Hilltop Drag Strip
Status unknownStatus unknown Closed, but nobody has checked how much of the site survives, or the exact spot was never found.
- One of three dirt strips that ran at once within four miles of Shadyside
- Raced
- 1958-60
- State
- North Carolina
- What's left
- The exact spot was never found. If it's on the map, the pin only marks the general area.
- On the site today
- No trace of the strip remains
- Raced on
- Built as a drag strip
- First race
- about 1960
- Surface
- Dirt
- Location
- About a mile from Sandy Run on the same road, within four miles of Shadyside
No one has pinned down where this strip was yet.
Most of what’s known about Hilltop comes from Walt McIntyre. He said three strips ran at the same time within four miles of Shadyside. Shadyside came first, owned by Marshall Hamrick. Next was Sandy Run, owned by the Hunt family, about three miles west of Shadyside. Hilltop opened on the same road about a mile from Sandy Run, and he didn’t remember who owned it. He figured the others saw how well Hamrick was doing and wanted in, and since the strips were all dirt they didn’t cost much to build. Each used a flagman to start races and a man on each side at the finish who raised a flag for the winner. Sandy Run opened in 1960 and lasted until about 1966. Hilltop opened about the same time and only stayed open a couple of years.
McIntyre said he and Butch Green stopped by Sandy Run not long ago, where the owner said it was overgrown, then went on to Hilltop. The area had changed so much they could see where it had been, but no sign of a strip was left. He listed regulars at these tracks: himself, Butch Green, Johnny White, Bobby Barr, Ed Price, Alfred Price, Hotdog Price, Robert Davis, Pete Black, Garland Buff and Jim Bridges. All the strips raced Sunday afternoons until Sandy Run strung lights along its strip and did well with Saturday nights.