abandoned speedways

GregD · 8/8/09, 10:02 AM

Does anybody know how far it is from Jungle Park to T.H.A.T.? With the reunion at Jungle Park and the All-Star race on the same day that could workout.

dave · 8/8/09, 10:28 AM

Only minutes from Jungle Park to THAT. Does anyone remember tracks at Mellot Waveland or Crawfordsville Ind.? Late 40's or early 50's. I doubt none lastiing more than a season. The one in C'ville was located just east on Us 136. Ran by a guy named Blacker, a friend of my Dad.

old time Hoosier · 8/8/09, 9:45 PM

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.

ByronMack · 8/8/09, 10:08 PM

It's amazing to me all these old tracks that are gone now. It seems that almost every litttle town had some sort of track. I love hearing stories about these tracks, just wish I had been around to see them myself.
Posted via Mobile Device

Uncle_Charlie · 8/26/09, 1:59 AM

How about the Cedar Lake Speedway, two miles south on Millhousen rd., just outside of Greensburg, Indiana. The (very old) ad that I have shows that they ran midgets and stockcars every Sunday afternoon, and a man named Art Tate was the manager.

I do not rememberbeing at this track, so it must have closed around the late 50's.
I also heard rumors of a track near St. Paul, Indiana from around this same time-frame...

Good luck in your quest,

tntbusco · 8/26/09, 12:11 PM

Anyone remember the old Andrews Speedway, it is just west of Huntington just off 24. It must not
of ran for very long. very small 1/4 dirt track that was along old hwy 24. Turn south of 24 at Andrews
intersection and go to 1st intersection (old 24) turn left and it is on the left. You can still see some
retaining wall and pit exit. Also some light poles and the small officals booth and some stumps where
seats must of been in the hillside. Cows now grazing where the track must of been and I think the pits
were in the small gravel pit just north of the farm house. Still fairly clear to see its layout..

8/26/09, 4:21 PM

I know I've asked about this place before but I finally found it on google earth. I have passed this place a million times and have always wonder when it was openned and what the name was. If you go to intersection of 31/30 just north of Plymouth In and go north on 31 I'm guessing 7miles the track is located on the east side of 31 and south of Linkville In.It looks like there might be a pond in it. Like I said I've by there a million times and there is still buildings and light poles still up.Please check it for me.

captrat · 8/26/09, 4:26 PM

Champaign, IL, Dayton, OH, Bryan, OH?, Greenfield, IN, Cincinnati, OH (Tri-County & Speedbowl?)Crown Point, IN, Hammond, IN, Little Springfield, Aviila?, 1/2 pavement in Pittsburgh, Reading,. Lots of history

SprintManDave · 8/26/09, 4:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TQ29m

Dusty Goggles, I been tryin to get Butch to come up with the official name for the track, along Clifty Creek, at Columbus. It was called a lot of things, some not so nice, but I think the "official name" was Columbus Speedway, I know that sounds a "little" on the upside, but a lot of folks remember it as "the hole", and "the pit", which seems to fit better, but there were some good races held there. I raced there in the mid to late 50's, then sometime in the early 60's, we had a Kart race there. I was back there in the early 80's, the hillside is so grown over with briars, it's almost impossible to get down the hill, but the layout was still visible. Bob

Yes Bob, it was officially Columbus speedway, but I knew it as the hill.Went there many times in the early and mid 50's

LEADERS EDGE · 8/26/09, 4:46 PM

Thanks for the photos Vukie. I found one of my buddy Spike at Santa Fe.

For years the delapidated billboard for Santa Fe. sat by the road on the way to Chicago. I was surprised no one went and got it for a keepsake.

8/8/09, 10:02 AM	#31 Re: abandoned speedways
GregD Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 179	Does anybody know how far it is from Jungle Park to T.H.A.T.? With the reunion at Jungle Park and the All-Star race on the same day that could workout.

8/8/09, 10:28 AM	#32 Re: abandoned speedways
dave Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 99	Only minutes from Jungle Park to THAT. Does anyone remember tracks at Mellot Waveland or Crawfordsville Ind.? Late 40's or early 50's. I doubt none lastiing more than a season. The one in C'ville was located just east on Us 136. Ran by a guy named Blacker, a friend of my Dad.

8/8/09, 9:45 PM	#33 Re: abandoned speedways
old time Hoosier Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 171	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.

8/8/09, 10:08 PM	#34
ByronMack Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 599	It's amazing to me all these old tracks that are gone now. It seems that almost every litttle town had some sort of track. I love hearing stories about these tracks, just wish I had been around to see them myself. Posted via Mobile Device

8/26/09, 1:59 AM	#35 Re: abandoned speedways
Uncle_Charlie Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 119	How about the Cedar Lake Speedway, two miles south on Millhousen rd., just outside of Greensburg, Indiana. The (very old) ad that I have shows that they ran midgets and stockcars every Sunday afternoon, and a man named Art Tate was the manager. I do not rememberbeing at this track, so it must have closed around the late 50's. I also heard rumors of a track near St. Paul, Indiana from around this same time-frame... Good luck in your quest,

8/26/09, 12:11 PM	#36 Re: abandoned speedways
tntbusco Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 184	Anyone remember the old Andrews Speedway, it is just west of Huntington just off 24. It must not of ran for very long. very small 1/4 dirt track that was along old hwy 24. Turn south of 24 at Andrews intersection and go to 1st intersection (old 24) turn left and it is on the left. You can still see some retaining wall and pit exit. Also some light poles and the small officals booth and some stumps where seats must of been in the hillside. Cows now grazing where the track must of been and I think the pits were in the small gravel pit just north of the farm house. Still fairly clear to see its layout..

8/26/09, 4:21 PM	#37 Re: abandoned speedways
john3g Posts: n/a	I know I've asked about this place before but I finally found it on google earth. I have passed this place a million times and have always wonder when it was openned and what the name was. If you go to intersection of 31/30 just north of Plymouth In and go north on 31 I'm guessing 7miles the track is located on the east side of 31 and south of Linkville In.It looks like there might be a pond in it. Like I said I've by there a million times and there is still buildings and light poles still up.Please check it for me.

8/26/09, 4:26 PM	#38 Re: abandoned speedways
captrat Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,878	Champaign, IL, Dayton, OH, Bryan, OH?, Greenfield, IN, Cincinnati, OH (Tri-County & Speedbowl?)Crown Point, IN, Hammond, IN, Little Springfield, Aviila?, 1/2 pavement in Pittsburgh, Reading,. Lots of history

8/26/09, 4:46 PM	#40 Re: abandoned speedways
LEADERS EDGE Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 980	Thanks for the photos Vukie. I found one of my buddy Spike at Santa Fe. For years the delapidated billboard for Santa Fe. sat by the road on the way to Chicago. I was surprised no one went and got it for a keepsake.