Bath Speedway

Last updated
Bath Speedway
Location Bath, New York
Coordinates 42°21′41″N77°21′14″W / 42.3614°N 77.3538°W / 42.3614; -77.3538
Opened1951
Closed1956
SurfaceDirt
Length.4 km (.25 miles)

Bath Speedway was a 14-mile (0.40 km) dirt oval racing facility located in the Southern Tier Region of New York State. [1]

Overview

Bath Speedway was opened in 1952 on NY 415 two miles northwest of the village of Bath, New York (property later occupied by Empire Livestock Marketing LLC). [2] The Cohocton Valley Racing Association took over operations in 1956, then moved to the Dundee Fairgrounds the following year. [3] [4]

The speedway was one of a series of venues in the Twin Tiers region of New York and Pennsylvania where drivers began their careers before becoming known on the state and national scene. [5] [6] The racetrack was where Hall of Fame driver Glenn Reiners ran his first race, and was the home track of fellow Hall of Famer and NASCAR New York Sportsman champion Dutch Hoag. [7] [8]

References

  1. "Chronicle-Express". Penn Yan, NY. August 13, 1953. p. 4. Retrieved August 26, 2025 via NYS Historic Newspapers.
  2. "Chronicle-Express". Penn Yan, NY. May 29, 1952. p. 10. Retrieved August 23, 2025 via NewspaperArchive.
  3. "Bath Speedway opens Saturday". Dundee Observer . NY. May 24, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved August 23, 2025 via NYS Historic Newspapers.
  4. "Stock Cars drew big crowd; races set for every Friday night". Dundee Observer . NY. June 6, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved August 26, 2025 via NYS Historic Newspapers.
  5. Wiser, Chuck (October 14, 2021). "Words From Wiser: Tracking from Rug Rat to Track Rat". The Wellsville Sun. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  6. Easton, Ford (2014). Stock Car Racing in the '50s. IPP. ISBN   9781500171780.
  7. "Donald 'Dutch' Hoag". Eastern Motorsports Press Association. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  8. Spaid, Gary; Christensen, Jack. "Glenn Reiners '06 Pioneer Selection". Dirt Modified Stock Car Museum. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved August 26, 2025 via racepulse.com.