NASCAR has raced in 14 road course tracks since its inception in 1948. Though ovals played the larger role in the sport’s earliest schedules, road courses have come to gain significant traffic over the last seven decades. But a young fan today might not know of the tracks that led to this balance. So, here’s a ranking of the road courses that have been lost to time.
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7. Riverside International Raceway – This Californian track was built in 1957 for $625,000. The 2.62-mile, nine-turn course was one of the most thrilling venues to race at. Many including Bill Elliott and Tim Richmond scored their maiden victories at this track. It hosted its final Cup Series race in 1988. Interestingly, Rick Hendrick was a part of the field that day.
6. Bridgehampton Race Circuit – This 2.85-mile track located in Sag Harbor, New York held Cup races in 1958, 1963, and 1966. It featured 12 turns and hosted other racing disciplines such as Can-Am and IMSA alongside NASCAR. Drivers like Richard Petty, Billy Wade, and David Pearson had victories at this track which closed in 1999.
5. Kitsap County Airport – On August 4, 1957, the Cup Series field took to this airport’s runway which was transformed into a short track and a road course. The 9/10-mile unique temporary track ended up being where the legendary Parnelli Jones got his maiden Cup Series victory. Racing is far off in the venue’s past and it currently goes by the name of Bremerton National Airport.
4. Augusta International Raceway – NASCAR held a race at this three-mile road course on November 17, 1963. The 417-mile event was the only time the track hosted NASCAR. Richard Petty led 59 laps but Glenn Roberts ended up in the victory lane. The 300-acre Diamond Lakes Regional Park now sits where the track once was.
3. Linden Airport – The first-ever road course race in NASCAR history went down on a temporary track set up at this New Jersey airport in 1954. Al Keller won the event and earned $1,000 for doing so. Notably, he did so in a Jaguar car making it the first and only time the carmaker won a Cup Series race. The airport is still in use and also hosted a round of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in 2010.
2. Orange County Airport – This airport was originally designed as a training field for the army in 1942. In 1960, it hosted a race between Cup Series stars, ending with Rex White beating Richard Petty to the finish line. Around 5,000 spectators were present in the two-mile course and it marked the only time the venue hosted a NASCAR race.
1. Titusville-Cocoa Airport – Another runway that became a part of a single Cup Series was the one at this airport in Florida. The 1.6-mile course hosted the race on December 30, 1956. Fireball Roberts won behind the wheel of his Ford, which was owned by Peter DePaolo, the 1925 Indianapolis 500 victor. The airport now goes by the name of Space Coast Regional Airport.
