I was just clued about a track in the St Augustine area called Ponce de Leon Speedway that ran in the early 60s. This was news to me and I can find no reference to it anywhere. Not sure if it was dirt or paved but would bet it was dirt.
If anyone knows exactly where the track was located or how long it operated please let me know. Any leads appreciated.
Much thanks,
Marty Little
Here’s a lead…
A few miles north of the current St. Augustine Raceway, in a
town call St. Johns, is a “Race Track Road”, but I couldn’t locate
any Raceways upon it.
r.
[QUOTE=AB195;29581]Here’s a lead…
A few miles north of the current St. Augustine Raceway, in a
town call St. Johns, is a “Race Track Road”, but I couldn’t locate
any Raceways upon it.
r.[/QUOTE]
When I saw that road while driving around St. Augustine, I had to follow it just to see if I could find a race track. The only thing I could find looked like a dog track. Was this the place where the track was located, or is the dog track the origin of the road name?
Got It–
1959—the Ponce De Leon Trotting Assciation Raceway was operated between St. Augustine and Jacksonville, running horses/trotters, and obviously was dirt. Camaro Guy had the other one, it was/is a Dog Track an Race Track Road.
roger:huepfen024:
Race Track Road in St. Johns, Fl—the Dog Track is easily seen, and the outline remaines of the huge Trotters Track can be seen as well, most of it actually, before the highways and roads were built up.
That all being said, what’s the status of the current St. Augustine Speedway? Is it ever coming back?
The current owner of St. Augustine says no , but you never know .
The race track in question was located on US 1 south of the city limits of St. Augustine where the Home Depot is now. The track was paved and it was in operation for a little over 2 years.
Rumour has it that there are some type of zoning laws preventing it from reopening. Thereagain, it’s just hearsay. Don’t know the validity.
The old race track in St. Augustine was/is where the hospital now stands. Saw some pictures of it. And it was dirt. Dixie Customs was at the home depot lot.Also talked years ago to a couple Guys who drove at the old track. As far as the new track goes it’s still there and not in too bad of shape.
Wildchild
Marty, I know this isn’t the Cash Cab, but were able to make any headway from the info provided so far?
I appreciate all the input but don’t believe that we’ve hit it yet. The original info on Ponce de Leon Speedway came from a friend who was visiting the local Sheriff’s office and saw some framed photos on the wall that mentioned the speedway, the year and a guy who was busted for stealing equipment from the property. May not have been an auto race facility but I’m not familiar with any horse/trotter tracks with a “speedway” name. Could have been a “raceway” like the Ben White facility north of Orlando however. I’ll keep looking and let you guys know if I turn up anything new.
Marty
There used to be a track that was barely visible from interstate 95 on the east side of the highway. It was paved, around a 1/4 mile. One of the guys who used to help me with my car used to go there when they were still racing and he gave me a picture of somebody’s GN car in the mid 60’s that was taken there.
There are two roads in St. Johns County (St. Augustine)called Race Track Rd.
There is the one off of Us 1 North of the St. Aug. that had a dog track on it but now it’s OTB and a poker room. The other rd. is off of state Rd.16, west of St.Aug. But I don’t believe it ever had a racetrack on it. Check with the owner of Dixie Customs, Phil(he owns Putnam Speedway)
Wildchild
ask.com gave me the info on Ponce De Leon Raceway, on Race Track Road, tad bit north of St. Augustine, and it really did exist, you betcha; and I looked right down on top of it, and BAM! there it was, Ponce de leon Raceway, or what was left of it.
Man, I had thought I had nailed it down big time with honors.
WildMan clued me into the other Race Track Road, just west of St. Augustine, and yessrree, the Road does exist. And if you pan out a tad bit, you can actually see an outlying oval cut out in the thick trees. So Marty, check it out, Google Earth it up, as usual I hope, and see for yourself.
You have a team standing by awaiting your answer…well, or whoever else gives a hoot, I do.
Old St Augustine Track
There was a small dirt track in St. Augustine in the mid-sixties that ran, I think, on Sunday afternoons. I don’t believe they had lighting. I also think that is where Wayne Shugart started his career. He, David Sellers, or Johnny Vogel could help if you can contact them.