Charlotte Speedway, Ghost Track of the Carolinas
One of the greatest mysteries I’ve encountered here in the North Carolina Collection has revolved around this postcard of “Charlotte Speedway:”
Curious about this predecessor to today’s Lowes Motor Speedway, I sleuthed around a bit to learn more about the track. What I found was perplexing: most sources described Charlotte Speedway as a dirt track built near the old airport in 1949, where stock car races were held. And yet, pictured here was an indy race on a wooden track, and the card appeared to be much older than 1949. I kept searching for traces of the speedway, to no avail. It seemed that maybe this indy track had been utterly forgotten here in stock car country.
Months have passed since my initial investigation, but today while browsing the index to “The State” magazine, I spotted this listing: “First Speedway Race Track.” Though I expected this lead would end up yet another reference the 1949 stock car track, I had to give it a shot. When I opened that November 1979 issue, I saw it: an image of a wooden track identical to the one pictured in the postcard.
Sure enough, there was another Charlotte Speedway built in Pineville in 1924, where indy races were held. According to the brief article by Bugs Barringer, the track was made of green pine two by fours, so that the wood would cure and shrink, allowing ventilation between the boards and preventing the tires from burning during races. Apparently a few stock car races were held at the track but, ironically, they attracted too few spectators to be profitable.
August 18th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
An aerial photo from 1938 (about) shows the faint outline of the track just north of Pineville
June 18th, 2009 at 8:54 am
A 3/4-mile dirt track was built in 1949 just off Little Rock Road (Keeter Drive) south of the Charlotte Douglas Airport. Races were held from 1949 through 1956. These were the first “Strictly Stock” races. I have not yet found a photo, but I have talked with a veteran of the racing there.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Oct. 25, 1924: More than 50,000 people pack the grandstands and infield for the inaugural race at the first Charlotte Speedway. The 250-mile contest features the same drivers who competed in the Indianapolis 500.
The track, a daringly-banked mile oval, is built of two-by-four wooden boards. The cars, one-seat ancestors of modern-day Indy racers, reach speeds of 130 mph. The drivers wear pilot-style caps and goggles.
The speedway is part of a national circuit of board tracks that lifts racing from its dirt-track origins. But the Charlotte Speedway closes in 1927, victim of a dangerously-deterioriating surface — boards pop out and stand upright — and shrinking crowds.
In 1960, some 25 miles to the north, Charlotte Motor Speedway will open, again making Charlotte a racing hub.
– from “On This Day in North Carolina”
Not available electronically, but Charles Chandler of the Charlotte Observer did an extensive piece (circa 1980?) on the wooden speedway.