Everyday (that I'm online) I will post a short article about a different track in this thread.
Today's Track: Trenton Speedway
In its final years Trenton Speedway was one of the most unique racetracks in America, dubbed a "Kidney Bean" oval.
But this layout was just a short period in Trenton's long history.
So sit back, relax and listen to the tale of Trenton Speedway.
Trenton began as a humble .500 mile dirt oval on the New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Not much is known about what races took place at Trenton in its early years but motorized cars were a rarity at the time so the event was probably just as entertaining as the other fairground events.
The track closed in 1942 for WWII but reopened in 1946 as a 1 mile Speedway Dirt Oval. Still not much is known about racing during this period but in 1949 Trenton hosted an AAA Champ Car Race.
In 1957 Trenton was paved and became a 1 mile asphalt oval hosting USAC Champ Car races and starting in 1958 NASCAR Grand National Races
The owners wanted to turn the track into a Super Speedway but an intransigent land owner resulted in one of the most unusual oval tracks in the world. Trenton became a 1.5 mile kidney bean oval in 1968 still hosting USAC and NASCAR. The right turn on the backstretch baffled mechanics as they struggled to make a car that could handle the right turn while still maintaining good control on the left turns. Many of NASCAR's legends raced at Trenton including Fireball Roberts, Richard Petty, Lee Roy Yarbrough, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, and many more.
Trenton hosted modifieds for a while. While this layout was certainly unique it didn't draw crowds like the owners had hoped it to.
Trenton closed in 1980 due to financial problems. If you look on google maps at the Grounds for Sculpture in Trenton you can just faintly make out the shape of the Kidney Bean oval.
Here is a video of a USAC Race at Trenton in 1979
Trenton will certainly go down as one of the quirkiest "ovals" in history. Pocono Raceway's turn one is modeled after a turn at Trenton. Pocono is kind of quirky in its own right, too.
In reply to J.A. Ackley :
Never been a huge fan of Pocono, the racing is just boring. Maybe racing would be more interesting if they upped the banking in turns 2 and 3 and added a little banking on the straights.
That kidney bean shape is fantastic! No two corners are the same, an "oval" that is more like a road course. I love it!
That kidney bean shape is awesome!
More tracks should do something different. The basic oval, and yes, I know they all differ a little, are just, well, basic.
SpeedwayFan said:
In reply to J.A. Ackley :
Never been a huge fan of Pocono, the racing is just boring. Maybe racing would be more interesting if they upped the banking in turns 2 and 3 and added a little banking on the straights.
Turn two's based off of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Turn three's off of The Milwaukee Mile. Relatively speaking, the track is fairly flat, with the longest straightaway on any North American speedway (3740 feet). I'm curious to see what kind of show the new car in NASCAR produces at Pocono Raceway.
Okay this is quality content! Trenton looks amazing.
I don't have the motivation to do a track today so I apologize
In reply to SpeedwayFan :
Are you familiar with Jungle Park in Indiana? It had a fairly interesting history. Jungle Park Speedway
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
Of course I am! I've watched both seasons of Lost Speedways like 10 times!
In reply to SpeedwayFan :
I drove past it numerous times over the years & had no idea there was a speedway there. The old restaurant just up the hill from the track is a really cool little structure. However the location of the track & restaraunt are on a ~1/2-mile stretch of twisty 2-lane highway, right as it climbs about 100' in elevation, so it's not exactly a safe place to pull over & investigate the area.
There's a canoe rental place near the bottom of the hill, I believe right by the track, but I've never been their either.
The track is close to Turkey Run state park, which is a really amazing place, especially relative to the corn & bean fields that occupy most of east-central IN. Though I think the track was closed long before it became a park.
