Speedway Shorts
Description: Long before Suzuka Circuit and Fuji Speedway were built, Tamagawa Speedway opened in 9 May, 1936, as Japan’s first purpose-built racing circuit. It was a 1.2 kilometre (or three-quarter mile) asymmetrical oval, with a tightly packed dirt surface. With the backing of the Tokyo Yokohama Electric Railway company (a predecessor of today’s Tokyu Railways), and the Hochi Shimbun newspaper, Fujimoto’s dream was realized when the speedway opened its doors and held its first major competition: The 1st National Automobile Racing Tournament on 7 June, 1936. Fujimoto even raced himself, driving a Bugatti to second place in the 30 kilometre Bosch Cup Race.
Description: Altamont Speedway was a motorsports racetrack located in northern California, west of Tracy. The track opened on July 22, 1966. Altamont contained a variety of different track configurations including a 1/2 mile oval, 1/4 mile oval, 1.1-mile road course, and a figure 8 track, and was the state's largest oval racetrack north of Los Angeles. Altamont Speedway is well known for its December 6, 1969, hosting of the notorious and ill-fated Altamont Free Concert, featuring several top rock acts. After 42 years of racing, the speedway closed in October 2008.
Description: North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short oval racetrack located on Route 421, 80 miles north of Charlotte. The speedway opened its doors on May 18, 1947, as a dirt track with the first official event promoted as a modified race, including heat races and a feature event. While an attendance of about 3,000 people was expected, a crowd in excess of 10,000 showed up to see one of the famous Flock brothers compete (and ultimately win the race). The track is just 5/8 of a mile around and features a unique uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch that played into it's reputation as one of the fastest short-tracks of the '40s and '50s. The original dirt oval was paved in 1957 and continued to operate until the track's closure in 1996.
