Dover Speedway, Dover New Jersey Update
Ted Horn in
his Offenhauser powered sprint car “Baby” entering
turn one Dover Speedway 1947
The same
view today, 2009
Race Track Archeology, Dover Speedway
The advent of
satellite map services like Google Earth has made
it easier for the archeologist to find evidence of
long forgotten and abandon race tracks. I always
knew that there had been a track in Dover, NJ, I
even knew where it had been. To me it seemed like
nothing could have survived all these years, but an
article in the local paper peaked my interest. When
I found an old survey showing the layout of the
track I decided to have a look on Google Earth to
see if anything still remained. When I saw that
turns 3 and 4 plus a section of the front
straightway had been located in what now is a
wooded section I thought maybe you could still see
some evidence. I rode over to the site and it
didn’t seem as though the woods had been disturbed
since the track closed in 1955. Once in the woods I
could clearly see parts of the turn 4 banking. The
woods were very dense and I decided that a winter
exposition would yield more information. But it was
cool to see some remains. Stay turned for my next
visit!
On the grid looking back at turn 4. 1947. The
famous Ted Horn is seen leaning on his Offy
sprintcar “Baby”. Horn was a big name at the time.
He was AAA national champion 3 years,
qualified on the pole at Indy in the Boyle Maserati
and finished second a couple of times.
The same view in 2009, notice the small house on
the left in both photos that
was built in the 1930s. You can also see the banked
earth that was turn 4.
Although the undergrowth is heavy, this is a view
of turn 4 looking towards the start/finish line.
Satellite map
1950’s survey