Boy, this has turned into an obsession. We keep digging and finding more racetracks that were once part of New Jersey motorsports history!
The Mr. Local History Project is a non-profit organization that picks up on great local stories in New Jersey. The Lost New Jersey Racetrack-Racers Project is to shine a light on the great motorsports history in New Jersey. For example, did you know a 1.5-mile wooden oval was built in New Jersey to rival the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? True. Did you know that they used to race inside negro league stadiums in New Jersey? True again.
Join us as we map every track and gather like-minded people on Facebook to share their stories before we lose them forever!
Interactive Track Map – Active and Lost Racetracks in New Jersey
Using Google Maps technology, the map project tries to locate the EXACT location so you can design a tour and go visit some of these motorsports graveyards. Many are still there, hiding in plain sight.
Make sure you understand the colors on the map. Red means “active,” Black represents “lost,” and Yellow is either a “wooden” racetrack OR it means we have found the general location and are looking for additional details on it.
Join the Conversation on Facebook
In addition to the interactive map, there’s a new Facebook public group called “New Jersey’s Lost Racetracks-Racers,” where like-minded people can gather and discuss all things motorsports of the past from the great state of New Jersey. The group is open to anyone with a Facebook account.
New Jersey Lost Track Videos
You keep posting, and we’ll keep sharing. Lots of great historical videos.
Another Great Motorsport Story
While we work to identify ALL of the Lost Jersey Racetracks, MLH is now searching for more information regarding “Jersey Board Tracks.” To understand this phenomenon, we’re working to identify all known tracks. So, now have a second map of America’s board tracks tied to our research, including New Jersey’s legendary Atlantic City Speedway and the world’s fastest 1/2-mile board track, Woodbridge Speedway.
MLH Researched Motorsports History Stories
Lost – Atlantic City Speedway (Amatol) (Wood) – Mullica Township, New Jersey – 1.5 mile Wood Oval
Lost – Cape May Beach Racing, Cape May, New Jersey. 1-mile sand drag strip on the beach.
Lost – Clark Township Speedway – Clark, New Jersey – 1/5 mile dirt oval
Lost – Hinchliffe Stadium – Paterson, New Jersey – 1/5 mile cinder oval then paved
Active – TROG -The Race of Gentlemen – Wildwood, New Jersey – Beach racing.
Lost – Union Speedway (Wood) – (Wood) Union Township, New Jersey – 10,000-seat board track.
Lost – Woodbridge Speedway (Wood) – Woodbridge, New Jersey – 1/2 mile Wood Oval, dirt oval.
New Jersey Track List
(Alphabetical)
| 1. Lost – Airport Speedway – Pennshawken, New Jersey – Dirt Oval |
| 2. Lost – Alcyon Speedway – Pitman, New Jersey – ½ mile dirt oval |
| 3. Lost – Arneys Mount Speedway * – Mt. Holly, New Jersey – Drag Strip, 1/4 mile Dirt Oval |
| 4. Lost – Asbury Park High School Stadium – Asbury Park, New Jersey – Oval |
| 5. Lost – Atco Speedway * – Atco, New Jersey – 1/3 mile dirt oval, ½ mile paved oval, Drag |
| 6. Active – Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall – Atlantic City, New Jersey – 1/5 mile concrete Indoor Oval |
| 7. Lost – Atlantic City Speedway (Amatol) (Wood) – Hammonton, New Jersey – 1.5 mile Wood Oval |
| 8. Lost – Bayonne Speedway – Bayonne, New Jersey |
| 9. Lost – Brainards Raceway * – Harmony, New Jersey – 5/8 mile dirt oval tri-oval, Drag Strip |
| 10. Active – Bridgeport Speedway – Swedesboro, New Jersey – 5/8 mile dirt oval |
| 11. Lost – Camden Convention Hall` – Camden, New Jersey – indoor concrete oval |
| 12. Lost – Cape May Court House Fairgrounds – Cape May, New Jersey – ½ mile dirt oval |
| 13. Lost – Capital City Speedway – Trenton, New Jersey – 1/5th mile dirt oval |
| 14. Lost – Clark Township Speedway – Clark, New Jersey – 1/5 mile dirt oval |
| 15. Lost – Corson’s Speedway – Corson, New Jersey – dirt oval |
| 16. Active – CURE Insurance Arena – Trenton, New Jersey – Indoor Oval |
| 17. Lost – Delaware Twp. Speedway – Deleware Twp., New Jersey – 5/8 mile dirt oval |
| 18. Lost – Dover Speedway – Dover, New Jersey – ½ mile dirt oval |
| 19. Lost – East Windsor (Hightstown/Airport/Acella) Speedway – East Windsor, New Jersey – ¼ mile paved oval |
| 20. Lost – Englishtown Raceway – Old Bridge, New Jersey – oval |
| 21. Lost – Essex County Speedway – Newark, New Jersey |
| 22. Lost – Flemington Fair Speedway – Raritan, New Jersey – 1/2 mile dirt oval, 5/8 paved oval |
| 23. Lost – Flemington Speedway * – Flemington, New Jersey – 5/8 mile dirt oval, Paved Road Course, Drag Strip |
| 24. Lost – Freehold Raceway (Approximate) – Freehold, New Jersey – ½ mile dirt oval |
| 25. Lost – Garfield Stadium – Long Branch, New Jersey – 1/5 mile cinder oval |
| 26. Lost – Harmony Raceway – Harmony, New Jersey – 5/8th dirt tri-oval |
| 27. Lost – Hightstown Speedway – Hightstown, New Jersey – 1/4 mile paved oval |
| 28. Lost – Hinchliffe Stadium – Paterson, New Jersey – 1/5 mile cinder oval then paved |
| 29. Lost – Ho Hok Kus Speedway – Ho Hok Kus, New Jersey – 1/2 mile dirt oval |
| 30. Lost – Ironbound Stadium – Newark, New Jersey – 1/5th mile Paved Oval |
| 31. Active – Island Dragway * – Great Meadows, New Jersey – Drag Strip |
| 32. Lost – Linden Airport * – Linden, New Jersey – 2.0 mile paved road course, Drag Strip |
| 33. Lost – Lodi Municipal Stadium – Lodi, New Jersey – 1/5 mile paved oval |
| 34. Lost – Long Branch Municipal Stadium – Long Branch, New Jersey – 1/4 mile paved oval |
| 35. Lost – Manahawkin Speedway – Manahawkin, New Jersey – ½ mile paved oval |
| 36. Lost – Manville Airport * – Manville, New Jersey – Drag Strip |
| 37. Lost – Meadowlands Sports Complex – East Rutherford, New Jersey – 1.8 mile paved road course |
| 38. Lost – Miller Municipal Stadium – West New York, New Jersey – 1/5th mile dirt oval |
| 39. Lost – Morristown Speedway – Morristown, New Jersey – 1/2mile dirt oval |
| 40. Lost – Mount Holly Fairgrounds – Mount Holly, New Jersey – Dirt Oval |
| 41. Active – New Egypt Speedway – New Egypt, New Jersey – 7/16 mile clay oval |
| 42. Active – New Jersey Motorsports Park – Millville, New Jersey – Road Course |
| 43. Lost – New Market Speedway – South Plainfield, New Jersey – 1/2mile dirt oval |
| 44. Lost – Nutley Velodrome (Wood) – Nutley, New Jersey – Oval |
| 45. Lost – Olympic Park Stadium – Irvington, New Jersey – 1/2 mile stadium oval |
| 46. Lost – Pine Brook Speedway – Montville, New Jersey – Oval |
| 47. Lost – Powell / Pleasantville Speedway * – Pleasantville, New Jersey – ½ mile dirt oval, Drag Strip |
| 48. Active – Raceway Park – Old Bridge, New Jersey – Motorcross, Go Card, Street |
| 49. Lost – Raceway Park – Englishtown Drag Strip – Old Bridge, New Jersey – Drag Racing, Jr. Drags |
| 50. Lost – Roosevelt Stadium – Jersey City, New Jersey – Oval |
| 51. Lost – Rupert Stadium – Newark, New Jersey – Paved Oval |
| 52. Lost – South Orange Bowl (Wood) – South Orange, New Jersey – Oval |
| 53. Lost – Strato Rods Raceway * – Wrightstown, New Jersey – Drag Strip |
| 54. Active – The Sussex County Fairgrounds – Agusta, New Jersey – Demolition Derby |
| 55. Lost – Trenton Speedway – Hamilton, New Jersey – 1/2 mile dirt oval, 5/8 paved oval, 1.5 mile kidney |
| 56. Lost – Trenton Speedway – Trenton, New Jersey – ¼ mile dirt oval |
| 57. Lost – Tri-City Cinder Track – Newark, New Jersey – Cinder Road |
| 58. Active – TROG -The Race of Gentlemen – Wildwood, New Jersey – Motorcycle/Auto Bracket Racing, Sand |
| 59. Lost – Tuckerton Track – 1/4 mile dirt, Tuckerton, New Jersey – Oval. Only lasted 1 year. |
| 60. Lost – Vailsburg Motordrome – Newark, New Jersey – Oval |
| 61. Lost – Vineland Speedway – Vineland, New Jersey – Road Course |
| 62. Active – Wall Stadium Speedway – Wall, New Jersey – 1/3 mile Asphalt Oval |
| 63. Lost – Wildwood Motordrome – Wall of Death (Wood) – Wildwood, New Jersey – Oval |
| 64. Lost – Woodbine Airport* – Woodbine, New Jersey – Drag Strip |
| 65. Lost – Woodbridge Speedway (Wood) – Woodbridge, New Jersey – Wood Oval, dirt oval |
More MLH Jersey Racing History
Missing Hamoney Speedway, Harmoney, NJ
Was listed as Brainards Raceway. Is that the same for you?
I believe #1 the Airport Speedway way back was in Pennsauken NJ. I don’t know if that is the same one that is being referenced. But to my knowledge it was never spelled Pennshawken.
There was many places redeveloped in and around the airport circle from the 1930-present..so many places lost to time. Fascinating stuff. Keep up the great work.
You forgot Hope Chapel Racetrack aka Lakewood gravel pit. It was just over the border of Lakewood Township and Jackson Township. It was 1/4 mile gravel race track.
I’ve kept all the programs from races I’ve seen in New Jersey from 1947 through 1954,
both sprint cars, midgets & stock cars. They include Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson,
Dover, Morristown, Trenton & Lodi, Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, Teanack Armory.
I’ll send the results to anyone interested.
ffigora@verizon.net
How about the old track on the old whitehorse pike in waterford twp south jersey??
There was a drag strip between mcGuire AFB and Fort Dix. I think it was on an old airport runnway or road. When I was in basic training the summer of 1969, we would watch them once in a while. I think it was just a place to try out your car.
Back in the early 1960’s at Wildwood’s Sportland Pier on the Boardwalk was their famous Motordrome. Known as the “Wall of Death” Motorcycles would run inside a huge barrel structure on the inside wall ( going on a really high speed). On the outside of the motordrome to attract customers they had a guy on a megaphone calling people to come in with either a male or female motorcyclists dressed like WW 1 aviators standing on a motorcycle that was raised above the ground to be stationary and the motor running at hi speed. It was worth a buck to climb the steps with everyone and stand around the top of the wall and watch the motorcycles go round and around. My best memories of NJ.
Here are two for you:
1. Randolph Road, Howell. Visible from aerial. Rumor has it that there was some sort of military encampment there around WW1 also.
2. Bridgeton Fairgrounds, Fayette St, Bridgeton. This was in use from the late 1800’s up till around 1968 or 1970 as far as I know. It looks like investors have bought the land and it will soon be mowed down for development. Visible on aerial.
Unless I missed it I didn’t see the old Tuckerton Raceway that is in the woods behind the assisted living facility next to the George j Mitchell elementary school.
Thank you for posting. Found it and added to map. About 6-8 miles south of Manahawkin Track
Thanks for sharing. We found it and added it to the list!