Fairgrounds Speedway

NASCAR Busch East Series 150

NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour

36.130555555556 - 86.762222222222Koordinaten: 36 ° 7 ' 50 "N, 86 ° 45' 44 " W

The Fairgrounds Speedway is a speedway at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee. He is one of the oldest active race tracks in the U.S.. Between 1958 and 1984, here were car race in the NASCAR Grand National Series or the Winston Cup, held today's Sprint Cup. As a special feature to get the winner in major racing series a guitar presented.

Route configuration

The Speedway is as an asphalt oval with a length of 0.596 miles or 0.959 km and a superelevation of 18 °. The straight lines are inflated with 3 °. Within this larger oval is located in the inner still a smaller oval with a length of 0.25 miles and 0.4 km.

At its opening, the track was still unpaved and longer. The conversion to an asphalted half mile oval was in 1958, when she was admitted to the race calendar of NASCAR. In 1972, the curves were significantly flattened from 35 ° elevation to today's 18 °. Between 1995 and 1996, the track was resurfaced.

History

At the first event on the track on June 11, 1904, advertised with horseless carriages and motorcycles. Total should be held eleven races. However, the races were canceled on the 1.125 miles long course after the seventh race after a motorcycle was driven into the back of a car drove straight into the starting line-up.

In September 1904 another series of races organized. Many of the participants came straight from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, including one of the pioneers of motor racing, Barney Oldfield. The spectators could watch as cars with more than 100 km / h drove over the route.

From September 1915 events were held annually as part of the fair. Many of the drivers who competed also at the Indianapolis 500 came this to Nashville.

Formalized race but did not start until 1948, when Claude Lampley and TI Albright could be persuaded to also allow race cars on their Cumberland Speedway between each motorcycle race. This was the start of the race on Saturday evening, the place regularly on the three Speedway in Nashville, the Cumberland Speedway, the dirt track at the Cowan Street and the Motorplex Speedway. These races are also known under the name "Legion Bowl".

Once the importance of the race of the Legion Bowl rose mid-1950s steadily, the organizers wanted to build a paved track. However, there was initially resistance from the equestrian sport, which also were holding race at the Motorplex. Once it for the Maryland Farms in Brentwood were built as compensation, the organizers received in 1958 a lease for ten years with a possible extension of 20 years for the State Fairgrounds. The old Speedway was demolished and replaced by a new half- mile oval with an additional quarter-mile oval in the middle. On July 19, 1958, the first race was held at the newly built track. With the exception of large major races all the other took place on the four- part Mile Oval.

The first NASCAR race in the Grand National Series took place on 10 August 1958. First winner in front of 13,998 spectators was Joe Weatherly.

In the 1960s, there were several changes to the track. Thus, a light for the big oval in 1965 installed and the races were now predominantly held at the Oval this. In 1965 a fire destroyed during the year, the market stands. New bleachers were installed in 1969 and the speedway was lengthened when the curves were given an elevation of 35 °. Another innovation of the 1960s was the introduction of race on Tuesday night.

In the early 1970s turned out that due to the strong elevation of the course was too fast. Then, the elevation in 1972 reduced to 18 °. After a change of ownership, the new owner decided in 1979 not to hold weekly races more. But in 1980 found again instead of weekly races. In 1984, NASCAR held the last race in Winston Cup at the Speedway after it came to a dispute between NASCAR and the city administration and the circuit operator. As a new highest Division drove then the so-called " Late Model Stock Cars" in Nashville. Although initially received little attention, she won in 1987 in importance. In this series also later NASCAR drivers such as Bobby Allison, Sterling Marlin, Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt drove.

List of previous route name

  • Music City Motorplex
  • Nashville Speedway USA
  • Nashville Motor Raceway
  • Nashville Motor Speedway
  • Nashville International Raceway

Presence

1995 NASCAR returned to the Speedway and organized each year a race Busch Series. Later was added a race in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 2001, the two races switched to the new Nashville Superspeedway. After the departure of the two divisions still race in the Busch East Series and the Whelen Southern Modified Tour NASCAR take place.

In 2004 the track in " Music City Motorplex " by the new organizer Joe Mattioli III. renamed, whose family owns the Pocono Raceway and South Boston Speedway.

The rent for the premises of the racetrack expired in December 2008. The Tennessee State Fair Board hired a consultant to evaluate possible use for the future. Meanwhile, the route will be operated as Fairgrounds Speedway again.

See also

  • Nashville Superspeedway
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