Mod134
09-02-2006, 05:48 PM
LI beat most places in the country in the concept of racing around a football field (ie: the current Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC has a 1/4 mile oval).
Freeport Municipal Stadium was built 75 years ago this year, in 1931.
Freeport hosted motorcycle races in 1933 and 1934.
One year later, the track's first auto race was held on May 4, 1935 on a 1/5 mile dirt oval layout, which lasted until 1939. Its first promoter was Bill Heiserman.
Later that same season, the track was paved and saw its debut on June 16, 1939. Freeport ran until September 23, 1941. With the outbreak of World War II, Freeport Stadium hosted high school football in 1941. Despite a ban on auto racing during WWII, Freeport ran an Outlaw race in 1944 :). Once hostilies had come to an end, racing returned to Freeport on August 30, 1945 and operated through 1974.
Freeport was expanded to a 1/4 mile layout in time for the 1975 season. It ran this way through its final race on September 24, 1983.
In 1989, the track met its ultimate fate: the wrecking ball. The former race track site was occupied by a Caldor's Department Store, which operated from 1992 through 1999. The site is an industrial building today.
Sources:
"The History of America's Speedways: Past & Present" by Allan E. Brown
"Freeport Stadium: Remembering some flat and furious racing" (http://www.stockcarracing.com/thehistoryof/31638_freeport_stadium/) by Ken Spooner
Freeport Municipal Stadium was built 75 years ago this year, in 1931.
Freeport hosted motorcycle races in 1933 and 1934.
One year later, the track's first auto race was held on May 4, 1935 on a 1/5 mile dirt oval layout, which lasted until 1939. Its first promoter was Bill Heiserman.
Later that same season, the track was paved and saw its debut on June 16, 1939. Freeport ran until September 23, 1941. With the outbreak of World War II, Freeport Stadium hosted high school football in 1941. Despite a ban on auto racing during WWII, Freeport ran an Outlaw race in 1944 :). Once hostilies had come to an end, racing returned to Freeport on August 30, 1945 and operated through 1974.
Freeport was expanded to a 1/4 mile layout in time for the 1975 season. It ran this way through its final race on September 24, 1983.
In 1989, the track met its ultimate fate: the wrecking ball. The former race track site was occupied by a Caldor's Department Store, which operated from 1992 through 1999. The site is an industrial building today.
Sources:
"The History of America's Speedways: Past & Present" by Allan E. Brown
"Freeport Stadium: Remembering some flat and furious racing" (http://www.stockcarracing.com/thehistoryof/31638_freeport_stadium/) by Ken Spooner