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Steve Langley (Elmo's son) recently took these shots of the former Metrolina Speedway near Charlotte, NC... yet another great track just rotting away.
Built in the mid 1960s and located at the Metrolina Fairgrounds in northeast Charlotte, Metrolina operated as at one time as Speedworld and was known as the Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway also. The 1/2 mile banked clay track ran mostly on Friday nights. The track was paved briefly in the 70s and ran NASCAR sponsored races promoted by Ned Jarrett. Unfortunately even with drivers such as Jack Ingram, Harry Gant, Butch Lindley and Dale Earnhardt competing there, they couldn't draw enough fans to stay open. The track was returned to dirt and continued operating until the mid 1990s with some breaks. During the time it was paved Dale Earnhardt won his first asphalt race there. And before his break into Winston Cup in '79 he was racing at Metrolina. At the time Metrolina ran "Run Whatcha Brung" races where anything was legal. Nitrous oxide, spoilers, etc. were all common.
Built in the mid 1960s and located at the Metrolina Fairgrounds in northeast Charlotte, Metrolina operated as at one time as Speedworld and was known as the Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway also. The 1/2 mile banked clay track ran mostly on Friday nights. The track was paved briefly in the 70s and ran NASCAR sponsored races promoted by Ned Jarrett. Unfortunately even with drivers such as Jack Ingram, Harry Gant, Butch Lindley and Dale Earnhardt competing there, they couldn't draw enough fans to stay open. The track was returned to dirt and continued operating until the mid 1990s with some breaks. During the time it was paved Dale Earnhardt won his first asphalt race there. And before his break into Winston Cup in '79 he was racing at Metrolina. At the time Metrolina ran "Run Whatcha Brung" races where anything was legal. Nitrous oxide, spoilers, etc. were all common.
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