IMG]

    Vallejo Speedway today with houses built over it.
    [​IMG]
     
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  28. Hebert Racing
    Joined: Aug 1, 2010
    Posts: 27

    Hebert Racing
    Member
    from Louisiana

    Cenla Raceway in Forest Hill , Louisiana closed in 1977
     

    Attached Files:

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  29. ScottV
    Joined: Jul 18, 2009
    Posts: 818

    ScottV
    Member

    No Pics but how about the Trenton Speedway in Trenton, NJ
    I saw previous that Flemington Speedway was also mentioned. I used to go with my Grandfather there and watch Les Katona - K3 race.

    and when I was stationed in England we used to go and drive on the banks of what used to be the famous Brooklands Race Course.
     
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  30. HOT40ROD
    Joined: Jun 16, 2006
    Posts: 961

    HOT40ROD
    Member
    from Easton, Pa


    Now about Nazareth Race track - Nazareth, Pa. (Now A shopping center)

    Harmony Speedway - Warren County NJ. (Last time I was by it, The remains of the track was still there.)
     
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