Beltsville Speedway

Beltsville, Maryland · Racetrack

Beltsville Speedway was a half-mile asphalt oval in Prince George's County, Maryland, that ran from 1965 to 1978. It hosted ten NASCAR Grand National races between 1965 and 1970.

Opened: 1965
Closed: 1978
Today: Site redeveloped
Capacity: 7,000

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History

Built by a group led by promoter Tom Lillis, the track opened in July 1965 as Baltimore-Washington Speedway and was renamed Beltsville Speedway in 1966. Ned Jarrett won its first NASCAR Grand National race on August 25, 1965, and Bobby Isaac won the last on May 15, 1970.

Development pressures closed the track in 1978. The site is now occupied by Capitol Technology University.

Why it matters: One of the Washington, D.C. area's NASCAR Grand National venues, with ten top-series races from 1965 to 1970.

Timeline

July 1965
Track opens[2]
The track opened with a modified race won by Sonny Hutchins before an estimated 5,500 fans.
August 25, 1965
First NASCAR Grand National race[1]
Ned Jarrett won the first of ten Grand National races at the track.
1966
Renamed Beltsville Speedway[2]
The track, originally Baltimore-Washington Speedway, was renamed Beltsville Speedway.
May 15, 1970
Last NASCAR Grand National race[1]
Bobby Isaac won the tenth and final Grand National race at Beltsville.
1978
Track closes[1,2]
Development pressures closed the track after nearly 15 seasons.

The site today

Physical status	Site redeveloped
Current use	Capitol Technology University[1]
Mapped location	Approximate historic location

Venue facts

Other names	Baltimore-Washington Speedway (1965–1966)
Location	9200 Powder Mill Road, Laurel, Maryland 20708, Beltsville, Maryland
Venue type	Racetrack
Sports	Motorsports
Level	NASCAR
Opened	July 1965[1,2]
Last used for sports	1978[1,2]
Physical status	Site redeveloped
Original capacity	7,000[1]
Capacity notes	Wikipedia infobox gives approximately 7,000.
Surface	Asphalt[1]
Closure	Development pressures; the land was later occupied by Capitol Technology University.

Documented details

Beltsville was a half-mile (0.500 mi) asphalt oval in Prince George's County.[1]
It was built by partners led by promoter Tom Lillis and began as a home for modifieds.[2]
Bobby Isaac and Richard Petty each won multiple Grand National races there, and Isaac won three of the ten.[1]

Sources

Beltsville Speedway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19
Supports: capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, events, opened, surface
Looking Back: Beltsville Speedway, SPEED SPORT. Accessed 2026-10-19
Supports: closed, events, opened

Research confidence

Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.

See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.

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