Islip Airport - Islip Speedway

[capitalcity300]

Before it became the fondly remembered (by SOME!) Islip Speedway, the site originally was host to the very first Municipal Airport on Long Island.

The following is from "Long Islands Airports" by Joshua Stoff (Curator, Cradle of Aviation Museum) Arcadia Publishing. (Available at Borders)

Islip Airport - Islip Speedway website:
http://www.eastislip.org/Pages/Islip...20Speedway.htm

'Lindbergh Visits New Islip Airport' website:
http://www.eastislip.org/Pages/Islip...%20Airport.htm

Photo #1. Suffolk County's 1st Airmail Flight, Islip Aiport, May 19, 1938
Photo #2. Islip Airport, Islip, 1928 - 1947 - Islip Speedway in (blue outline)
Photo #3. Islip Speedway Aerial
Photo #4. Islip Airport, Islip, 2005 - Islip Speedway (in blue outline)

Islip Speedway, 1947 - 1984


"Racing History is like looking for Gold, finding it in Bits'n'Pieces"

[capitalcity300]

Some more photos.
Photo #1. Islip Speedway 001
Photo #2. Islip Speedway 002
Photo #3. Islip Speedway 003
Photo #4. Islip Speedway 004

Islip Speedway, 1947 - 1984


"Racing History is like looking for Gold, finding it in Bits'n'Pieces"

[Captain History]

Where does the time go? Islip's last race was in September, 1984. Now we're talking about a track that's approaching being closed for almost 25 years.
It's all memories and artifacts now.

[rydogg97]

love these old pics!!only thing is that it makes me feel old!!i keep saying i remember when .............!!

[randomrodder]

Ditto..............

[art11758]

As I have said before, some of my best memories and times of my life happened there. The first aerial photo is great, shows how few houses were in the area. Aptly put Captain, where does the time go??

[RickFigure8]

Same feelings here. So many memories and so hard to believe it was so long ago. I remember my first warmup, and first race. I remember the crashes, lol. I also remember sitting in the bleachers, in the same spot I had always sat before I got my first license and started helping Ernie in the pits, 3rd row, on an aisle, coming off turn four, and seeing it was the only section of bleachers left standing. The following day it was gone.

Rick

[Dwight Clock]

If you look at the 1938 aerial photograph of the airport you will notice that one of the houses is located just a little bit north of the airport and on the west side of Rte. 111. It sits in what has been for many years now the middle of the Southern State Parkway. It belonged to the family of my godfather, the Hofmeisters. When they built the SSP the house was moved to 7 Lake St. in Islip where it still sits. It is hard to imagine the transformation that the area has undergone in the seventy years since that photo was taken.

[Jaws]

Very cool pictures.

I love the coment about missed bysome, I think it should say missed by many!

I remember standing at the front of the line for tickets when the booth opened at6:00PM every week and sitting dead center between turns 1 and 2 week after week.

Man I miss that place.

Who can forget those mods coming out of the pits after intermission, it was quite a sight!

[rydogg97]

there is no doubt that it was a great place to spend as they said each and every saturday nite at islip speedway.there was something very special about the place.i miss it also!!as stated it was an awsome sight to see the mods and all cars come out on to the track!

[x_factor]

i work for last 14 years north of the old islip track we have a old tire/rim from there still sitting there.ALL COUNTY AMUSUMENTS HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE 1976 I WALK EVERY DAY ON THE OLD TRACK I TRULEY MISS IT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

[Wannaberacer]

love these old pics!!only thing is that it makes me feel old!!i keep saying i remember when .............!!

Be glad you can say I remember when, I'd give anything to have been able to go to Islip at least once.

[x_factor]

theres still some old tires piled up in a corner there