The Historic Occoneechee-Orange Speedway

On our visit to Hillsborough, NC, we were eager to

walk this unique trail for the first time.  The Occoneechee

Speedway was one of the original dirt tracks of NASCAR,

scene of racing action from 1948 to 1968.  At the end of

this post, enjoy a few vintage photos from those early days.

Some visionaries made sure this historic site was preserved
for the enjoyment of future generations.

A timeline of the track's history and a record of  winners over the years.

Many familiar names from my own childhood.

One of the straightaways on the one-mile oval track.

The rusty metal fence which kept non-paying folks from
sneaking a peek.

Signs mark the various sites to give you some historical perspective.

A vintage Dodge Polara.

A forest of trees have long since taken over the infield.

An original "outhouse".

The "fancy" stand for dignitaries, press, and announcers.

The cement bleachers.

Another old out-building.

Beyond the race track, part of a trail follows a portion
of the Eno River.

Big Bend was the final turn before the last straightaway.

Before we say goodbye to the old track, here are

some vintage photos I gathered from the internet.

As a Ford guy, Freddie Lorenzen was my pick.

Daddy had a '48 Ford, and there were no doubt some
of them in that inaugural racing season.

Compare this to the earlier photo of a forested infield we saw.

Things have changed, but at least enough is preserved
for visitors to imagine those glorious times.

Whether you're a racing fan or not, the trails

at the historic Occoneechee Speedway are

well worth spending some time on.  These

trails will eventually connect up to an

impressive network of other nearby trails.