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

I'd sure love to see some more old Virginia racing pictures from you folks.

 

Very sad.

http://myfox8.com/2015/10/02/ghost-track-life-after-racing-in-north-wilkesboro/

 

L.D. Ottinger, Newport, Tn. 1962

 

L.D.

 

I haven't read the whole thread but seems one of these tracks would be a great place for a hotrod show.

 

The one's that aren't shopping malls now.

 

One of the Virginia drag strips that I'm trying to find out more about was Lonesome Pine Drag Strip in Coeburn. I think it ran from about 1964 to 1971. J. B. Tiller owned it. Most of the racers came from nearby Tennessee to race there. I'm trying to find out more about it for the encyclopedia of U.S. drag strips that I am compiling online. I'm including sanctioned, independent, outlaw, and old speedway tracks, too. It is still a work-in-progress, but I have thus far entered most of the drag strips that opened at least fifty years ago. It is organized by state, with chronological listings and alphabetical entries. Each entry gives a capsule history, years of operation, links to old YouTube videos or radio ads, a link to submit your memories of drag strips, old newspaper ads, etc. My goal is to include all drag strips that opened before 1977, that is, strips that opened 40 years ago. If I'm missing some tracks, I'd like to know about them. Also please consider adding your memories of drag strips where you either raced or attended. It is located at: http://dragstriplist.com

 

bump

 

Thanks for finding and sharing such neat information about our past.
The men and machines and colorful stories make it all the better.
Please continue.
Thanks again,
Al

 

Here is a google earth photo of the Spartanburg, SC race track at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds where Cotton Owens, (King Of The Modifies) and Bud Moore, David Pearson just to name a few raced from 1953 to 1966 when the track closed.

 

Frank Millikan (my stepfather, passed on now) bought it in 79. The track is still here believe it or not. After Frank died Joe sold the land to Travis East (who owns it now). I still live here. My grandfather and Lee Petty used to bootleg down here. I remember growing up with the Petty's. Believe it or not there is still one lone standing light pole left. (and I think one laying down in the weeds but I don't know if it has the lights on it or not). The one standing actually still has the two light fixtures (green, which I guess you know if you have one) and the bulbs are still in them as well. It's in the entrance to the ticket booth. The last year we raced Joe had to quit due to "problems" we're not supposed to talk about, and was actually leading the rookie of the year points race with runner up none other than Dale Earnhardt Sr. Earnhardt ended up winning because we had to get out of racing altogether. Unknown to most people this was the beginning of the end of actual racing period. With the introduction of "restrictor plates" (that only we had to have btw) Maurice (Petty) said exactly that. Rules and advertizing took over and we were basically told "you can still race, but...." It's like saying we gonna race but you have to tie your shoestrings together". Long story short, when Maurice was told "your spoiler is 1/2 inch too high after some protest or something (can't remember where, I was 12) I remember him screaming "well raise your f...kin spoiler up a half inch and lets race!"...and the rest was history. Nothing but rolling billboards now. I saw this on a fluke and signed up. I have a lot of interesting stuff I can post. I have some news articles from back then, the big post cards they had, and a lot of cool stuff I'll dig up and post in the next few days I think you'll enjoy.

 

Great info, Mark. Look forward to your future posts and pictures..........Don.

 

Yes, please post more. Thanks.

 

I believe you are talking about the old track in Pineville. It was the only board track in the Charlotte area. It was a 1.25 mile, 40 degree banked turns tracked named Charlotte Speedway. It ran AAA sanctioned 9 races from 1924-27.

 

Hi Larry,

I know you made this post back in 2011 but came across it while searching for information on Newman Speedway in Unionville, VA. My house supposedly sits where this track used to be and I'd love to find out more information about it and see pics if any exist. Please reply if you are still active on this forum and would like to share info.

Barb

 

Yea, a lot of ghosts around that old track !!

 

What'd you do today, I explored an old drag strip
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-today,-I-explored-an-old-drag-strip.1039329/

Here’s my thread on shuffle town in Charlotte nc


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