I have already made a thread, but no such luck on finding an aerial though. This calls for Robert Mitchell!
Most drivers from the 1/4 mile Rockingham Speedway raced here on this .435 mile, 5-turn dirt track. Monk Hair in the #7 1965 Ford raced on both of these tracks.
So I think this is the layout of the track.
We might bring some friends and race on this thing
Check the thread at this link:
http://www.localracechat.com/forums/showthread.php?46446-quot-old-quot-Rockfish-Speedway
Paging Robert Mitchell!
I think I found it after looking at Bobby Williamson's efforts over on Local Race Chat. I was on Hwy 301 just west of the airport below Seven Mountain Road. It looks like there is a trucking company there now.
What do you guys think? Was this Rockfish Speedway?
Now I'm confused. I found another larger oval track with a road course next to it about 2 miles north on hwy 301. I think those are the tracks you are looking for. So now we have three tracks.
This aerial is from January 10, 1959 -
Here is a close-up of the big oval with road course to the left -
So, what are the identities of these three tracks?
The one on the top is Champion Speedway
The one on the bottom is the Fayetteville Speedway that ran in the seventies and the road course is I think parking
It was on Ivan Drive, a Fayetteville address. Here is a modern aerial of the location with the coordinates in the lower right. You can still see the small lake that was in the infield of the oval track -
Yeah, that's the old Fayetteville Speedway. Check the private message I sent you.
Okay, fourth race track here. If this ain't it, I give up. For now at least.
This track was located in the northeast corner of Marracco Drive and Skinner Road in Hope Mills. A short neighborhood road called Spell Drive goes right through the old track -
Love this site! Learn something new all the time. Eric is right Robert. The lower picture is the old Fayetteville Speedway. When dad ran there in 1964 we would sit in the stands off turn 4 and look over left shoulder to see cars on the end of the drag strip. Two shows in one. Sure looks like a road course that I never knew was there. Did not realize that the dirt track and Champion Speedway was as close as they were. No trace of the drag strip or road course remain but the ghost of the dirt track can be seen. The area close to the four lane is a cemetery now.
Review the link in the private message if you already did. I knew about a track on Spell Drive but I don't think that is it. Remember, the track had five turns.
A drag strip, cool! I didn't notice that before. Dennis, is this the dirt track that was also called Cumberland Speedway in 1948? It needs to be settled where the 1948 Cumberland Speedway was located.
Eric, I looked in the location you mentioned and didn't find anything resembling a race track. As I was looking farther away I found the track above.
Here is your location in the 1964 aerial so you can see for yourself -
I'm just gonna use the Spell Drive Speedway
Is there any info out there about the Spell Road track? If we're not sure it's Rockfish let's keep looking!
It measures .529 miles, that's the length of a lot of tracks back then too, so I suppose this is it. Also, do you see the little track coming out of Turn 4?
Possibility #5. Mossy Oak Circle, Raeford NC.
I found this great aerial from January 1958 showing the track solely as a road course, so I think it's safe to say it is definitely Rockfish Speedway. Here are all the aerials to sum it up -
Jan. 12, 1958 -
Sept. 22, 1961 -
Jan. 10, 1964 -
Today -
And here is a 1961 aerial of all three tracks - Fayetteville Speedway, Champion Speedway, and Rockfish Speedway all in the same shot -
That's awesome! It looked like an outline of a road course in the 1964 aerial
Robert, go to Mossy Oak Circle in Raeford. I think there was a track there too. Plainly visible in the 2003 Google Earth aerial.
Okay I'll check it out tomorrow, Eric.
And now a fifth track around Fayetteville. I found this one in 1950 & '51 aerials. It was about 2 miles southeast of the airport on Tracy Hall Road off Elizabethtown Road/Wilmington Hwy. It appears to be a 1/2 mile track, and while possibly a horse track it shows what looks like a grandstand and the wear of motor racing.
Could this be the old Cumberland Speedway of 1948?
March 22, 1951 -
November 7, 1950, bottom right -
As a matter of fact, there was another Fayetteville Speedway that ran in 1937. Could this one be the 1948 track and the one by the ballpark be the one from 1937?
Did you check the Mossy Oak track?
The Mossy Oak Circle location was just a crop field. It looked the same from 1958 to 1971.
You might be right about the 1937 track being the ballpark track. Just need to research it.
Robert, keep scouring Raeford. There's supposed to be another track called "B&S Speedway"
