History
The track opened on June 3, 1934, as a flat 5/8-mile dirt oval. It was paved in 1936 and rebuilt in 1939 as a high-banked half-mile. AAA, USAC and NASCAR all held events there, and the first Dayton 500 was run in 1953.
The speedway closed at the end of 1982 because it could not get liability insurance. The site served as a landfill from 1986 to 1994 and was then covered in clay.
Why it matters: One of the Midwest's best-known high-banked short tracks for nearly 50 years.
Timeline
- June 3, 1934Official opening[1]
Ken Fowler won the opening race on a flat D-shaped 5/8-mile dirt track; Mauri Rose was second.
- June 4, 1936Track paved[1]
The entire track was repaved with asphalt.
- 1939High banks[1]
The track was converted to a high-banked half-mile.
- June 29, 1946Postwar reopening[1]
The track reopened with the first night Big Car race on the East Coast.
- 1953First Dayton 500[1]
Iggy Katona won the first Dayton 500.
- 1982Track closes[1]
The track closed at the end of the season for lack of liability insurance.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
|---|---|
| Current use | Former landfill (1986-1994), since filled with clay; the track no longer exists[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Location | Dayton, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Speedway |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Level | AAA, USAC, NASCAR |
| Opened | June 3, 1934[1] |
| Last used for sports | 1982[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Surface | Asphalt[1] |
| Owner / operator | Frank Funk (1937-1949); Don Thompson era from 1979[1] |
| Closure | Closed at the end of the 1982 season because it had no liability insurance. |
Documented details
Sources
- Dayton Speedway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, coordinates, current land use, events, opened, owner operator, surface
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.