Spooky Hollow race track

EldoraMark · 2/22/09, 4:01 PM

There was a track just west of Eldora, It was located one mile to the west of the Indiana and Ohio state line in Indiana, ( North of Union City) It was located on a road that they called and still known as Spooky Hollow. The road runs through my uncle farm. My Dad told me the story of Earl Baltes and him sitting in a tree watching the races. A car lost control and ran into the tree, knocking Earl and him out of the tree. He said he started to go threre right after the World Warr II
Dad is 84 and his memory is starting to fade. He could not tell me much about the track. Just wondering if any one knows anything about this track.
I went by it Thursday and there is no sign of it.

Mark Fritz

Static · 2/22/09, 5:14 PM

I have also driven down Spooky Hollow road and had someone tell me as we were heading south, the track was on the west side of the road at the south end of the wooded area. As I recall there is a drive and a house in that area. The track was up the lane just south of the woods.

EldoraMark · 2/22/09, 6:11 PM

Static

You are correct on location My uncle woods is on the east side.
Are you from around there?

Mark Fritz

Static · 2/22/09, 6:18 PM

I am from Winchester and work in Portland. I will do some detective work and see if I can find someone who may have some pictures or at least some stories to tell.

sc96 · 2/22/09, 9:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Static

I am from Winchester and work in Portland. I will do some detective work and see if I can find someone who may have some pictures or at least some stories to tell.

Where in porland do you work

Static · 2/22/09, 9:35 PM

Jrds

goodnight39 · 2/23/09, 2:57 AM

good to hear from a fellow winchester native

KKinser99 · 2/23/09, 9:45 AM

Old race tracks are pretty interesting! Seen your post and i was curious, so I got on google earth. Can not pinpoint were the track actually was.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...02738&t=h&z=16

EldoraMark · 2/23/09, 5:59 PM

KKinser

I work with a guy who lives 1 mile from the Track
The track is on the Spooky Hollow road
It's between road 600 south and 700 south in Jay county
1 mile west of the state line. He said there is a good chance
you would not see anything. Its been farmed over for years.
There is a house on the property and would be the only house
on the west side of that road about 1/4 mile north of road 700

I asked him if he knew anything about the track.
His dad told him of a story about a driver that use to race there that had a wooden leg.
The driver ended up flipping and before he crawed out of the car he took his wooden leg and threw it out of the window.
There were some fans that thought it was a real leg and fainted and fell out of the stands. :rolling

Mark

7/18/10, 11:17 AM

Don't know how accurate this is..however I do know for a fact the track existed. But I remember being told that Earl Baltes purchased the track and immediately shut it down, to stop competition from his Eldora Track. I do remember as well, looking at a plat map probably back in the 70's and for that piece of ground, it listed as the owner BEATRICE BALTES...I think Earl's wife. At that time you could find among the weeds, remanants on an old grandstand, and I think a light pole or two. That's about all I remember of it, and yes it was located on the infamous SPOOKY HOLLOW road on the east part of Jay County.

2/22/09, 5:14 PM	#2 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
Static Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 62	I have also driven down Spooky Hollow road and had someone tell me as we were heading south, the track was on the west side of the road at the south end of the wooded area. As I recall there is a drive and a house in that area. The track was up the lane just south of the woods.

2/22/09, 6:11 PM	#3 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
EldoraMark Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 333	Static You are correct on location My uncle woods is on the east side. Are you from around there? Mark Fritz

2/22/09, 6:18 PM	#4 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
Static Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 62	I am from Winchester and work in Portland. I will do some detective work and see if I can find someone who may have some pictures or at least some stories to tell.

2/22/09, 9:35 PM	#6 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
Static Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 62	Jrds

2/23/09, 2:57 AM	#7 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
goodnight39 Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23	good to hear from a fellow winchester native

2/23/09, 9:45 AM	#8 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
KKinser99 Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 167	Old race tracks are pretty interesting! Seen your post and i was curious, so I got on google earth. Can not pinpoint were the track actually was. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...02738&t=h&z=16

2/23/09, 5:59 PM	#9 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
EldoraMark Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 333	KKinser I work with a guy who lives 1 mile from the Track The track is on the Spooky Hollow road It's between road 600 south and 700 south in Jay county 1 mile west of the state line. He said there is a good chance you would not see anything. Its been farmed over for years. There is a house on the property and would be the only house on the west side of that road about 1/4 mile north of road 700 I asked him if he knew anything about the track. His dad told him of a story about a driver that use to race there that had a wooden leg. The driver ended up flipping and before he crawed out of the car he took his wooden leg and threw it out of the window. There were some fans that thought it was a real leg and fainted and fell out of the stands. :rolling Mark

7/18/10, 11:17 AM	#10 Re: Spooky Hollow race track
Speedy_IN Posts: n/a	Don't know how accurate this is..however I do know for a fact the track existed. But I remember being told that Earl Baltes purchased the track and immediately shut it down, to stop competition from his Eldora Track. I do remember as well, looking at a plat map probably back in the 70's and for that piece of ground, it listed as the owner BEATRICE BALTES...I think Earl's wife. At that time you could find among the weeds, remanants on an old grandstand, and I think a light pole or two. That's about all I remember of it, and yes it was located on the infamous SPOOKY HOLLOW road on the east part of Jay County.