Hagerstown Speedway

Hagerstown Speedway is a half-mile (0.80 km), red clay oval track, 6 miles (9.6 KM) west of Hagerstown, Maryland, situated on US Route 40. It hosts local racing of Super Late Model Class, Pure Stock, Hobby Stock, and Late Model Sportsman, and features on regional and national tours such as Lucas Oil Late Model Series, ASCoC, and Monster Jam. It has also hosted World of Outlaws, ARCA, and NASCAR races in the past.

Hagerstown Speedway
The Capital of Dirt Track Racing
Outside of Hagerstown Speedway
Location15112 National Pike, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
OwnerLisa Plessinger
Broke ground1946
OpenedAugust 1948
ArchitectStanley Schetrompf
Former namesConococheague Speedway
Major eventsLucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Pennsylvania Speedweeks
Half Mile Dirt Oval
SurfaceRed Clay
Length0.49 mi (0.8 km)
Race lap record14:945 (Mark Kinser, Mark Kinser, 1999, 410 Sprint Car)
Quarter Midget Track
Length0.070 mi
Websitehttps://hagerstownspeedway.com

History
Keith Kauffman at Hagerstown in 1986

The Hagerstown Speedway was built in 1946 by Stanley Schetrompf at the former Conococheague Amusement Park between the banks of the Conococheague Creek and US Route 40[1] at a cost of $60,000 ($658,907 in 2019[2]) with the seating of 3000 people.[3] Stanley Schetrompf signed a working agreement with the owner of Williams Grove Speedway Roy Richwine.[4] It finally hosted its first event on August 29, 1948 after being postponed twice due to weather. Curtis Turner won the first feature at the track what was a 30 lap(15 mile) stock car race with over 8 second lead in a Ford in a 20 car field.[5] After the 1949 season they changed the name from Conococheague Speedway to its current name Hagerstown Speedway. Frank Plessinger took ownership of the track in 1981 and has since transformed it into a modern circuit.[6] Plessinger has claimed that it is the finest dirt track in the United States.[7] Throughout the years, many NASCAR drivers have raced there, including Cale Yarborough, Ken Schrader and Jeff Gordon.[1]

It has 20 metal grandstand sections, two of which bear the last names of the founders Schetrompf and Stouffer. In the 1980s, a 1/10 mile Quarter Midget track was built behind turn 2.[8]October of 2013 Frank Plessinger appointed his daughter Lisa Plessinger to be the promoter of the track.[9] In 2018, the Super Late Model category championship would not be handed out due to low car count; it was the first year in the track history for that to happen.[10] 2020 Hagerstown Speedway got FASTAK sanction[11] The start of the season for the track was delayed to May 30 and the Lucas Oil Late Model Series and Monster Jam would not happen that year do to Covid-19.[12] They were able to fit a couple races but after the PA Speedweek event they had problem with fans not following protocol and attacking track officials they called off the rest of the 2020 season.[13]

1996 Late Model Crash

During a 30-lap race in 1996, the Late Model racer Jack Bland crashed on the backstretch of the track. When another driver (number 81) tried to overtake after turn two, Jack attempted to block them but hit the guardrail, which broke his car apart and thrust it into the air. His car flipped and was hit by another racer (number 70) at high speed. He had to be rescued from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life but only sustained a broken leg. It has been called the worst crash in dirt Late Model history. The crash was featured on Discovery Channel show Destroyed in Seconds.[14]

Events

Current

Past
Rich Vogler's USAC Silver Crown car in 1986

Most information about races came from The Third Turn[18] and also Hagerstown Speedway schedule.[19]

Records
Half Mile Track
Class Driver Time Date
Super Late

Models

 Dan Stone 17.907 6/1/13
Late Model

Sportsmen

 Bruce Kane 19.285 9/17/10
Modifieds Billy Decker 19.016 6/23/05
Sprint Cars Mark Kinser 14.945 7/31/99
Midgets Drew Forono 4:07:45

(10 Laps)

 3/11/75

Records from 6/1/13[20]

1/20th of a mile track[21]
Class Driver Time
Junior Honda Gavin Miller 7.491
Senior Honda Blake Davis 7.446
Heavy Honda Kane Rogers 7.779
Light 160 Tyler Henry 7.135
Heavy 160 Joey Amantea 7.080
Junior Animal Tyler Henry 7.365
Senior Animal Blake Davis 7.167
Unrestricted Animal Mackenzie Hixon 6.942
Light World Formula Brian Place 6.906
Heavy World Formula Joey Amantea 6.983

Notable Drivers
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References
  1. hager. "Hagerstown Speedway celebrates 70 years of racing in 2017 – Hagerstown Speedway". Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  2. "Hagerstown Speedway Inflation Calculator". www.saving.org. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  3. "Clipped From The Daily Mail". The Daily Mail. 1948-03-19. p. 14. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  4. "Clipped From The Daily Mail". The Daily Mail. 1948-03-19. p. 14. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  5. "Clipped From The Morning Herald". The Morning Herald. 1948-08-30. p. 9. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  6. hager. "Hagerstown Speedway celebrates 70 years of racing in 2017 – Hagerstown Speedway". Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  7. "theconversationaaronplessinger". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  8. "AutoRacingRecords.com". autoracingrecords.com. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  9. McMillion, Dave. "Hagerstown Speedway introduces new promoters". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  10. McFADDEN, KYLE. "Hagerstown Speedway makes changes to stay relevant". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  11. "FASTRAK To Sanction Hagerstown Speedway In 2020". FASTRAK to Sanction Hagerstown Speedway in 2020, Performance Racing Industry. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  12. hager. "Hagerstown Speedway Season Opener set for this Saturday – Hagerstown Speedway". Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  13. jgreene@herald-mail.com, Julie E. Greene. "Excessive crowd brings Hagerstown Speedway shutdown". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  14. Destroyed in Seconds - Stock Car Crash, retrieved 2019-08-12
  15. "Hagerstown race report". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  16. "World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Returns to Hagerstown – Fully Injected Motorsports". fullyinjected.com. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  17. "NASCAR Midget:1958-14 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  18. "Hagerstown Speedway - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  19. "Schedule – Hagerstown Speedway". Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  20. "History – Hagerstown Speedway". Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  21. "HQMA INFORMATION". Hagerstown Quarter Midget Association. Retrieved 2019-08-14.

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