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Photo ID # H09.16.11_BEL_PIT_BEL_2011M_1
Car #: #NA
Driver (s) : NA
Location: Beltsville Speedway - (Maryland)
Date: 2011
Photographer: George Gwynn
Photo provided by: George Gwynn
Comments: Comment from George Gwenn: 

Beltsville Speedway

This is all that's left of the late Beltsville Speedway.....the entrance to pit road. Located on Springfield Road just off of Powder Mill Road and a stone's throw from the Baltimore Washington Parkway stood Beltsville Speedway.

The banked 1/2 mile black top oval built in 1965 was originally called the Baltimore Washington Speedway but was changed to the Beltsville Speedway a year and a half later. NASCAR Modifieds and Late Model Sportsman raced there from 1965 to 1966. From 1967 to 78 Beltsville Speedway hosted NASCAR LMS, Limited Sportsman and a Cadet class each Wednesday night switching to a Friday night schedule later on.

Beltsville also hosted 10 Sprint Cup Races (originally known as Grand National) with all of the NASCAR greats, of the time, competing at the fast 1/2 mile. The United Racing Club (sprints), midgets and the NASCAR Grand Am series also competed there on occasion.

Track champions included the late Reds Kagle, Jack Bland and Bobby Ballentine.

During the mid 1970's, Prince George's County Maryland decided that they would impose a strict noise ordinance on the facility and began monitoring noise decibels at each event. Track management constructed a huge plywood
"sound barrier" that circled the oval attempting to ameliorate the noise of racecars escaping the facility. It wasn't enough to satisfy the county.

The track then mandated the use of mufflers by the competitors....not the type of muffles used today to simply abate the noise somewhat....but mufflers that almost completely quieted the roar of a high powered race engine.

That did it. Watching a race at Beltsville Speedway was then similar to sitting along a stretch of a heavily traveled interstate....without any trace of adrenaline inducing sounds to make a race fans hair stand on end.

Beltsville Speedway closed in the 1978. A Technical College now occupies most of the land that once saw the likes of Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Ray Hendrick duking it out on the high speed venue.

This is all that's left of the Beltsville Speedway. This is the entrance to pit lane.  It's been a long time since anyone used this lane to go racing.

So sad.

George Gwynn
Frederick, MD

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Comment:

11.24.11 Doug B. I was privy to the demise of the once great Beltsville Speedway. I started going with my dad as an 8 year old kid in '69 right through to the night that the second turn bleachers collapsed (we were sitting in the first turn). I have great memories of the locals (Reds Kagle, Bobby Ballentine, Jimmy Mairs, Danny Collins, Wes Troupe, Joe Westerman, Charlie Wierman, etc.) and the invading Richmond herd (Sonny Hutchins, Ray Hendrick, Ted Hairfield, etc.) battling Friday nights. Also Harry Gant winning the National Boh 200 in a '57 Chevy! Sad to see it go. =
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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