Forum Activity for @robert-mitchell

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N.B. Arnold said:

"I do not like not having the most recent photographs featured, as I enjoy seeing a sample of all of the photos put up. I think it was sort of an honor to have a photograph selected to be featured."

I've felt the same way. I really enjoyed the way it was before. I haven't felt as compelled to post photos since the change.

It would be nice if the featured videos could be rotated every now and then, also. The ones showing are great but they've been featured going on a year now. It would probably encourage more video viewing. There's some really good ones in there.

Jeff, you do a great job with this site and the whole operation. Thanks for everything you do.

High Point Speedway - 1941

Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

I found this aerial showing the ghost of both High Point Speedway and Tri-City Speedway. I never knew they where literally right next to each other. And check out the smaller track inside Tri-City...My guess is that was the motorcycle track-

High Point Speedway - 1941

Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

Wow, these are awesome! Thanks, Laverne! That last photo shows just how nice the grandstands where. It really was a beautiful track.

Here is a shot of first time racer Hugh "Curly" Lunsford of Winston-Salem after taking second place behind winner Harley Taylor and ahead of Bill France in third. Not bad for his first race, and still wearing his Sunday church service clothes.

High Point Speedway - 1941

Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

Will, I also enjoyed your research alot. Up until Barbara Taylor did her excellent booklet and High Point Museum exibitabout the earlytracks of the Piedmont there hasn't been alot of credit to the area for stock car history, and your thesis was a very nice contribution. I learned a good bit about how deep the history of Greensboro Fairgrounds Speedway is from your research. I had no idea the stock cars raced there as early as 1940.

You forgot to mention Peace Haven, though! It dated back to 1940 for motorcycles, and 1947 for stock cars.

I look forward to your contributions here at RR, and pleasepostyour early racing photos if you've got'um.

High Point Speedway - 1941

Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

Bobby, I really enjoyed the interview with Bill Blair. I'd just found the articles and when I heard Mr. Blair would be on the show I posted them thinking it might be relevant. It's sad to think such a nice track only got to see four races, but it's an interesting story in racing history.

Dave, thanks for the correction. I also have the articles for the next race at the track which they had put down something called "liquid asphalt", and I confused the two dates. And even then, it wasn't really paved...more like coated.

And thanks for the interesting article by William Tate. Here's the link if anyone else is interested -

http://toto.lib.unca.edu/sr_papers/history_sr/srhistory_2004/tate_william.pdf

High Point Speedway - 1941

Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

Here's some early racing for you history buffs ... High Point Speedway - May 11, 1941.

It was a spectacular 1 mile ovalon the outskirts of High Point, NC that hosted pretty much a 'who's who' of pre-war stock car racers.

I believe this is the second race held at the track.

updated by @robert-mitchell: 12/05/16 04:08:38PM

"All Negro Stock Car Race" - 1949

Stock Car Racing History

Here is a race at Spartanburg in 1950. I believe it was the County Fair. No results were found.

"All Negro Stock Car Race" - 1949

Stock Car Racing History

I've come across more all black stock car races from Elkin Speedway, Tri-City Speedway in High Point, and another one at the Winston-Salem Piedmont Park Fairgrounds. I couldn't find any results for the Elkin race or the second W-S race, but from the articles it states Elsie Williams had won four previous races, one of them at North Wilkesboro.

It seems there really was an all black stock car racing series.

"All Negro Stock Car Race" - 1949

Stock Car Racing History

Thanks for the comments, guys. This is pure speculation but I think it was some kind of a tour or road show, and not a one off race here. That photo in the second ad isn't from the W-S fairgrounds judging from what I've seen. It's more like a press release photo that was sent to the newpapers in each city of the tour. Mack Kelly and John Henry Spencer were never mentioned in the results and that made me wonder if they were well know black drivers at the timebut their names were onlyused to draw a crowd andrecruit local drivers into the race. Or maybe they were supposed to be there but crashed their rides at a previous event? I'd bet that one of these races took place in at least a few other cities like Greensboro, Raleigh, Charlotte, or Atlanta.

"All Negro Stock Car Race" - 1949

Stock Car Racing History

I recently came across this in the Winston-Salem Journal while researching and felt it was a very noteworthy piece of,not only racing history, but American history. This race took place at the old Piedmont Park Fairgrounds in Winston-Salem, NC on July 4, 1949.

Has anyone else seen anything like this at that time? It was a shame these racers didn't get in with the NASCAR circuit, but also a tribute to Wendell Scott and few other black drivers that persevered in spite of the racism and did make it in the NASCAR crowd. I wonder if these drivers ever took their racing any further and what ever happened to them?

updated by @robert-mitchell: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM