B.Hooven (Offline)
#1
1/28/11 12:37 AM
Hello everybody. I am brand new to dirt track racing. I grew up in Northern Indiana on the pavement. But I am starting to love the dirt track racing down here in the Bloomington, IN area. I started to do some research, and was messing around on Google maps one day and came across what looked like an abandoned race track. After doing some minor investigating I found out that it was called Owensburg Speedway and is located in Owensburg, IN. It is only about a half hour away from my house so I had to go and check it out. As I literally drove down a road that probably shouldn't even exist, this track arose out of nowhere like the great Titanic sunken at the bottom of the ocean.
I don't know why, but I just became fascinated with this track and couldn't stop thinking about it. I tried to do some research on it and literally found nothing worth anything. I found out that it was Owensburg Speedway or Greene County Speedway. I called the listed phone number and it is disconnected. I emailed some people involved in a sprint series that was supposed to race there in 2005, and still have received no response(2 years later). I checked through the local newspaper archives and found barely anything. It's as if this is a ghost track that never existed. I saw that it was supposed to re-open in 2005 however if you go to the track it looks as if it hasn't been touched in 20+ years.
So I resort now to you dirt track experts on Indiana Open Wheel. Is there anybody out there that can give me any information about the track: who raced there, what raced there, when was it in operation, was it successful at all, why did it shut down, and most importantly: does anybody have any photos of it back when it was in its prime??
Thank you guys very much for your time and any information that you can provide me.
Brandon
2 Likes:
AustinSprinter, nathans1012
nathans1012
(Online)
#3
1/28/11 1:05 AM
Originally Posted by B.Hooven:
Hello everybody. I am brand new to dirt track racing. I grew up in Northern Indiana on the pavement. But I am starting to love the dirt track racing down here in the Bloomington, IN area. I started to do some research, and was messing around on Google maps one day and came across what looked like an abandoned race track. After doing some minor investigating I found out that it was called Owensburg Speedway and is located in Owensburg, IN. It is only about a half hour away from my house so I had to go and check it out. As I literally drove down a road that probably shouldn't even exist, this track arose out of nowhere like the great Titanic sunken at the bottom of the ocean.
I don't know why, but I just became fascinated with this track and couldn't stop thinking about it. I tried to do some research on it and literally found nothing worth anything. I found out that it was Owensburg Speedway or Greene County Speedway. I called the listed phone number and it is disconnected. I emailed some people involved in a sprint series that was supposed to race there in 2005, and still have received no response(2 years later). I checked through the local newspaper archives and found barely anything. It's as if this is a ghost track that never existed. I saw that it was supposed to re-open in 2005 however if you go to the track it looks as if it hasn't been touched in 20+ years.
So I resort now to you dirt track experts on Indiana Open Wheel. Is there anybody out there that can give me any information about the track: who raced there, what raced there, when was it in operation, was it successful at all, why did it shut down, and most importantly: does anybody have any photos of it back when it was in its prime??
Thank you guys very much for your time and any information that you can provide me.
Brandon
I heard about this track when they where supposed to open in 2005 but never heard anything about the track since then. Thanks for this question now you have me wondering my self. Anyone have any info on this track?
2024 Season: Race 1 - April 20th Brownstown (Crate LM). Unlike many I don't discriminate on what racing I choose to watch.
ByronMack (Offline)
#5
1/28/11 3:50 AM
I do know that the track was once owned by late model legend Ray Godsey. I think they ran mainly stock cars, but they did have a few sprint races there. I see Ray every now and then, next time I see him I'll ask some questions.
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kcarm92 (Offline)
#7
1/28/11 8:21 AM
track was built by tim helton it was a high bank 1/4 mile first year then him and dale dubuis cut the banking down dale also built the old sweet owen speedway on hy 46 just west of spenser in, tim had some trouble with dnr ray godsey owened it next and it became godsey s green county speedway still have a t shirt. mr. helton later built the racetrack at caterac falls early 90s when greene county was built,won some mod features there around 05 a guy was goin to open it up but never happened
RedRacer07 (Offline)
#8
1/28/11 9:22 AM
I grew up in Greene county and can remember being hopeful for the success of this track...which never happened.
I remember one spring seeing it on the All Star's schedule and being excited, then traveling past the track 3 weeks before the date & seeing the track with small trees growing on the racing surface.
I think the DNR issues were around the run off into the near by creek and possibly an "unapproved" damning of the creek, but not to sure of this.
