NASCAR Speedway Division

NASCAR Speedway Division
Category Open wheel
Country  United States
Inaugural season 1952
Folded 1953
Last Drivers' champion United States Pete Allen

The NASCAR Speedway Division was a short-lived series brought forth in 1952 by NASCAR president and founder Bill France Sr. The series consisted of open-wheel race cars competing with stock engines. The idea of the series was to draw from the popularity of other open-wheel racing events such as the Indianapolis 500.[1]

History

1952 season

The first Speedway Division race was held at Darlington Raceway and was won by Buck Baker with a Cadillac engine.[1][2] The series' second race was held at Martinsville Speedway on May 25, with only 17 entries.[3] The pole at Martinsville was won by Bill Miller in an "Olds 88 Special". Tex Keene, driving a car with a stock Mercury engine came from 16th place to win the race. A total of seven races were run in 1952 with Buck Baker becoming the series champion.[4]

1953 season

In 1953, Speedway Division events were paired with those in the Sportsman Division. Three races were held with few entries before the series was quietly discontinued. The final series champion was Pete Allen.[5][6]

Statistics

Race wins

Driver NASCAR
Speedway
Division
(1952–1953)
United States Campbell, WallyWally Campbell3
United States Cherry, TomTom Cherry2
United States Allen, PetePete Allen1
United States Keller, AlAl Keller1
United States Keene, TexTex Keene1
United States Baker, BuckBuck Baker1
United States Alspaugh, WayneWayne Alspaugh1

Championships

Driver NASCAR
Speedway
Division
(1952–1953)
United States Allen, PetePete Allen1
United States Baker, BuckBuck Baker1

References

  1. 1 2 Burt, William M. (2001). The American Stock Car (Second ed.). St. Paul, MN: MBI Publishing Company. p. 34. ISBN 0-7603-0977-9.
  2. ↑ "1952 Season Summary". Know Your NASCAR. NASCAR/Turner Productions, Inc. 2001. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  3. ↑ Fielden, Greg (2003). NASCAR Chronicle. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International, Ltd. p. 67. ISBN 0-7853-8683-1.
  4. ↑ "1952 NASCAR Speedway Division". Champ Car Stats. 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  5. ↑ Capps, Don (2003). "1952 NASCAR Speedway Division Championship". The AUTOSPORT Bulletin Board. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  6. ↑ "1953 NASCAR Speedway Division". Champ Car Stats. 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-13.


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