- Memphis-Arkansas Speedway
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Memphis-Arkansas Speedway MAS 
Racing image with driving directionsLocation Bob Ward Township, Crittenden County, near West Memphis, Arkansas (LeHi, Arkansas) Time zone Central Standard Time (GMT UTC−06) Capacity 15,000 Owner Clarence Camp, Harold Woolridge and Nat Epstein Operator Clarence Camp, Harold Woolridge and Nat Epstein Broke ground 1953 Opened 1954 Closed 1957 Major events NASCAR Grand National Series Oval Surface Dirt Length 2.414 km (1.500 mi) Turns 4 The Memphis-Arkansas Speedway was a dirt oval track located just west of West Memphis, Arkansas, USA in the community of LeHi.
This speedway would have a total distance spanning 1.500 miles (2.414 km).[1] Its elevation is 200 feet above sea level and all races used the Central Time Zone.[1] While the track opened on October 7, 1954, it soon ran out of money.[1] Paving the track ended up having an expensive price tag of $100,000 ($780,308.42 in today's money) and the dirt surface was unmanageable after a certain amount of years.[1] As a result, the track was closed permanently in 1957 when it was sold to a local farmer [1] named Clayton Eubanks Sr.[2] who used the abandoned race track for catfish, rice, and soybeans for a number of years.[2] Sadly, the proposed Interstate that was being built near the abandoned rack track was never finished.[2]
Richard Petty and his father Lee both remember the high banking that this race track had.[2] The dirt was used for the banking and two ponds were on opposite ends of the speedway.[2] In fact, Lee Petty would finish in third place at the 1954 Mid-South 250[3] and nineteenth place at the 1955 Mid-South 250.[4]
Racing history
The NASCAR Grand National (now the Sprint Cup) Series would visit this track numerous times during the 1955 and 1956 Grand National seasons.[1] Clint McHugh from Iowa (who tumbled over a guard rail and into a lake 50 feet below the embankment at the age of 28)[2] and Cotton Priddy (from Louisville, Kentucky) are the two race car drivers who lost their lives on this allegedly dangerous race track.[5] Since the 1960s, the track was never used for its intended purpose of stock car racing.[5] At a race held on November 1954, twelve thousand fans would attend a race spanning 250 miles (400 km) where Buck Baker would end up winning the 1954 running of the Mid-South 250.[6]
Only two named races would be held in this racing venue: 1954 Mid-South 250 and the 1955 Mid-South 250.[7] The Ford Motor Company would earn two wins on this track followed by single race wins earned by Pontiac, Chrysler, and Oldsmobile.[7] Fonty Flock was the only winner on this track to start from the pole position.[7] The highest purse ever offered at this track was $14,250 ($111,193.95 in today's money).[8] Fifty-two cars were the most number of cars to compete on this track while twenty-eight cars was the smallest field for a race at this track.[7]
Other notable drivers who have gained experience racing here included: Chuck Stevenson, Tiny Lund, Bob Flock, and Ralph Moody.
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Basic information". NA-Motorsports. http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/AR/MemphisArkansas.html. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
- ^ a b c d e f "Clint McHugh's death information/The fate of the speedway". Arkansaw Pitchers. http://thisisdrew.com/photography/?cat=1. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
- ^ "1954 Mid-South 250 information". Racing References. http://racing-reference.info/race/1954-35/W. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
- ^ "1955 Mid-South 250 information". Racing References. http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1955-33/W. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ a b "Map of the speedway". Wikimapia. http://wikimapia.org/5709566/Memphis-Arkansas-Speedway. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
- ^ "1954 NASCAR season results". How Stuff Works. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/nascar/season-recaps/1950s/1954-nascar.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
- ^ a b c d "Advanced track information". Everything Stock Car. http://www.everythingstockcar.com/31t-memphis-arkansas-speedway-nascar-track.html. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
- ^ "Winnings information". Racing-Reference. http://racing-reference.info/tracks?id=011. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
Coordinates: 35°8.31486′N 90°18.9617′W / 35.138581°N 90.3160283°W
Categories:- 1954 establishments
- 1957 disestablishments
- Buildings and structures in Crittenden County, Arkansas
- NASCAR tracks
- Sports venues in Arkansas
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