 | |
| Location | 380 Calef Highway Lee, New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC−5 / −4 (DST) |
| Coordinates | 43°06′58″N71°02′24″W / 43.116026°N 71.039973°W |
| Opened | 1964 (60 years ago) |
| Former names | Lee Raceway (1964–1983) Lee Speedway (1984–c.1995) |
| Website | leeusaspeedway |
| Oval (since 1984) | |
| Surface | asphalt |
| Length | 3/8 miles (0.6 km) |
| Banking | 8° Turns |
Lee USA Speedway is a short-track oval race track located in Lee, New Hampshire. [lower-alpha 1]
The facility opened as Lee Raceway in 1964 as a dirt tri-oval, 1⁄3 mile (0.54 km) in length. [2] Original owner Bob Bonser later recounted that he initially bought the land the track is located on in order to have a site along New Hampshire Route 125 to place advertising for a nudist camp that he owned and operated. [3] Bonser paved the track the following year, and it became home to the New England Super Modified Racing Association (NESMRA). [2] [lower-alpha 2]
In late 1983, the facility was purchased by Kenny Smith, Russ Conway, and Charlie Elliot, who had previously owned and operated Star Speedway in nearby Epping, New Hampshire. [4] Renamed as Lee Speedway, the track was changed to be an oval, 3⁄8 mile (0.60 km) in length, and reopened in the fall of 1984. [5] [lower-alpha 3] The first event held at the reconfigured track reportedly drew 236 entrants. [6] A section of the original tri-oval is still used as a pre-race staging area. [2]
The facility was sold to Red and Judy MacDonald in December 1986. [2] Their son, Eddie MacDonald, became a professional race car driver. [7] Branding of the track as Lee USA Speedway dates to at least 1996. [8] The MacDonalds operated the track until February 2018, when it was sold to Norman Wrenn Jr. of Nashua, New Hampshire. [2] Wrenn bought Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, New Hampshire, the same year. [9]
In 2023 Lee USA Speedway was sold to Hudson Speedway owner Benjamin Bosowski.
The track has hosted various racing events, including for NASCAR. [2] Notable drivers who have competed at Lee include John Andretti, Gary Bettenhausen, Brett Bodine, Todd Bodine, Dale Earnhardt, Terry Labonte, Ollie Silva, and Bentley Warren. [2] Snowmobile racing, [10] demolition derby, [11] and motorcycle races have also been held. [12]
On August 20, 1973, a driver from nearby Madbury was killed in a racing accident at the track. [13] On October 27, 1985, a driver from nearby Epping was killed in a racing accident at the track. [14]
The track is a member of the New Hampshire Short Track Racing Association (NHSTRA). [15] Entering the 2022 season, modified stock car racing is planned, including a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event. [15]
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