From the GEE-WIZ File-----

[AB195]

Muncie Motor Speedway (Ind.) was a 1/4 mile asphalt oval which was closed in 1990 by the EPA. Turns out the entire site was built on top of a toxic waste dump.

But, in 1948 in Elston Ind., a 1/4 mile paved oval was called (and I'm not kidding).......Smitty's Garbage Pit Raceway.

Plymouth Motor Speedway promotes itself as...PMS-The Track With An Attitude.

In 1927, a one mile dirt oval in Indiana was called Saint Mary Of The Woods Raceway.

In 1928, the next year, it was called Black Demon Speedway. Quite a change.

[Frasson118]

Keep the history coming Rog.

I still appreciate the tip to buy the "History of the American Speedway" from Allen Brown. There is so much interesting stuff in there, that I find something new everytime I pick it up.

I highly recommend this book to any race fan. It's not so much a "book" as it is like a Guiness Book of World Records.... no chapters, just a directory of all kinds of interesting facts. I even found 2 speedways that were within miles of where I grew up (and yet had NEVER heard of them before), and 2 tracks within a few miles of my Mothers birthplace. My Grandmother even lived 1/4 mile from the Seminole Raceway (or Casselberry Raceway as some have called it), and was never able to find out much about it.

[BOB KRUPA]

Gee -Wiz File

Frasson
Where can i buy this book?
What year did it come out?
How much is it?

[AB195]

His last edition list almost 8000 tracks to have ever existed, no one really knows for sure.
Tracks go away for alot of reasons; EPA, arsonist/fires, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, development and urban sprawl, highways, dams, converted back into cornfields, or simply abandoned.

Dayton Speedway (OH) was another high-banked half mile paved oval, and it closed in 1982. Not because it was built on top of a landfill, but a landfill was built on top of it.

Auburn Fairgrounds(CAL) May of 1974 race was delayed due to a live bomb shell found on the backstretch.

Altamonte Raceway Park(CAL) held a Rolling Stone concert, drew 1/4 million people, and the track was nearly destroyed by the ensuing riot. Almost like crash-a-ramas.

Hells Half Acre Raceway (CAL) ran hobo-cars in 1939, called the races junk-yard derbies.

The History of Americas Speedways Past and Present
By Allan E. Brown
P.O. Box 448
Comstock Park, Michigan 49321-0448
(616) 785-0340
speedways@dnx.net
About $25.00

Hatfield-McCoy Speedway(VA) is a 4/10 dirt oval located on an old strip mine, and guns are not allowed, because it a FAMILY track.

There was a Grannies Raceway in Alabama.
There was an Uncle Joes Speedway in Indiana.
There was a Doc Browns Raceway in Alabama.

[ovalracer44]

No lie there is a hemi speedway in South carolina. I had never heard of it until a friend of mine told me. The guy that owns it built it in his back yard because he was tired of going to dirt tracks with ruts, so he just said he'd build his own damn track. I have plans to go there. still looks fun and cheap by the website.

If you go to the photo page and look closely you can see his house sitting off the side of the track.

www.hemispeedway.com

[AB195]

Dodge City Speedway (KS) 1934, and actually up to 1994) 1/2 and 3/4 mile dirt ovals, closed down, as a zoo was built on top of it.

Steward Co. Speedway(KS) 1954 a minor league baseball team played in the infield.
And, Smith Center Raceway c. 1971-1980 had minor league baseball playing inside of it.

WW2-1943--Wichata (KY) a 1 mile dirt oval ran illegally during the BAN of all raceways, located in a farmers field.

Ashland (KY) Raceway--1/2 mile dirt oval in 1937, the drivers refused to race when the promoter skipped town with the purse (quiet...westerman).

Latonia Horse Track 5/14/11--one mile dirt oval, won by Barny Oldfield, in the exact same car that Ray Harroun won in the very first Indy 500.

Lousiana Hilltop Raceway (2.1 mile roadcoarse) 1960-1965--has been converted into a Baptist Summer Camp. Go figure.

Fall River Speedway (MASS) 1/4 mile dirt oval from 3/5/'38, untill 1948, is a playground for kids now. That's cool.