History
The half-mile dirt track southwest of Pittsburgh held its first races in May 1948. Lee Petty won its first NASCAR Grand National race on October 2, 1949, and the series returned in 1951, 1959 and 1960. Both ovals were paved before the 1967 season.
The track closed after 1973 and was sold in 1975. Its site became Raceway Plaza, a strip mall.
Why it matters: Pittsburgh's NASCAR Grand National venue from 1949 to 1960.
Timeline
- May 1948First races[1]
The half-mile dirt track held its first races.
- October 2, 1949First Grand National race[1]
Lee Petty won the first NASCAR Strictly Stock/Grand National race at the track.
- July 10, 1960Last Grand National race[1]
Lee Petty won the last Grand National race at Heidelberg.
- 1973Track closes[1]
Ed Howe won the last race and the track closed at the end of the season.
- April 1975Sold[1]
The owners sold the closed track to Center Associates for $1.15 million.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
|---|---|
| Current use | Raceway Plaza shopping center[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Location | Scott Township, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Level | NASCAR Grand National, NASCAR Convertible Division |
| Opened | May 1948[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | 1973[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Surface | Dirt (paved before 1967)[1] |
| Owner / operator | Promoter Ed Witzberger |
Documented details
- The track had a half-mile dirt oval with a quarter-mile track inside it; both were paved before the 1967 season.[1]
Sources
- Heidelberg Raceway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, events, opened, surface
- Latitude and longitude of Heidelberg Raceway, latitude.to. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, coordinates, 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.