It’s probably no surprise to learn that Motor1 readers are the absolute best. At the end of January, we found a Facebook group for Google Earth images that, among other things, featured old race tracks. We wrote an article sharing the abandoned circuits, and you responded with even more places to visit. Virtually, anyway.
Below is a collection of old abandoned and forgotten tracks submitted by you, the readers. Join us for another round of Google Earth tours. Don’t see an old road course or drag strip you’re thinking of? Post in the comments or shoot over an email. We’d love to hear from you and feature them in a future installment of this virtual sightseeing saga.
Track: Speedworld Raceway
Location: Wittmann, Arizona
Coordinates: 33°43’12″N 112°28’34″W
Thanks to Timm for the tip on this amazing multi-use track in Arizona. Located approximately 25 miles north of Phoenix, what started as a drag strip in the 1960s ultimately expanded to include a small dirt oval and motocross courses, among other things. The facility was forced to close in 2013 according to Dragzine, but it’s not completely devoid of activity. A local radio-controlled airplane club operates from a small runway on the grounds.
Track: Bee Line Dragway
Location: Fountain Hills, Arizona
Coordinates: 33°30’26″N 111°45’45″W
Motor1 reader Timm also shared another defunct Arizona drag strip with us, located near Fountain Hills in the eastern suburbs of Phoenix. The ghostly remains of the quarter-mile track are easily visible just south of Highway 87, though Dragstriplist.com states it’s been closed since 1982. It was a thriving track through the 1960s and 1970s, serving as a regular stop on the professional drag racing circuit.
Track: Amatol Raceway
Location: Hammonton, New Jersey
Coordinates: 39°36’19″N 74°44’33″W
This track sent to us by reader Carl might be a bit tough to spot. So we’ve utilized our nifty compare-image tool to help. Click or touch the arrows in the middle to drag left or right. We’ve highlighted in blue where Atlantic City Speedway used to be. Rows of trees outline the former 1.5-mile oval, which was built in 1926 and closed just two years later. According to SouthJersey.com, a handful of 500-mile races were held on the wooden track, which was ultimately torn down in 1933.
Track: US 30 Dragstrip
Location: Merrillville, Indiana
Coordinates: 41°28’33″N 87°16’55″W
Drag strips are hiding all over the place, including this one sent to us by Motor1 reader Frank. Located roughly 10 miles south of the Lake Michigan shoreline and around 35 miles southeast of Chicago, the quarter-mile track closed in 1984. Lost Indiana says it opened in the 1950s and allegedly saw the very first funny car race. Legends like Don Schumacher and Don Garlits raced there, and Google imagery from 2022 shows the track is still largely intact.
Track: Cornhusker Dragway
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Coordinates: 41°10’41″N 96°08’02″W
We give a big shout-out to reader Captain Stu for the next two tracks. He regaled us with tales of attending races here as a teenager in the 1970s, though there isn’t much left of the old quarter-mile strip. Concrete companies have set up shop on the land, leaving just a small portion of the track and return road visible between them. It had a short run, operating from 1969 through 1973 according to Dragstriplist.
Track: Sunset Speedway
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Coordinates: 41°19’58″N 96°05’33″W
Captain Stu hung out at this oval track, too. Located northwest of Omaha, it used to be a quarter-mile dirt track for Late Model, Modified, and World of Outlaw racing. Midwest Racing Archives states it opened in 1957 and stayed active for 44 years. As the nearby city of Omaha grew, Sunset Speedway became the subject of noise complaints and closed for good in 2000. Now, it’s only recognizable by the trees outlining the old track.
Track: Meadowdale International Raceway
Location: Carpentersville, Illinois
Coordinates: 42°06’55″N 88°18’16″W
Approximately 40 miles northwest of Chicago you’ll find Raceway Woods Forest Preserve. This used to be Meadowdale International Raceway, a sprawling 3.27-mile road course that opened in 1958 and closed 10 years later. But unlike most places on this list, this old track hasn’t been abandoned. The entire layout still exists as part of the preserve, easily visible through the trees. You won’t see cars sailing around the corners, but it’s open to hikers and bicyclists. The Midwest Racing Preservation Association is dedicated to keeping the track’s memory alive, as are Motor1 readers Gajoseric and Joseph – both of whom emailed us about this cool location.
Track: Marlboro Motor Raceway
Location: Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Coordinates: 38°48’24″N 76°44’20″W
According to North American Motorsports, Marlboro Motor Raceway in Maryland opened in 1952 as a small dirt oval track, ultimately expanding to include multiple ovals and a 2.4-mile road course by the late 1950s. It was the site of numerous endurance races and SCCA Trans-Am events before closing in 1969, due in part to the opening of nearby Summit Point. While Marlboro’s oval is easily visible, we outlined the layout of the old road course which is largely gone. Shout out to Motor1 reader Steve for the tip and history on this cool ghost track.
Track: Granite State Park Speedway (AKA Dover Speedway)
Location: Dover, New Hampshire
Coordinates: 43°14’00″N 70°53’42″W
We have some unanswered questions about this track, sent to us by reader Channing. Located near the border with Maine, this spot once had a fifth-mile, half-mile, and one-mile oval layouts. Satellite imagery suggests the mile-long track was actually a tri-oval, but historical images at the Catamount Stadium website show only a traditional oval as we’ve outlined above in blue. In any case, the facility started with horse racing in the 1930s, then expanded to auto racing until it closed down in 1962.
Track: Augusta International Raceway
Location: Augusta, Georgia
Coordinates: 33°21’10″N 82°05’28″W
You can still carve some corners that were part of this 3.0-mile road course, albeit at slow speeds while driving around baseball fields. According to Racing Circuits, Augusta International Speedway was envisioned as the largest motorsports complex in the world, with a large oval as well as a quarter-mile drag strip. That never happened, but a strip and a smaller oval joined the road course during its 10-year run from 1960 through 1970. These are visible at the top of the photo (above right), intermingling with subdivisions, churches, and a school. Shout out to Motor1 reader Mitchell for the tip on this one.
Track: Rattlesnake Raceway
Location: Midland, Texas
Coordinates: 31°54’42″N 102°02’40″W
At a glance, this track looks like it could still be used today. Sent to us by reader Andrew, what you see here is what remains of the old Chaparral Cars two-mile test track used by company co-founder and racing driver Jim Hall. Built in the late 1950s, it was used for only a short period of time. Aside from testing, North American Motorsports mentions select SCCA races and Porsche Club events taking place here. Zooming in through Google, the surface looks a bit rough but still intact.
Track: Nazareth Speedway
Location: Nazareth, Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°43’42″N 75°19’08″W
While investigating a small track near Pittsburgh sent to us by Eric (sorry, we couldn’t find anything) we came upon Nazareth Speedway. This track existed in various forms for nearly 100 years, starting life as a half-mile dirt oval for horses. According to Abandoned Online, automobile races began in 1910 before eventually growing into a paved one-mile tri-oval in the 1980s. As you might imagine, all kinds of cars raced here through the decades, including those from NASCAR and IndyCar. Nazareth was also dormant for several stretches of its life, which finally came to a close in 2004.