Orange County Speedway
Encyclopedia
Orange County Speedway is a 3/8 mile (0.6 km) asphalt oval in Orange County
, near Rougemont
, North Carolina
. It first opened in 1966 as 1/4 mile (0.4 km) and 5/8 mile (1.6 km) dirt ovals, which operated until 1967 and 1973, respectively. With a slogan of "the fastest 3/8-mile race track in America," the oval features 19 degree banking through the turns and 16 degrees on the straightaways creating four distinct grooves making for very fast turns. The grandstands stretch from Turn 4 all the way down the front straightaway to Turn 1. The speedway closed in 2003, but reopened on March 11, 2006 as an American Speed Association
member track.
Some of the most famous names in stock car racing have raced at the Orange County Speedway, including Jeff
and Ward Burton
, Elliott
and Hermie Sadler
, Scott Riggs
, Todd Bodine
and Bobby Labonte
. Notable drivers David Pearson and Glen Wood
raced at the speedway the while it was a dirt track.
Busch Grand National Series (now Nationwide Series) raced at the speedway from 1983 until 1994.
Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
, near Rougemont
Rougemont, North Carolina
Rougemont is an unincorporated community in Durham, Orange, and Person counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Although the Geographic Names Information System does not list it in any county other than Durham. The population was 6,561 at the 2000 census....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It first opened in 1966 as 1/4 mile (0.4 km) and 5/8 mile (1.6 km) dirt ovals, which operated until 1967 and 1973, respectively. With a slogan of "the fastest 3/8-mile race track in America," the oval features 19 degree banking through the turns and 16 degrees on the straightaways creating four distinct grooves making for very fast turns. The grandstands stretch from Turn 4 all the way down the front straightaway to Turn 1. The speedway closed in 2003, but reopened on March 11, 2006 as an American Speed Association
American Speed Association
The American Speed Association is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana and currently is headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida. ASA was most famous for a national touring series which began in 1973 but was...
member track.
Some of the most famous names in stock car racing have raced at the Orange County Speedway, including Jeff
Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...
and Ward Burton
Ward Burton
John Edward Burton III is an American NASCAR auto racer, who has a total of five career Sprint Cup wins. He last drove the #4 State Water Heaters Chevrolet Impala SS for Morgan-McClure Motorsports in 2007. He is the older brother of fellow NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, against whom he first...
, Elliott
Elliott Sadler
Elliott William Barnes Sadler is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the Nationwide Series. He is one of only 23 drivers to have won in each of NASCAR's top three series...
and Hermie Sadler
Hermie Sadler
Herman Marion Sadler III is an American race car driver/announcer and professional wrestling promoter from Emporia, Virginia. He is also an advocate for autism research, as his daughter Hailie Dru, was diagnosed with the disorder in 2001...
, Scott Riggs
Scott Riggs
Russell Scott Riggs is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #81 Dodge Charger for Whitney Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
, Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
and Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
. Notable drivers David Pearson and Glen Wood
Glen Wood
Glen Wood is a former NASCAR driver from Stuart, Virginia. He founded the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team in 1953, and won four races over an eleven year racing career. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. On June 14, 2011, it was announced that Wood will be inducted in...
raced at the speedway the while it was a dirt track.
NASCAR Busch Grand National Series
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...
Busch Grand National Series (now Nationwide Series) raced at the speedway from 1983 until 1994.
| Date | Winning driver | Make | Average speed | Race length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 18, 1983 | Jack Ingram | 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... |
73.55 mph (118.37 km/h) | 75 miles (121 km) |
| July 2, 1983 | Tommy Houston Tommy Houston Tommy Houston, is a retired NASCAR Busch Series' drivers. Over his career, Houston and Jack Ingram became known as the pair journeymen drivers that helped that series grow throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.... |
Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... |
69.32 mph (111.56 km/h) | |
| July 9, 1983 | Tommy Houston | Chevrolet | 79.83 mph (128.47 km/h) | |
| October 1, 1983 | Sam Ard Sam Ard Sam Ard is a former NASCAR driver.Ard was the runner-up in 1982 of NASCAR's Late Model Sportsman Series , and followed up his run with back-to-back championships in 1983 and 1984... |
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... |
77.08 mph (124.05 km/h) | |
| April 21, 1984 | Jack Ingram | Pontiac | 79.69 mph (128.25 km/h) | |
| June 6, 1984 | Jack Ingram | Pontiac | 74.18 mph (119.38 km/h) | |
| July 7, 1984 | Jack Ingram | Pontiac | 69.23 mph (111.41 km/h) | |
| June 15, 1985 | Larry Pearson Larry Pearson Larry Pearson is a former NASCAR driver and the son of three-time Winston Cup champion David Pearson. He won the Busch Series championship in 1986 and 1987, but struggled during his brief tenure in Winston Cup... |
Pontiac | 71.66 mph (115.33 km/h) | 56 miles (90 km) |
| September 28, 1985 | Jack Ingram | Pontiac | 70.73 mph (113.83 km/h) | |
| June 14, 1986 | Tommy Houston | Buick Buick Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make... |
84.4 mph (135.83 km/h) | |
| August 16, 1986 | Dale Jarrett Dale Jarrett Dale Arnold Jarrett is a former American race car driver and current sports commentator known for winning the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship... |
Pontiac | 52.56 mph (84.59 km/h) | |
| September 28, 1986 | Larry Pearson | Pontiac | 65.98 mph (106.18 km/h) | |
| June 27, 1987 | Mark Martin | Ford 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... |
64.88 mph (104.41 km/h) | |
| August 15, 1987 | Larry Pearson | Chevrolet | 62.48 mph (100.55 km/h) | |
| June 11, 1988 | Tommy Houston | Buick | 84.83 mph (136.52 km/h) | |
| August 13, 1988 | Rick Mast Rick Mast Rick Mast is a former NASCAR driver. He competed in both the Winston Cup and Busch Series before retiring in 2002... |
Buick | 48.84 mph (78.6 km/h) | |
| June 10, 1989 | Jimmy Spencer Jimmy Spencer Jimmy Spencer is a current television commentator, and a former NASCAR driver. He formerly hosted the NASCAR inspired talk show, “What’s the Deal?”, on SPEED. He is the former co-host, with John Roberts and Kenny Wallace, of the SPEED's pre-race and post-race NASCAR shows NASCAR RaceDay and... |
Buick | 72.06 mph (115.97 km/h) | 75 miles (121 km) |
| August 12, 1989 | Robert Pressley Robert Pressley Robert Pressley is a former NASCAR driver who is now the promoter at Kingsport Speedway.-Beginnings:... |
Oldsmobile | 67.55 mph (108.71 km/h) | |
| June 9, 1990 | Chuck Bown Chuck Bown Richard Charles Bown, Jr. is a former NASCAR champion. His last ride came in 1999. He currently lives with his wife in Asheboro, North Carolina. He is the brother of former fellow NASCAR competitor Jim Bown... |
Pontiac | 65.98 mph (106.18 km/h) | |
| August 11, 1990 | Chuck Bown | Pontiac | 82.72 mph (133.12 km/h) | |
| June 8, 1991 | Robert Pressley | Oldsmobile | 72.53 mph (116.73 km/h) | 113 miles (182 km) |
| August 10, 1991 | Jimmy Hensley | Oldsmobile | 77.04 mph (123.98 km/h) | |
| June 6, 1992 | Robert Pressley | Oldsmobile | 66.94 mph (107.73 km/h) | |
| August 8, 1992 | Jimmy Spencer | Oldsmobile | 78.72 mph (126.69 km/h) | |
| May 1, 1993 | Ward Burton Ward Burton John Edward Burton III is an American NASCAR auto racer, who has a total of five career Sprint Cup wins. He last drove the #4 State Water Heaters Chevrolet Impala SS for Morgan-McClure Motorsports in 2007. He is the older brother of fellow NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, against whom he first... |
Buick | 68.03 mph (109.48 km/h) | |
| September 2, 1993 | Hermie Sadler Hermie Sadler Herman Marion Sadler III is an American race car driver/announcer and professional wrestling promoter from Emporia, Virginia. He is also an advocate for autism research, as his daughter Hailie Dru, was diagnosed with the disorder in 2001... |
Oldsmobile | 60.59 mph (97.51 km/h) | |
| April 30, 1994 | Hermie Sadler | Chevrolet | 70.29 mph (113.12 km/h) | |