Video

Old Time Racing (Part 1) – NASCAR at Peace Haven Speedway 1953-54

Submitted by Robert Mitchell, 2010

This 8mm film shows early NASCAR racing at Peace Haven Speedway in Winston-Salem, NC on April 27, 1953 & April 19, 1954, and possibly one more race within those two years. Peace Haven Speedway held the record as the fastest half mile dirt track in NASCAR in 1948 and again in 1952.The film consists of mixed clips of the Sportsman and Amateur divisions.Shorty York won the Sportsman feature on April 27, 1953. Ted Swaim driving the J.S. Pope #99 won the Sportsman feature on April 19, 1954, and Whitey Norman won the Amateur feature after starting at the end of the field.Results article for the 04/19/54 race here – http://racersreunion.ning.com/photo/peace-haven-speedway-1954?xg_source=activityDrivers in this (Part 1) footage include -Curtis Turner #14Ted Swaim #99Glen Wood #22Bill Myers #4Bobby Myers #6AWendell Scott #11Pee Wee Jones #9Shorty York #111Jim Paschal #80Slim Rominger #48Perk Brown #0Also in the race – Whitey Norman, Bill Widenhouse, Sandy Lynch, Brice Stultz, James Stultz, Robert Barrier, Charles Woosley, Toots Jenkins, Bob DeHart, Ralph Ligouri, E.H. Weddle, Carl Burris, Gwyn Staley, Johnny Dodson, Speedy Thompson, Burley Myers, Ned Jarrett, Johnny Roberts, Fuzzy Clifton, Lester Willard, Johnny Capps, Joe Kirby, Ray Shores, Don Willis, Barry Boyd, Peanut Brown, Tommy Tuttle, and many more.There are two parts to this film -Part 1 is all Peace Haven Speedway (10:23).Part 2 is a short clip of Peace Haven Speedway (:26), a short clip of motorcycles at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds in Winston-Salem (:22), a long clip of Bowman Gray Stadium (4:35), and a long clip of exotic car racing at Virginia International Raceway (7:58).

Comments

Shrop ·
Thank you, Robert for sharing these films! They’re great and bring back a lot of memories! That was one spectacular wreck at the end of Part 1 involving number 69….and the old panel truck ambulance got quite a workout at Peace Haven! You can almost hear the sound of the old flat head V8’s in these clips.
Robert Mitchell ·

Thanks for your comments, Shrop! I hope more people like you who went to watchtheir father, or favorite driversrace at these tracks get to enjoy this treasured rare film footage.

As all I’ve done was postthe filmhere, I would like to give all the credit to the man who filmed it, and the persons who found and digitalized it. For without people like them, wonderful moments from the past would be lost forever.

If I ever get to speak to the film maker or his family, I will make mention of it hereand thank them.

Kent Benfield ·
Unbelievable!!!! So great to see PH, BG, and even VIR!!!!! Thanks for sharing…Thanks for identifications very much as well. Makes it even better!!!!!!
Robert Mitchell ·

Glad you enjoyed the films, Kent! I was fortunate to get a copy from a man who has helped me out a lot recently on my research. Maybe he’ll chime in on the history of it here someday. It really blew my mind when I saw it and I consider it a real treasure…something everyone interested should be able to see.

It’s really cool to thinkthe Peace Haven footagewas all right down the street from where we both grew up!

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