Dayton Speedway

Last updated
Dayton Speedway
Location Dayton, Ohio, United States
Oval

Dayton Speedway was a race track in Dayton, Ohio, United States. It has been called the "Fastest 1/2 mile (plus 210 feet) in the world".

Contents

The track held events for NASCAR, AAA, MARC, ARCA, ASA, and USAC.

History

The track was opened in June 1934 as a flat "D shaped" 5/8 mile dirt track. The original track was a "copy" of the Legion Ascot Speedway. [1]


Timeline - The following is a timeline of events from 1933 to the present: [1]

The first race was won by Ken Fowler of Paterson, New Jersey. Future Indy 500 winner Mauri Rose of Dayton was second.
Funk also raised the banking, twice.
May have buried old Trolley cars to help fill the space.
Added an "oil substance" that "made the track as hard as pavement" (on hot days the stuff would get soapy and rain over the cars and drivers).
at night on the East Coast (Ascot was first in the world).
He removed 6 feet off the banked turns.
For 3 years, Earl Baltes ran the track (and several other tracks until 1979).
Infield scoring stand was built (Benny Parsons Photo).
Black and gold stripes were on the guardrails.
Red-white-blue trim was applied to guardrails.
Track re-named "Greater Dayton Speedway" and was painted on infield scorers stand.
The surface was repaved twice.
Guardrails and restrooms were in disrepair.
Guardrails needed to be replaced.
Grandstands needed repair.
One groove left in turns 1+2 and huge potholes in 3+4.
Straights were surprisingly good but banking needed attention.
The Flagman stand floor had rusted out.
The top section of infield scoring stand was gone.
Scales were gone from in front of infield scoring stand.

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Dayton Speedway Lives", 2009, webpage: Dayton Speedway Lives.

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