10 replies to this topic

[mod134]

I'm an avid racing fan and amateur historian.  Massachusetts has had many tracks in the history of the sport. I'm trying to keep the information regarding the status of each track's site.

Example:
Dracut Speedway
operated through 1955
It was located on (Rt. 113) Broadway St. and Loon Hill Road.
It is a field with a few buildings on it. The site was recently sold to become a strip mall.

Here are the tracks in Mass.

MASSACHUSETTS

8.   Alumni Field – Lowell
1/5 mile dirt oval (6/20/38 – 9/29/41)
On Rogers Street
Site status: unknown

9.   Athol Fairgrounds – Athol
½ mile dirt oval (c. 1937 – 7/04/41) (1947)
Site status: unknown

10.   Baylies Stadium – New Bedford
1/3 mile paved oval (6/05/1940 – 9/10/41)
1/5 mile dirt oval (1948 – 4/18/1949)
Motorcycles 1948 (aka: Cawley Stadium)
On Coggeshill Street
Torn down in December 1949
Now part of I-195

11.   Bellingham – Bellingham
1.5 mile dirt oval (1949 )
The track was dirt for the first race
1/5 mile paved oval (1949-1951) (1953)
Site became an ice cream parlor (still operating?)
Site status: unknown

12.   Beverly Airport – Danvers
2.6 mile paved road course (7/05/55 – 1956)
Site status: unknown

13.   Boston Gardens – Boston
1/10 mile indoor dirt oval (12/10/36 – 12/17/36) (2/04/37 – 2/25/37)
1/10 mile flat indoor wood oval (1/14/37) – possibly outdoor track
1/10 mile banked indoor wood oval (11/11/37 – 1/27/38)
Site is now the TD Banknorth Garden and a government building

14.   Bridgewater Grange Park –Bridgewater
½ mile dirt oval (7/04/36)
Site status: unknown


15.   Brockton Fairgrounds – Brockton
Located west of town on State Route 123
½ mile dirt oval (early 1920s) (1927 – c. 9/13/41)
1/5 mile dirt oval (late 1940s’)
The tracks were torn out in 1973
The grandstands was destroyed by fire in 1936
Ran IMCA springs in 1920’s
Reportedly had 94,000 fans for AAA big car race here in 1934
1/2 mile track still exists and runs motorcycle races occasionally

16.   Cambridge Fairgrounds – Cambridge
½ mile dirt oval (c. 1935 – 8/19/39)
Site status: unknown

17.   Charles River Park – Cambridge
1/3 mile dirt oval (November, 1898)
The race was won by a Stanley Steamer
Site status: unknown

18.   Chatham Speedway – Chatham
1/5 mile dirt oval (mid-1970’s)
1/5 mile paved oval (1977)
Site status: unknown

19.   Dracut Speedway – Dracut
¼ mile paved oval (6/03/1946 – 1955)
The track was built and promoted by Alex Beloit
Located at the corner of Loon Hill Road & Broadway St. (Rt. 113)
Site is currently a field and some buildings; land recently sold to become a strip mall.

20.   Eastern State Expo Coliseum – West Springfield
At the Eastern States Expo
1/10 mile indoor dirt oval (3/04/94 – 3/05/94)
Ran Mini-Sprints
Building still exists at the Big E

21.   Eastern States Expo Speedway – West Springfield
At the Eastern States Expo
½ mile dirt oval (c. 1917 – c. 9/20/41)
Ran IMCA big cars in the 1920’s
Ran AAA big cars in the 1930’s
U.S. Army used site during World War II
5/8 mile dirt oval (9/19/47 – 9/20/52)
The fair started in 1912
5/8 mile paved oval (9/25/53 – 1968)
Site redeveloped with buildings

22.   Evergreen Speedway – New Bedford
½ mile dirt oval (c. 5/30/39 – c.1940)
The site is now the New Bedford Airport

23.   Fall River Speedway – Fall River
(aka: Bigberry Stadium)
¼ mile dirt oval (6/09/39 – 7/24/42)
The site later became a playground
Site status: unknown

24.   Golden Cove Race Track – Chelmsford
½ mile dirt oval (9/21/35)
One race only
Site status: unknown

25.   Great Barrington
½ mile dirt oval (c. 10/03/36 – c. 1941) (9/22/46)
Horse Track (still exists on Main St. near Silver st., across from Mahaiwe Cemetary)

26.   Horace Mann Speedway – Franklin
(aka: New Franklin Speedway)
½ mile dirt oval (7/04/40 – c. 10/12/40) (9/02/46)
1/5 mile paved oval (5/30/41 – 7/30/42)
Formerly a horse track
The site is now a shopping plaza on Route 140
Site status: unknown

27.   Hyannis Port
1.0-mile dirt (sand) oval road course (5/12/35)
Raced on the sand dunes
Site status: unknown

28.   Interstate Speedway Park – South Attleboro
½ mile dirt oval (1922 – c. 1924) (c. 1933 – Sept. 1936) (4/19/38)
(aka: Attleboro Speedway)
The site is now a shopping center
Site status: unknown

29.   Lakeville Speedway – Lakeville
Probably was Massachusetts’ last dirt track
½ mile dirt oval (late 1920’s) (1938) (10/19/41 – 11/11/41) (c. 1946) (c. 1964 – 1975)
(aka: Camp Joe Hooker) (aka: Middleboro Fairgrounds)
Named after Gen. Joe Hooker when it was a horse training Army camp
(aka: Golden Spur Speedway)
Located near Middleboro
Track layout still visible

30.   Lawson Speedway – Scituate
Dirt oval – 1920’s
Site status: unknown

31.   Lowell - 10.6 mile city street road course (1907 – 9/08/09) (Sept. 1912)
(aka: Merrimack Valley Course)
Ran AAA champ cars

32.   Lynn – dirt oval (1932)
Site status: unknown

33.   Marlborough – ½ mile dirt oval (1934 – 11/11/35)
Site status: unknown

34.   Marshfield Fairgrounds – Marshfield
½ mile dirt oval (1933 – 8/25/34) (7/04/36)
Site status: unknown

35.   Marstons Mills
Paved city street road course (6/29/35)
Site status: unknown

36.   Medford Bowl – Medford
¼ mile paved oval (9/07/46 – 1954)
Located on Revere Beach Parkway
(aka: Mystic Valley Speedway)
The site was to become a drive-in theater, but was turned down by council
Site is now an office building

37.   Mohawk Stadium – Lunenberg – oval (c.6/25/48 – c.1949)
The site later became a drive-in theater
Site today is the Tri-Town Drive-In Theater, which may be in its last year and is set to become an apartment complex.

38.   New Bedford – ¼ mile paved dragstrip (c. 1957)
Located at the airport

39.   Northampton Fairgrounds – Northampton
Located at the Three Co. Fairgrounds
½ mile dirt oval (1933 – 9/07/41)
(aka: Driving Park)
A horse track (still exists, on Fair St. near I-91)
Horse racing ended with the 2005 fair. 2006 fair was the first without horse racing in 50+ yrs.
[Long-term track status: uncertain]  

40.   Norwood Arena – Norwood
¼ mile paved oval (6/14/48 – 1972)
Johnny Bernardi was the first winner
Raced on 5/31/48 & 6/07/48 were rainouts
Pete Hamilton started his career here
Dave Dion was the last Late Model champion
Site now an industrial park [Near the Boch dealerships] Looking for the name of the industrial park.

41.   Orange Dragstrip – Orange (Fitchburg)
¼ mile paved dragstrip (1954 – c. 1970s)
Site status: unknown

42.   Oxford Fairgrounds – Oxford
½ mile dirt oval (1930’s)
Maybe located at the Sturbridge Fair
Site status: unknown

43.   Pynchon Park – Springfield
1/5 mile dirt oval (5/22/37)
Former site of League Park; Pynchon (aka: Hampden Park) was home of the Springfield Rifles/Giants/Cubs/Nationals minor-league baseball team.
Destroyed in 1966 by fire
Located next to the North End Bridge. Site of the Hilltop Steak House today.

44.   Radio Bowl – Medford
1/3 mile paved oval (8/17/41 – c. 8/31/41)
¼ mile paved oval (6/10/41 – 9/23/41)
Site status: unknown

45.   Readville – Boston (Hyde Park)
mile dirt oval (1902 – 5/31/37)
Ralph DePalma won his first ever race here in 1908
Ran IMCA in 1915
Also Ran AAA big cars
Originally built as a horse track
Used by the government as a landing strip during World War II
Destroyed by the hurricane in 1938
Actually located near Hyde Park
Site status: unknown

46.   Rhythm Inn Speedway – Millers Falls
1/3 mile dirt oval (5/25/51 c. 1959)
Track layout is visible in the woods

47.   Riverside Park – Medford
1/5 mile dirt oval (1937)
¼ mile dirt oval (6/22/38 – 9/21/39)
Ran Midgets
Site status: unknown

48.   Riverside Park Speedway – Agawam
1/5 mile paved oval (6/02/48 - 1972)
¼ mile paved oval (1972-1985)
¼ mile high-banked paved oval (1986 – present)
Site is now the Superman: Ride of Steel roller coaster

49.   Rockdale Park – Peabody
½ mile dirt oval (7/03/30 & 9/01/30)
Was a harness track that opened in 1925
Site is now housing development
Site status: unknown Seeking name/address of the housing development

50.   Rockland Speedway – Rockland
¼ mile dirt oval (c. 7/13/40 – c. 7/20/40)
Site status: unknown

51.   Round the Houses – Edgartown (Martha’s Vineyard)
Street road course (1935)
Site status: unknown

52.   Saugus
1.25 mile dirt oval (1931)
Ran one AAA race
Site status: unknown

53.   Saugus
¼ mile dirt oval (1946 – c. 1958)
Site status: unknown

54.   Seekonk Speedway – Seekonk
¼ mile paved oval (5/30/46 – 1979)
First race was a Bay State Midget Racing Association won by Oscar Ridlon
Held the first NEMA midget race here on 5/30/53
Also Modifieds here
1/3 mile paved oval (1980 - present)
(aka: The Cement Palace – unofficial)
Owned and promoted by D. Anthony Venditti
Still run by his family
D. Anthony was the 1978 RPM Promoter of the Year
Only operational race track left in Mass.

55.   Springfield
1/3 mile wood oval (October, 1909)
Built by Jack Prince
The corners were banked at 48 degrees
Ran motorcycles only
Site status: unknown

Sturbridge Fairgrounds – Sturbridge
½ mile dirt oval (c. 9/05/36 – c. 5/30/40)
Site status: unknown

The Pines Speedway – Groveland
Located at an old amusement park
1/5 mile dirt oval (8/29/40 – 10/09/41) (August, 1946 – c. 1946)
¼ mile paved oval (c. 1947 - 1971)
(aka: The Pines Midget Speedway)
Site is now a recreation area

Topsfield Fairgrounds – Topsfield
1/5 mile dirt oval (7/29/37 – 9/10/41)
½ mile dirt oval (9/10/33 – 7/04/41) (5/30/46 – 1950’s)
Site status: unknown

Wayland Circuit – Wayland
mile dirt road course (10/07/34 – 11/17/35)
Site status: unknown

Warr Park – Wareham
½ mile dirt oval (c. 1926)
Site status: unknown

West Peabody Speedway – West Peabody
Site is now a high school running track
¼ mile paved oval (1946 – c. 1963)
Which high school?

62.   West Roxbury Speedway – Boston (West Roxbury)
½ mile dirt oval (1936)
West Springfield Speedway – West Springfield
Former dog track on Memorial Avenue
¼ mile paved oval (7/21/39 – 5/16/42) (4/27/46 –1958)
A fire destroyed the grandstands on 1/05/47
(aka: Century Stadium)
(aka: New Springfield Speedway)
Now site Century Center Shopping Plaza

63.   Westboro Speedway – Westborough
¼ mile paved oval (8/05/47 – 9/14/85)
The property now site of the Speedway Mall

64.   Westborough
¼ mile drag strip (c. 1957)
Possibly didn’t run
Site status: unknown

65.   Westover Air Force Base – Springfield
Paved road course on runways (2/03/54)

66.   Weymouth Fairgrounds – Weymouth
½ mile dirt oval (c.5/30/36 – 10/13/41)
Site status: unknown

67.   Whitney Lake
1/3 mile ice oval (2/07/54 – c. 1954)
Site status: unknown

68.   Worcester Fairgrounds – Worcester
Located at the New England Fairgrounds
½ mile dirt oval (c. 1920 – c. 10/12/35)
Site status: unknown

Edited by mod134, 05 July 2007 - 10:46 AM.

[Lowerdeck]

I haven't been down Route 9 in Westboro in quite some time.  I know there's a commercial area on the site of the old speedway, I can't remember if it's a strip mall or a car dealership however.

[cloudship]

Strip Mall, called, appropriately Speedway Plaza. Many think it is more in reference to Rt 9 than the track. Used to go there for races occasionally, but they had a lot of problems there. And the noise was so disruptive to other businesses around it that it just didn't work, so not too many tears were shed when it closed up. Still, I miss it. A bit.

[Lowerdeck]

At least there's still some tracks around.  There's Thompson about 20 miles south of Worcester.  If you want to go a little further, Seekonk, Stafford Springs, and Waterford too.  Those just happened to survive best out of the rest.

[mod134]

It's not uncommon to use a reference to the property's former use. ie: Speedway Plaza in Westboro. Danbury Fair Mall in Danbury is another example as the fairgrounds and its old 1/3 mile track were demolished for commercial property.

While Westboro was a "rundown" track with its infamous and treacherous wooden barriers, and the unpaved pits, I believe you are mistaken on not many tears being shed.  Fans of the racing there, or even actual attendees familiar with the sport, may beg to differ.  Some of the best drivers of their time competed at Westboro - Freddie Borden (the track's all-time winningest driver), Greg Sacks, Maynard Troyer, Ron Bouchard, the Fuller brothers, Bobby Santos, Bugsy Stevens, Richie Evans, Pete Fiandaca and so many more.  My grandfather beat Long Island great Charlie Jarzombek and all the regulars in the 100-lap "Busch Classic" there in 1979.

Two reunions for Westboro have taken place (2001 and 2005).  I was in attendance at both and there was a very good crowd; a healthy mix of the old-time drivers and fans going back to the tracks establishment in 1947 to those representing drivers and fans that were there for the track's demise.  It was good to see some younger people around my age in attendance who weren't around for the track also there. Plenty of scrapbooks and tall tales were shared.

Noted racing journalist Pete Zanardi says that Westboro was the best Midget race track.  The 1/4 mile length and the high banks allowed for thrilling side-by-side action and some scary wrecks.

[mod134]

"Those just happened to survive best out of the rest."

This isn't always the case.  I'm pretty sure Westboro had the Falconi's leasing the track for several years before the owner sold the track, pulling the rug from under their feet and ending a 38-year tradition.

Tracks have closed for various reasons. Lonsdale Sports Arena in Rhode Island closed after it suffered damage from the hurricane of '54 and it compromised the grandstands.  Without the massive seating capacity to help recoup the lost money, the owner looked towards other interests.  A track that played a key role in NASCAR's birth is now a Stop & Shop plaza on SR 122 in Cumberland.

Some tracks operated well like Norwood Arena on Rt. 1 or Riverside Park in Agawam. The trouble was that the land values and/or greedy ownership gave in to the almighty dollar in favor of keeping them as a race track.

Seekonk itself came very close to being sold around 1997 and has had recurring rumors of its sale since before the founder's passing in 1990.

[Lowerdeck]

Well, it's not always the case, as you pointed out.

However, there seemed to be tons of racetracks back in the day.  Now with only a handful left in New England, those that remain are more likely to survive as long as the owners care about them (i.e.: not pull a Riverside).

[mod134]

Aerial Photos:

Alumni Field - Rebuilt in 1996 and seats 4,000 fans.


Baylies Stadium
Located on Coggeshall St. (#2) "in an area now partially taken up by Interstate 195 near Washburn Street (#1)."
As a midget and motorcycle track, it operated under 2 names: Baylies Stadium (1940-41) and John Cawley Memorial Stadium (1948-49) [The Standard Times 05/23/04 by Todd Baptista]


Beverly Airport


Boston Garden



Brockton Fair


Dracut Speedway


Eastern States Coliseum


Eastern States Expo


Evergreen Speedway (Now New Bedford Airport)


Fall River Speedway


Golden Cove Race Track
A dirt half-mile northeast of Chelmsford, Mass. Only racing was in 1935. The track faced northwest to southeast. The highway in the photo goes through the middle of where the track rested. The north turns were against the railroad tracks.


Great Barrington




Horace Mann Speedway
Named for the native son and education reformer.
A dirt half-mile and an asphalt fifth-mile were at this Franklin, Mass. location.  Track closed in 1942.  The upper turns of the track would have been about midway through the mall and the lower turns in the housing development.

Edited by mod134, 05 October 2007 - 07:09 PM.

[Lowerdeck]

What I believe is Westboro... haven't been down that way in a while
http://maps.google.c...&...p;z=15&om=1

[mod134]

Lakeville Speedway


Weymouth Fairgrounds
Then

Now

Edited by mod134, 18 October 2007 - 05:12 PM.

[vintageride]

I am responding to your information:



"Sturbridge Fairgrounds – Sturbridge
½ mile dirt oval (c. 9/05/36 – c. 5/30/40)
Site status: unknown"

I believe there was racing at that track prior to 1936.  

The 5th annual field days (1922) were associated with a race held at the Sturbridge Fairgrounds on August 5, based on a first place trophy for a 1915 Maxwell.   The race was sponsored by "Ha mi lt on Woolen Co.".

I am told by the Charlton Historical Society the race track was almost opposite what is now the entry road from Route 20 Old Sturbridge Village.

Any additional information would be most appreciated.