OpenHistoricalMap/Projects/Ghost Tracks/US/NY

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New York Ghost Tracks

List of Ghost tracks in New York currently documented in Open Historical Map.

Altamont Fairgrounds

Located in Altamont, Albany County, NY.

[Altamont Fairgrounds]

A former harness track, it was used from 1926 through 1954.

Sources

Dates from Paul Malecki Lecture at Saratoga Auto Museum, November 2019. Location from [1952 USGS Aerial Image].

Bridgehampton

Located near the Town of Bridgehampton, Long Island, New York.

[Bridgehampton Temporary Road Course]

[Bridgehampton Race Circuit]


The temporary road course operated from 1949 until 1953, when a death in practice brought its use to an end.

Bridgehampton Race Circuit opened in 1957. It operated until the late 1990s; the last race was 1997 but there was sporadic use after that for private events.

Sources

For the temporary road course, the roads used still exist and were traced from OSM Bing, and then slightly improved upon using a [1980 USGS aerial from Earth Explorer]. The old course map is reproduced in Lost Race Tracks[1]. Dates are from America's Speedways[2] (Note that Americas Speedways mis identifies this course as an airport circuit, which it is not.).

For the permanent circuit, dates are from America's Speedways[2]. Some portions of the track are still identifiable in current OSM Bing imagery. The remainder was located using 1996 Terraserver imagery from MSRMaps, and substantially improved upon using the [1980 USGS aerial imagery obtained from Earth Explorer].

Burden Lake Speedway

Located south of West Sand Lake, New York.

[Burden Lake Speedway]

The track opened in 1948, and ran into the early 50s. The exact closing date is uncertain; America's Speedways gives 1956 but other local sources suggest 1952.

Sources

Dates are from America's Speedways[2]. Other information from Ken Gypson, Lecture, Saratoga Auto Museum, 2007-11-24, Greg Rickes, and Jack Hanifan. Track traced from [1952 USGS Aerial Imagery]

Carroll's Grove Speedway

Located just off NY 7 north of Troy, NY.

[Carroll's Grove Speedway]

Operated in 1950. Was one of the many casualties of New York State's single year flirtation with blue laws.

Sources

Dates from [Bob Miller article]. Traced from [1952 USGS Aerial Imagery].

East Greenbush Speedbowl

Located near the junction of Miller Road and US 9 & 20 in Schodack, NY.

[East Greenbush Speedbowl]

Operated for one day only, 5/8/55.

Sources

America's Speedways[2], Harold Cameron. Traced from [1960 USGS Aerial Imagery

Empire Raceway/Menands Raceway

Empire Raceway was a 1/4 mile paved oval which operated from 1947 to 1963. The track was replaced by the Two Guys Department store.

[Empire Raceway]

Sources

Dates from America's Speedways[2]. Traced from [1952 USGS Aerial Imagery].

Freeport Speedway (aka Freeport Stadium)

Located in Freeport, Long Island, New York.

[Freeport Speedway]

This track operated in a variety of configurations from 1935 to 1983.

Sources

Dates from America's Speedways[2]. Other information from Gary London, Lecture, Saratoga Auto Museum, 2007-11-24. Location from 1966 Aerial Imagery.

Mineola Fairgrounds

A 1/2 mile dirt oval located in Garden City, Long Island, NY.

[Mineola Fairgrounds]

The track, originally built for trotters, operated as a motor racing circuit from 1922 to 1949.

Sources

Dates from America's Speedways[2]. Traced from [1948 USGS Aerial imagery.

Pine Bowl Speedway

Located south of Troy, New York.

[Pine Bowl Speedway]

This oval operated from 1948 to 1966.

Sources

Dates are from America's Speedways[2]. Other information from Ken Gypson, Lecture, Saratoga Auto Museum, 2007-11-24, Greg Rickes, and Jack Hanifan. Traced from [1952 USGS Aerial image].

Polo Grounds

Various track configurations were used at various times in the base ball stadium in upper Manhattan.

[Polo Grounds]

OHM depicts the 1/5 mile board track used in June 1948. A 1/4 mile dirt track also operated 1940 and 1941, and a paved oval in 1958 and 1958.

Sources

Dates are from America's Speedways[2].

Roosevelt Raceway

The track was located in Westbury, Long Island, NY on the NE corner of the Roosevelt Field complex, near the location where Lindburgh took off for Paris.

[Roosevelt Raceways]

The track was built for a 1936 revival of the Vanderbilt Cup, and appears to have been the first purpose built closed road course in North America. The course was revised significantly for 1937. Both races drew extensive international participation, but racing did not continue and the facility was converted to harness racing.

Sources

The facility is documented extensively on the [Cup Races website]. The track is still partially visible in [1948 USGS Aerial Imagery] and the rest may be inferred from oblique aerials on the Vanderbilt Cup website.

Route 66 Speedway

Located southeast of Troy, NY.

[Route 66 Speedway]

This track also operated under the name "Hollywood Bowl". It ran from 1952 through 1960.

Sources

Dates are from America's Speedways[2]. Other information from former owners. Track outline is visible in aerial imagery, traced from OSM Bing.

Ups N Downs Speedway

Located on US 9 in Schodack NY.

[Ups N Downs Speedway]

This track operated in the late 40s or early 50s. Research on dates of operation is continuing.

Sources

Dates are from America's Speedways[2]. Traced from [1952 USGS Aerial Imagery]

Watkins Glen (WGI)

Located west and southwest of Watkins Glen, New York.

[Watkins Glen Historic Circuits]

The first Post WWII Road Race in the US was held at Watkins Glen, New York in 1948. There would be two circuits using public roads, followed by a permanent circuit in 1957. Formula 1 races would be held here through the 1970s. In 1980 the modern circuit was built, which shares some sections with the third circuit.

The first three circuits are represented in OHM (the fourth circuit is very much in operation and is in OSM.) The first circuit used public roads, all of which still exist although all now are paved and one section has been slightly rerouted by New York State. The second circuit used public roads, most of which still exist (the third circuit was built in the same area as the second circuit and some of the second circuit roads are gone and have left no trace). Currently no attempt is made to representing the underlying public roads. This may be changed in the near future.

Sources

Maps of the first circuit's route are readily available in the Watkins Glen area for motor racing tourists to use following the course. The route of the second circuit is also readily available in the literature as are maps of the third circuit. The parts of the third circuit not in use by the fourth circuit are difficult to trace from modern imagery as the current track has largely eliminated all traces of its predecessor in OSM Bing imagery. Road Racing at Watkins Glen[3] describes the first three circuits and contains reproductions of the maps used in the race programs of the period. A 1957 Aerial from USGS Earth Explorer was used to locate the roads that are either 1) gone or 2) reconfigured. Substantial assistance was provided by Bill Green of the International Motor Racing Research Center in understanding the early road course configurations. The IMRRC collection includes extensive materials on the history of racing at Watkins Glen.

White's Beach Speedway

AKA Raceway Park

Located on the west side of Ballston Lake, New York.

[White's Beach Speedway]

This 1/4 mile dirt oval operated from 1952 to 1961.

Sources

Dates are from America's Speedways[2]. Track outline is visible in aerial imagery, traced from OSM Bing.

References

<references> [2] [1] [3] < /references>

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lost Race Tracks: Treasures of Automobile Racing, Gordon Eliot White, Iconografix, 2002
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 The History of America's Speedways: Past and Present, Alan Brown, 2003
  3. 3.0 3.1 Road Racing at Watkins Glen, Henry Valent, Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce, 1958