For tonight’s Legendtorial, first a disclaimer.  Bopper, this is NOT an attempt to hijack your ghost track segment with which you inform and entertain us most weeks.  No one could match your capacity to bring memories of long lost racing venues to life once more, even those tracks where there is no longer an actual “footprint” to which we can refer.  But, tonight, I do want to talk about a track that is of great historic significance to stock car racing and was, in fact, a major player in the NASCAR ranks from 1948 through 1976.

The Historic Columbia Speedway began as a half-mile dirt track in 1948 and would host weekly races in the modified, late model sportsman, limited sportsman, hobby, and the division then known as Grand National.  Also, and this is very important to know, it hosted the NASCAR convertible division for several events.  A more complete history of the track can be read in the soon to be released first edition of the print magazine RacersReunion Scene which will be available at certain RacersReunion events, or can be ordered through the site.  I haven’t seen the first edition as of this writing, but I understand from Jeff that it is 60 pages of some very historic photographs and articles pertaining to the history of the sport and some of the individuals who played a part of that history.