LAS VEGAS PARK SPEEDWAY

NEVADA (USA)

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Lost Dirt Tracks facebook feature

1954 - LAS VEGAS PARK SPEEDWAY

This tracks is more interesting as it was getting built than its racing history, A man by the name of Joseph Smoot traveled from New York to Las Vegas and had ideas of building a one mile dirt oval race track, He lied about his past history of building tracks, He convinced eight hundred investors to pour two million dollars into the building of the track.

The building of the track was significantly slow with many delays, two years after Smoot and one other were convicted of embezzlement, Smoot was later found dead in a hotel room.

The track was designed as a horse racing facility and it did hold some meetings, Its Motor Racing history was short, It only ran three major races over three seperate years

In 1954, a AAA Champ Car one hundred mile race was run and won by Jimmy Bryan.

In 1955, a NASCAR event was run over 200 laps and won by Norm Nelson, After three years with no motorsport, a USAC event was held in 1959 over 250 laps, But the race had to be cut short at 147 laps as the track was too dark to continue, Fred Lorenzen won that race.

By 1959 the land had been sold off, the track demolished and the Las Vegas Country Club was built.

1954 - Las Vegas Park Speedway is situated at the top of the picture. Photo: unknown.