NASCAR's other superspeedway, the one mile paved paper-clip Raleigh Speedway opened for racing action in the spring of 1953 and ran Grand National and Convertible events until 1958. Raleigh had become the July 4th event for the '56-'58 seasons, but (surprise) lost its holiday date in 1959..........the same season that Daytona Int'l Speedway opened. In addition to the Grand Nationals, modified, sportsman, and even Indy cars graced the capitol-city speedway before time marched on. The speedway's site has undergone tremendous developement and re-development over the last 50 plus years, and nothing remains of the former speedway. The track is visible, just under the GW-147 tag, in this b/w 1959 aerial. The current photo shows the former speedway's general neighborhood, and approxiates is location.
Raleigh Speedway
NASCAR Grand National Division
5/53..............Fonty Flock
5/54..............Herb Thomas
8/55..............Herb Thomas
9/55..............Fireball Roberts
7/56..............Fireball Roberts (July 4th)
7/57..............Paul Goldsmith (July 4th)
7/58..............Fireball Roberts (July 4th)
NASCAR Convertible Division
5/56..............Frank Mundy
8/56..............Curtis Turner
8/57..............Bill Amick***
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