Abandoned racetracks.

Ray Thomas

New Member
Dec 4, 2007
3
0
Northern Maine
Thanks for the info and map. That's the right place. You hit the nail on the head when you guessed my age(over 60) I think I was about 12 the last time we went there.
 

whitingrider

Explorer
Jun 28, 2007
193
0
Whiting
We raced our stock car at the Manahawkin Speedway in 1950.It was an old gravel pit.Worked on a new house being built on the Helis Stock Farm,It was in 1960.They named it Acorn Farm.I remember the race track for training the horse's.It was completely enclosed.Quite impressive.They could run the horse's no matter what the weather.The old Alcyon Speedway was another great dirt track.That was in Pitman.Video tapes or dvd's are available of Alcyon and Vineland Speedway's.

Bill, I don't recall Manahawkin Speedway. I think in 1950 most of Manahawkin was gravel pits. My family moved from Ship Bottom to Beachwood following the March 62 storm. My father taught at Sothern Regional and was good friends with Joe Justy who owned the Esso station on the corner ef RT 9 and Bay Ave. I was real little when we used to go back to the abandoned airport in Manahawkin. There were still some planes there out in the woods.
Tom
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,652
4,828
Pines; Bamber area
Manahawkin Speedway:

watermark.php
 

NJTaco

New Member
Oct 18, 2006
22
0
55
Galloway, NJ
Don't bother going out to find the Manahawkin Speedway...I was there a week ago and it is very much gone. Not "faded away" gone, but "uprooted, plowed under, regraded, and soon to be built on" gone. Drat.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,652
4,828
Pines; Bamber area
Don't bother going out to find the Manahawkin Speedway...I was there a week ago and it is very much gone. Not "faded away" gone, but "uprooted, plowed under, regraded, and soon to be built on" gone. Drat.

Boy, that place has exploded, hasn't it? You can see these apartments from the parkway, makes you think you are in East Orange. I saw an article in the paper today about the new houses they are building off 72 West of the parkway. Very sad.
 

NJTaco

New Member
Oct 18, 2006
22
0
55
Galloway, NJ
Boy, that place has exploded, hasn't it? You can see these apartments from the parkway, makes you think you are in East Orange. I saw an article in the paper today about the new houses they are building off 72 West of the parkway. Very sad.

I used to go out to the Manahawkin Airport with my Dad as a kid. It sure has built up since then...
 

Dan

New Member
Jan 2, 2008
5
0
Abandoned Racetrack In Heightstown

I recently visited the East Windsor Speedway in Heightstown that closed in 2003. It is in such bad shape there would be no way to reopen it. The buildings are mostly destroyed and the track surface is eroded away. There are now giant mounds of clay on the track so you cannot drive on it. It is pretty cool but is set to be demolished in the spring to make room for more homes. Took alot of pics. I made a panorama of the track form the top of the rickety old grandstand. The concession stand and speedway office look as if they were never cleeaned out before the track closed. I found some tickets and an old program but they had all gotten wet because the roof of the office is caved in.

40°15'19.11"N
74°32'16.16"W
 

Attachments

  • East Windsor Speedway 000a.JPG
    East Windsor Speedway 000a.JPG
    114.6 KB · Views: 1,445

ICANOE2

Explorer
Sep 30, 2007
141
1
53
Browns Mills
Damn shame they let EWS die/ fall apart.
Friday nights will never be the same to some.
Twas a good friday night from time to time watching the races at EWS and enjoying a frosty dozen.:guinness::dance:
It's a shame the housing development behind the track (and from what I heard the A-Hole owner of the track) ruined it for everyone.:bang:
Fans and racers alike.
 

Dan

New Member
Jan 2, 2008
5
0
Didnt work as well as I'd like, but its ok. I have more pics if anyone wants them.
 

Dan

New Member
Jan 2, 2008
5
0
What is that supposed to mean? I go there every saturday and it is nowhere near closing. Where did you hear this?
 

Dan

New Member
Jan 2, 2008
5
0
wow. this is news to me. They should not be worried about closing. There a pretty good crowd each weekend and plenty of cars in the events. It would be sad to lose such a great track.

On the track website there is a link to the same article with the title "Despite rumors, Wall Speedway owners say they plan on reopening in spring" that feels reassuring to me as if they are saying that there is very little chance they will close.

http://wallspeedway.com/
 

wis bang

Explorer
Jun 24, 2004
235
2
East Windsor
Damn shame they let EWS die/ fall apart.
Friday nights will never be the same to some.
Twas a good friday night from time to time watching the races at EWS and enjoying a frosty dozen.:guinness::dance:
It's a shame the housing development behind the track (and from what I heard the A-Hole owner of the track) ruined it for everyone.:bang:
Fans and racers alike.


I remember moving into East windsor durign the 'muffler' battle. Mr. Jones was forced to 'black flag' any car that was over 85Db.

He made up for it w/ his 4th of July fireworks show...over 1000 'salutes', those loud booming reports...the township never thought to include the fireworks and the houses at the south end of the track [fronting Conover rd.] ended the noise. You could not hear too well once it was over!

I'm suprised someone isn't trying to re-claim the clay, it was special stuff from, I believe New Mexico, that stayed mostly on the track. Kept the dust down. He paid alot for it!
 

Stu

Explorer
Feb 19, 2004
466
3
42
White Haven, PA
www.stuofdoom.com
I miss the demolition derbies at Wall.

I haven't been to one of those in years. Been meaning to go to Wall Stadium again for a while now. I don't even remember how to get there.

I saw Grave Digger beat out Bigfoot there. I got all the monster truck drivers to sign the program too.

I got beer spilled on me there once. I was about 9.
 
Top