Flemington Speedway

Flemington Speedway was a motor racing circuit in Flemington, New Jersey which operated from 1915 to 2002. The track was known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States. Later it was for hosting four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races and its pioneering use of foam blocks used to lessen the impact of crashes, which led to the adoption of the SAFER barrier and was America's longest-running Saturday night shorttrack until its closing.

Flemington Speedway
Aerial photo of the track from 1995
LocationFlemington, New Jersey
Time zoneGMT-5
Coordinates40.5266, -74.8534
Opened1915
Closed2002
Former namesFlemington Fair Speedway (1915–1990)
Major eventsStevens Beil / Genuine Car Parts 150 (1995–1998)
Race of Champions (Modified) (1992–1995)
Rectangle Oval
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.625 mi (1.000 km)
Turns4
BankingSemi-banked
Race lap record0:18.817 (Stacy Compton, Impact Motorsports, 1998, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series)

Early history

Flemington Speedway was created as a nineteenth century fairgrounds horse track. It was a half mile, four-cornered dirt oval. Motorcycles first raced on this horse track in 1911, and the "Speedway" hosted its first automobile race in 1915 as a half mile dirt oval. The first race was promoted and won by Ira Vail. The track's grandstand opened in 1917 and remained standing until the track was demolished in January 2005. Auto races were a nearly annual event at Flemington Fair. Stock Car Races became the weekly Saturday night featured attraction when lights were added in 1955. The track was reconfigured over the 1966-1967 off-season into a (nearly) 5/8 mile, semi-banked rounded rectangle, nicknamed "The Square." The track remained this way until being paved at the end of the 1990 racing season.[1] The speedway hosted one of a handful of public appearances by 1992 Presidential candidate H. Ross Perot. More than 25,000 people attended and tied up local roads for hours.[2]

Life as a paved track

After being paved, speeds at the track dramatically increased. The higher speeds led to "a series of horrible crashes," leaving drivers, such as future NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner Ray Evernham, severely injured. After talking to crew chiefs and drivers, track officials decided to add foam blocks to lessen the impact of crashes. The foam bricks allowed crashes at up to 140 mph (230 km/h) leaving no serious injuries.[3]

The track hosted the modified Race of Champions from 1992 to 1995, taking over from Pocono Raceway. The race moved to Oswego Speedway in Oswego, New York from 1996-2014, 2016. In 2015 at Chemung Speedrome.

The track also hosted the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for four races, from 1995 to 1998. All four races were won by Chevrolet, with Ron Hornaday Jr. winning two.[4]

The last Pro-Touring series to race at the speedway was the then ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series (now ARCA Menards Series) "Flemington ARCA 150". The winner was Frank Kimmel, who would go on to win his first series title that season.[5] The race was to be run on August 14, 1999, but due to a severe thunderstorm that hit the track after qualifying, the race was run the next day before a nearly empty house. It was the only ARCA race at the Speedway.

Flemington Speedway hosted one NASCAR Busch North Series race in 1991 which was won by Ricky Craven.

The facility also hosted six NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races between 1991 and 1998.

The track continuously lost money after being paved, and closed on November 8, 2002. The track was sold off to developers and demolished in early January 2005.[1] A multi-use development called Raritan Town Center now occupies the surrounding area, and a Lowe's store sits on the defunct speedway property.[6]

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history
Season Date Race Winning Driver Truck Model
1995 August 19 Stevens Beil / Genuine Car Parts 150 Ron Hornaday Jr. Chevrolet
1996 August 10 Stevens Beil / Genuine Car Parts 200 Mike Skinner Chevrolet
1997 August 9 Stevens Beil / Genuine Car Parts 200 Ron Hornaday Jr. Chevrolet
1998 August 8 Stevens Beil / Genuine Car Parts 200 Terry Cook Chevrolet

[7]

gollark: It made some sense in the past as some kind of crystallized "no promiscuity" law when we didn't have contraception and stuff.
gollark: In what way?
gollark: 5 is just elder-worship, which I do *not* agree with, no murdering is reasonable but narrow in scope, the adultery one doesn't seem very important or fundamental-law-y, stealing is bad I guess, bearing false witness is somewhat bad too I guess, the coveting ones seem unnecessary.
gollark: I like to hope I would be better than to demand obedience/worship/belief on pain of eternal torture.
gollark: Just looking up the ten commandments quickly, fully two fifths of these are just bizarre narcissistic stuff about God.

References
  1. Flemington speedway history
  2. "History RPUSA". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
  3. Soft Walls Ready For Testing
  4. NASCAR.COM - Countdown: New Jersey - Jan 30, 2006
  5. 1999-14
  6. Courier News Online - Shopping: DOWNTOWNS, MALLS, OUTLETS AND MORE
  7. Race Results at Flemington Speedway - Racing-Reference.info

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