|
The Ft Wayne 5/8, South Anthony also in Ft. Wayne, Playland Park and Muncie are completely gone with no trace of a speedway. Richmond however still contains some clues to the magic of the old Richmond Midget Stadium. Several years ago while driving through Richmond I decided to see if I could find the location of the old track. The area has grown so much that following directions was difficult but I did eventually find the remnants. The first and second turns are gone replaced by a new home. The third turn banking was very much in evidence and a portion of the fourth turn also remained. The former pit area reveled a section about two feet long of the old guard rail, several old rusty 'old style' beer cans that needed a church key to open and an assortment of bolts, nuts and other leftovers of another time. None of the asphalt remains but after walking the area for several minutes we, my son was with me, discovered all of the asphalt from the former racing surface had been bladed off and dumped into a nearby ditch. If you have the time and patience and if you walk around where the former big wooden grandstand was located you will find the 6x6 timbers that were sunk in the ground to erect the grandstand. They are cut off a little below the surface of the ground. You can also pick out the where the flagstand was erected also with timbers sunk in the ground. As a youngster many, many years ago my father and I spent a lot of time at this race track.
|