History
Langhorne Speedway opened in June 1926 as an almost perfectly round one-mile dirt track. Its constant left turn, rough surface and deep ruts earned it a reputation as one of the most dangerous tracks in America, and it became known as the Big Left Turn.
The track was a national championship stop for AAA and then USAC open-wheel cars for four decades and hosted NASCAR's top division in its first years. Dozens of drivers, riders and spectators died there over its history, Jimmy Bryan among them.
In 1965 the circle was reshaped into a paved D-shaped oval, but the change did not secure its future. The final race ran in October 1971, and bulldozers arrived almost immediately afterward.
The property became a shopping area with big-box stores and a car dealership, while part of the back of the site reverted to woods. Only a 2006 historical marker recalls the track.
Why it matters: One of the most celebrated and dangerous dirt tracks in American racing history, central to the AAA/USAC championship era.
Timeline
- June 12, 1926
The track opened after rain pushed back a planned May 31 debut.
- 1930
Langhorne hosted AAA national championship racing from 1930 to 1955, then USAC from 1956 to 1970.
- 1949First NASCAR race[1]
NASCAR's top division raced here from 1949 through 1957.
- 1965
The circular dirt track was reshaped into a D with a straight backstretch and paved.
- October 17, 1971
Roger Treichler won a national open for modified stock cars, the last race held at the speedway.
- 2006
A marker recalling the 'Big Left Turn' was dedicated near the site.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Retail: a Sam's Club, Restaurant Depot and CarMax over the former pit and grandstand area; woods over the infield and backstretch[1,2] |
| Surviving remnants | No physical remnants; a historical marker dedicated in 2006 commemorates the track.[1,2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue parcel |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Other names | Philadelphia Speedway (1926) |
|---|---|
| Location | Middletown Township, Bucks County, near Langhorne, Pennsylvania, Middletown Township, Pennsylvania[1] |
| Venue type | Speedway |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Level | AAA, USAC, NASCAR |
| Opened | June 12, 1926[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | October 17, 1971[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1971–1972[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia gives approximately 60,000; not corroborated. |
| Surface | Dirt circular one-mile oval (1926-1964); reconfigured to a D shape and paved in 1965 |
| Closure | Sold for commercial development; the site was converted to shopping use right after the 1971 season. |
Documented details
Sources
- Langhorne Speedway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, remnants
- Langhorne Speedway - Circuit Overview, RacingCircuits.info. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished, events, opened, remnants
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.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Wikipedia gives the original dirt circle as 0.99 mi; RacingCircuits.info gives 1.000 mi for both configurations.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.