Allentown Fairgrounds
ClosedClosed No longer racing, but some of the track is still there.
- Raced
- 1961-65
- State
- Pennsylvania
- What's left
- A good length of the old track surface is still there, in poor to good condition.
- Raced on
- Fairgrounds
- First race
- August 25, 1961
- Last race
- 1965
- Track
- 1/8 mile
- Surface
- Clay-calcium compound
- Location
- Straightaway in front of the grandstands, Allentown Fairgrounds speedway
- People
- Jerry Fried, promoter (1961-)
- Elevation
- 352 ft (107 m)
- Coordinates
- 40.60153, -75.49740
Jerry Fried promoted drag racing at the Allentown Fairgrounds speedway. The first race, on Friday, August 25, 1961, drew 2,800 people and 125 cars. Cars raced an eighth-mile on the clay-calcium straightaway in front of the covered grandstands, which were improved for drag racing in 1962, when races were mostly on Thursday nights. On September 18, 1964, Harry Weil was critically hurt when he hit the wall at the west end of the track, and he sued for damages in early 1966. It isn’t known whether that played a part, but 1965 was the last season of drag racing there.
More in Pennsylvania
- Active Still racing today. Beaver Springs Dragway 1971-present
- Status unknown Closed, but nobody has checked how much of the site survives, or the exact spot was never found. Bedford County Motorcycle Club Grounds (Everett) 1973-79
- Status unknown Closed, but nobody has checked how much of the site survives, or the exact spot was never found. Chimney Rocks Motorcycle Club Grounds (Newry) 1971-72
- Closed No longer racing, but some of the track is still there. Convair Field (Allentown) 1955-56
- Status unknown Closed, but nobody has checked how much of the site survives, or the exact spot was never found. Cycle Pals Track (Port Matilda) 1966
- Closed No longer racing, but some of the track is still there. Forty Fort Drags 1957-1964
- Nothing left No longer racing, and nothing of the track remains. Garden Spot Airpark/Lancaster Drag-O-Way (Mountville) 1954-ca. 1962?
- Nothing left No longer racing, and nothing of the track remains. Giles Hilltop Drag Strip/Speedway (Beaver Falls) 1967-68
- Status unknown Closed, but nobody has checked how much of the site survives, or the exact spot was never found. Green Pine Drag Strip (Elimsport) 1963-66
- Nothing left No longer racing, and nothing of the track remains. Green Valley Speedway (Emsworth) 1958-63
- Closed No longer racing, but some of the track is still there. Hallam 30 Drag Raceway 1962
- Status unknown Closed, but nobody has checked how much of the site survives, or the exact spot was never found. Handlebar Park Drag Strip (Ennisville) late 1960s?-1971