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The number of
Pennsylvania speedways in operation during the 50s is amazing. Each
year new tracks opened up while others closed. The number of weekly
operations gave fans of the time a number of tracks to attend. Some
were very good race tracks, tracks like Heidelberg, Claridge, Nazareth,
Dorney Park and Bone Stadium. Others were little more than a roughly
plowed field. But all presented racing and often very good racing.
I decided to chart the number of tracks in operation each year during the
50s. I should point out this is only for speedways no longer in
operation. The expansion in racing during the 50s started in 1952
and continued through the rest of the decade.
This is the first posting on the tracks. There are some speedways
that I know were in operation longer than I have indicated. But
until I find results to make it official, the speedway remains off of the
list. I have yet to tackle the tracks in the St. Marys, Bradford,
Clarion, Clearfield region. They are missing from this list but will
be added in the future.
To make the list a track has to be now closed. It also had to be a
weekly operation. That eliminates the fairground tracks that only ran a
few shows. Some fairground tracks, like Troy, did stage weekly shows.
Some tracks closed after only a couple of shows but they still make the
list. As long as an attempt was made to run weekly. Also, some
had several names and will be indicated. A track like Pine
Valley/Muncy was Pine Valley Speedway when it first opened. In its
later years it was called Muncy Speedway.
For each year I will start off with the tracks that opened that year.
Then underneath the new tracks will be the tracks that continued to
operate from the year before. As I mentioned, some are missing but do not
be alarmed. I will be adding them as I come across their results.
1950
New Speedways: Lancaster, Penn, Pocono Sunrise
Returning Tracks: Arden Downs, Bone Stadium, Butler, Dicky Ben, Dorney
Park, Hatfield, Heidelberg, Hilltop, Mason Dixon, Nazareth, New
Kensington, Pine Valley/Muncy, Sanatoga, Sportsman's Field, Yellow Jacket
G Street.
1951
New Speedways: Bill Peters, Claridge, Langhorne Short Track, Oakford Park,
Pulaski, Skyline Parryville, Stroudsburg/Delaware Valley, Troy, West
End
Returning Tracks: Bone Stadium, Butler, Crawford County, Dicky Ben,
Dorney Park, Hatfield, Heidelberg, Hilltop, Hyde Park, Lancaster,
Maple Grove, Mason Dixon, Nazareth, New Kensington, Penn, Pine
Valley/Muncy, Pocono Sunrise, Reading, Sanatoga, Sportsman's Field,
Waynesburg
1952
New Speedways: Armstrong VFW, Bowman Creek, Gold Mine, Kaylor, Latrobe,
Riverview, Rose, Spring Church, Toppi Stadum, Tri County, Turnpike, Willow
Grove
Returning Tracks: Bone Stadium, Butler, Claridge, Clarion Park, Dicky Ben,
Dorney Park, Hatfield, Heidelberg, Hilltop, Hyde Park, Lancaster,
Langhorne Short, Lehighton, Mahanoy City, Mason Dixon, Motor Glade,
Muncy/Pine Valley, Municipal Stadium, Nazareth, New Kensington, Penn,
Pulaski, Sanatoga, Sportsman's Field, Stroudsburg, Troy, West End
1953
New Speedways: Bowling Green, Green Valley/Evergreen, Lackawanna, South
Park
Returning Tracks: Arden Downs, Armstrong VFW, Bone Stadium, Bowman
Creek, Butler, Claridge, Dicky Ben, Dorney Park, Gold Mine, Hatfield,
Heidelberg, Hilltop, Lancaster, Langhorne Short, Latrobe, Lehighton, Mason
Dixon, Municipal Stadium, Nazareth, New Kensington, Pulaski, Riverview,
Rose, Sanatoga, Spring Church, Stroudsburg, Tri County, Turnpike
1954
New Tracks: Bradford Park, Clearview, Mon Duke, Sheshequin Valley,
Skyline, Valley/Marshall, Van Gordner's
Returning Tracks: Arden Downs, Armstrong VFW, Bone Stadium, Bowling
Green, Butler, Claridge, Dorney Park, Gold Mine, Green Valley, Hatfield,
Heidelberg, Highland Corners, Hilltop, Lancaster, Latrobe, Mason Dixon,
Muncy, Municpal Stadium, Nazareth, Pulaski, Riverview, Rose, Sanatoga,
South Park, Stroudsburg, Turnpike
1955
New Speedways: Berne, Circle M Ranch, Mt. Carbon, South Penn
Returning Tracks: Airport, Altoona, Arden Downs, Armstrong VFW, Bone
Stadium, Bowling Green, Butler, Claridge, Dorney Park, Gold Mine, Green
Valley, Hatfield, Heidelberg, Highland Corners, Hilltop, Houtzdale,
Lancaster, Mason Dixon, Mon Duke, Nazareth, Muncy, Municipal, Pulaski,
Reading, Riverview, Sanatoga, Skyline, South Park, Turnpike,
Valley/Marshall, Van Gordner's
1956
New Speedways: North Bedford, St.Thomas, Walnutdale
Returning Tracks: Airport, Arden Downs, Armstrong VFW, Bone Stadium,
Bowling Green, Bradford, Butler, Circle M Ranch, Claridge, Dorney Park,
Gold Mine, Green Valley, Hatfield, Heidelberg, Highland Corners, Hilltop,
Lehighton, Mon Duke, Mt. Carbon, Muncy, Nazareth, Pulaski, Reading,
Roulette, Sanatoga, Skyline, South Park, South Penn, Valley/Marshall,
Windber
1957
New Speedways: Blue Mountain, Davis Lane, Glen Drive, Harborcreek,
Huntington, Hustontown, New Uniontown, Towanda VFW
Returning Tracks: Airport, Altoona, Arden Downs, Bone Stadium,
Circle M Ranch, Claridge, Dorney Park, Gold Mine, Green Valley, Hatfield,
Heidelberg, Highland Corners. Hilltop, Lehighton, Marshall, Mon Duke, Mt.
Carbon, Nazareth, North Bedford, Pulaski, Queen City, Reading, Sanatoga,
Saxton, Skyline, South Park, South Penn, St. Thomas, Walnutdale, Windber
1958
New Speedways: Fireball Stadium, Greater Johnstown, Greater
Pittsburgh, Kuhl Road, Punxsutawney
Returning Tracks: Airport, Altoona, Arden Downs, Blue Mountain,
Claridge, Davis Lane, Dorney Park, Erie Stadium, Glen Drive, Gold Mine,
Green Valley, Hatfield, Heidelberg, Hilltop, Huntington, Hustontown, Mon
Duke, Nazareth, North Bedford, Reading, Skyline, South Park, South Penn,
St. Thomas, Towanda VFW, Windber
1959
New Speedways: Butler at Prospect, Dubois, Iroquois, Three Point,
Thunderbowl
Returning Tracks: Airport, Arden Downs, Bone Stadium, Davis Lane,
Dorney Park, Erie Stadium, Fairview, Fireball Stadium, Glen Drive, Gold
Mine, Greater Johnstown, Greater Pittsburgh, Hatfield, Heidelberg,
Hustontown, Kuhl Road, Mahaffey, Mon Duke, Nazareth, North Bedford,
Paradise, Pine Grove, Reading, South Park, South Penn, St. Thomas,
Stroudsburg, Towanda VFW
- Steve Bubb
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Steve Bubb's weekly column in Area
Auto Racing News
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