Memphis-Arkansas Speedway
Encyclopedia
The Memphis-Arkansas Speedway was a dirt oval track located just west of West Memphis
, Arkansas
, USA
in the community of LeHi.
This speedway would have a total distance spanning 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Its elevation is 200 feet above sea level
and all races used the Central Time Zone. While the track opened on October 7, 1954, it soon ran out of money. Paving the track ended up having an expensive price tag of $100,000 ($ in today's money) and the dirt surface was unmanageable after a certain amount of years. As a result, the track was closed permanently in 1957 when it was sold to a local farmer named Clayton Eubanks Sr. who used the abandoned race track for catfish
, rice, and soybeans for a number of years. Sadly, the proposed Interstate
that was being built near the abandoned rack track was not finished in time to save it.
Richard Petty
and his father Lee
both remember the high banking that this race track had. The dirt was used for the banking and two ponds were on opposite ends of the speedway. In fact, Lee Petty would finish in third place at the 1954 Mid-South 250 and nineteenth place at the 1955 Mid-South 250.
Grand National (now the Sprint Cup) Series would visit this track numerous times during the 1955
and 1956 Grand National seasons. Clint McHugh from Iowa
(who tumbled over a guard rail and into a lake 50 feet below the embankment at the age of 28) and Cotton Priddy
(from Louisville
, Kentucky
) are the two race car drivers who lost their lives on this allegedly dangerous race track. Since the 1960s, the track was never used for its intended purpose of stock car racing
. At a race held on November 1954, twelve thousand fans would attend a race spanning 250 miles (402.3 km) where Buck Baker
would end up winning the 1954 running of the Mid-South 250.
Only two named races would be held in this racing venue: 1954 Mid-South 250
and the 1955 Mid-South 250
. The Ford Motor Company
would earn two wins on this track followed by single race wins earned by Pontiac
, Chrysler
, and Oldsmobile
. Fonty Flock
was the only winner on this track to start from the pole position. The highest purse ever offered at this track was $14,250 ($ in today's money). Fifty-two cars were the most number of cars to compete on this track while twenty-eight cars was the smallest field for a race at this track.
Other notable drivers who have gained experience racing here included: Chuck Stevenson
, Tiny Lund
, Bob Flock
, and Ralph Moody
.
West Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 27,666 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 28,181 in 2005, and 31,329 in 2011 ranking it as the state's 11th largest city, behind Hot Springs...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the community of LeHi.
This speedway would have a total distance spanning 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Its elevation is 200 feet above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
and all races used the Central Time Zone. While the track opened on October 7, 1954, it soon ran out of money. Paving the track ended up having an expensive price tag of $100,000 ($ in today's money) and the dirt surface was unmanageable after a certain amount of years. As a result, the track was closed permanently in 1957 when it was sold to a local farmer named Clayton Eubanks Sr. who used the abandoned race track for catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, rice, and soybeans for a number of years. Sadly, the proposed Interstate
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
that was being built near the abandoned rack track was not finished in time to save it.
Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
and his father Lee
Lee Petty
Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...
both remember the high banking that this race track had. The dirt was used for the banking and two ponds were on opposite ends of the speedway. In fact, Lee Petty would finish in third place at the 1954 Mid-South 250 and nineteenth place at the 1955 Mid-South 250.
Racing history
The NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Grand National (now the Sprint Cup) Series would visit this track numerous times during the 1955
1955 in NASCAR
The 1955 NASCAR Grand National Season began on November 7, 1954 and ended on October 30, 1955. Even though the season was resolved in the course of two different years, all NASCAR personnel were allowed to have their traditional two-month silly season that traditionally comes between mid-November...
and 1956 Grand National seasons. Clint McHugh from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
(who tumbled over a guard rail and into a lake 50 feet below the embankment at the age of 28) and Cotton Priddy
Cotton Priddy
Thomas "Cotton" Priddy was a NASCAR Grand National race car driver from Louisville, Kentucky, USA.He was the driver who died at the Memphis-Arkansas Speedway during a race on June 10, 1956. Priddy posthumously collected $50 in winnings from that race. Before that he would race two races in the...
(from Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
) are the two race car drivers who lost their lives on this allegedly dangerous race track. Since the 1960s, the track was never used for its intended purpose of stock car racing
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
. At a race held on November 1954, twelve thousand fans would attend a race spanning 250 miles (402.3 km) where Buck Baker
Buck Baker
Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. , better known as Buck Baker, was an American race car driver.-Racing career:...
would end up winning the 1954 running of the Mid-South 250.
Only two named races would be held in this racing venue: 1954 Mid-South 250
1954 Mid-South 250
The 1954 Mid-South 250 was a NASCAR Grand National race that took place on October 10, 1954 at Memphis-Arkansas Speedway in the American community of LeHi, Arkansas.-Summary:...
and the 1955 Mid-South 250
1955 Mid-South 250
The 1955 Mid-South 250 was a NASCAR Grand National race that took place on August 14, 1955 at the Memphis-Arkansas Speedway located just west of West Memphis in the American community of LeHi, Arkansas.-Summary:...
. The Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
would earn two wins on this track followed by single race wins earned by Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
, Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, and Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
. Fonty Flock
Fonty Flock
Truman Fontello "Fonty" Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama was an early NASCAR driver.-Flock family:He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Bob Flock, and the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley...
was the only winner on this track to start from the pole position. The highest purse ever offered at this track was $14,250 ($ in today's money). Fifty-two cars were the most number of cars to compete on this track while twenty-eight cars was the smallest field for a race at this track.
Other notable drivers who have gained experience racing here included: Chuck Stevenson
Chuck Stevenson
Charles "Chuck" Stevenson was an American racecar driver.- AAA and USAC Championship Car series :...
, Tiny Lund
Tiny Lund
DeWayne Louis "Tiny" Lund was a NASCAR driver. He was ironically nicknamed "Tiny" due to his rather large and imposing size.-Background:...
, Bob Flock
Bob Flock
Robert Newman Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama, USA was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified on the pole position for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.-Flock family:...
, and Ralph Moody
Ralph Moody
Ralph Moody was one of early drivers of NASCAR. However, he eventually became the most famous as team co-owner of Holman Moody.-Background:...
.