This is how Nilestown
Speedway looked in November, 2003.
Nilestown opened in July of 1952 as a dirt track. It opened the 1955
season as a dirt track but was closed part-way through the season
to be paved. It re-opened on July 29, 1955 and soon hosted super-modifieds
with drivers like Jimmy Howard, Ted Hogan, Vic Parsons and Harvey
Lennox being regulars. They switched to late model body styles in
1967 and the classes included Diamonds, Rat Sedans, Amateur Sportsman,
Powder Puff and even Figure 8 racing. Diamonds were also known as
Diamond Late Models and would be similiar to today's Late Models.
The Powder Puff class was for women only and ran the same rules as
Rat Sedans, which were like a Thunder Car or Pure Stock today. Rat
Sedans were full size sedans with 6 cylinder engines. Amateur Sportsman
ran in-line six cylinder engines with home-made bodies. They looked
something like a wingless sprint car with a roof. Nilestown ran Tuesday
and Saturday nights at 8:00pm.
The grandstands were built
into a natural hill, similiar to Delaware. The track appears to have been fairly narrow
with a low banking. The pits were off the back straight.
The track closed in July, 1974. The land was purchased in 1977 by
the Polish National Association and they built the Polish-Canadian
Recreation Centre on the property.
The track's infield is now a soccer field. The track surface itself is in great shape and
is used for parking for soccer games. Almost nothing else racing-related is left. There is
no sign of the start-finish line and no walls, fences, lights, starter stand, grandstands,
buildings, etc to be seen either. Only a few pieces of timber that might have part of the
grandstand remain on the hill.
If anyone has any more information on Nilestown Speedway - photos, programs, points
champions, years in use, etc please contact me webmaster@motorsportscentral.com.
A lap Around
Nilestown Speedway
The front straight
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Turn 1-2
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The back straight
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Corner 3. The road on the right side of the photo on the outside of the track is the
access to the pit area from Hamilton Road. Back "in the day" it would not have
approached the track but would have gone around the track to the pit entrance which was
behind turn 3.
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Out of turn 4 and looking down the front straight
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More Photos
These 3 photos are taken from what was the grandstand area
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In turn 1-2 looking back toward the front straight and the spectator area. Imagine a
packed grandstand on the hill and a field of super-modifieds screaming toward you.
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Turn 3-4 from the grandstand area
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