History
Wikipedia dates racing at the Nazareth site to 1910, and a larger 1.125-mile dirt oval opened there in 1966. The hometown of Mario and Michael Andretti, the area embraced the track as part of local racing identity.
Roger Penske rebuilt the facility as a paved oval of just under a mile, opening in 1987. It became a regular stop for CART Indy cars from 1987 to 2001, then the IRL through 2004, and hosted NASCAR Busch Series races from 1988 to 2004 and Truck Series races from 1996 to 2001.
International Speedway Corporation acquired the track in 1999 but shut it after the 2004 season, citing weak community interest. By 2007 the grandstands and buildings had been cleared, though the asphalt oval itself was left in place.
The property was later sold for development under terms that bar racing from returning, and it has been zoned for commercial use with residential and warehouse plans reported.
Why it matters: A key East Coast open-wheel venue of the CART era and the home track of racing's Andretti family.
Timeline
- April 1966Big dirt oval opens[1]
A 1.125-mile dirt oval opened under the Nazareth National Speedway name (Wikipedia body text).
- 1987Paved oval opens[1]
A new paved oval of just under a mile opened under Penske ownership and began hosting CART Indy-car races.
- 1999Sold to International Speedway Corporation[1]
Penske's track company passed to ISC.
- 2004
ISC closed the speedway in late 2004, citing lack of community interest.
- May 23, 2004Final NASCAR Busch race[1]
The Goulds Pumps/ITT Industries 200 was the last NASCAR event; IRL also raced in 2004 before the track shut.
- May 2007Structures removed[1]
Grandstands, signs and other visible structures had been removed by May 2007, leaving the asphalt.
- April 8, 2016
AP reported that Lehigh Valley developer David Jaindl bought the 157-acre former track; a deed clause bars racing from returning.
The site today
| Physical status | Partially demolished[1] |
|---|---|
| Surviving remnants | As of the latest Wikipedia account the paved racing surface remains, fenced off and ringed by earthen piles, after grandstands and other structures were removed by May 2007.[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue parcel |
We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Other names | Nazareth National Speedway; Pennsylvania International Raceway |
|---|---|
| Location | Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton County, near Nazareth, Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania (157-acre property), Lower Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania[2] |
| Venue type | Speedway |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Level | CART, IndyCar, NASCAR, USAC |
| Opened | c. 1910[1] |
| Last used for sports | 2004[1,2] |
| Demolished | 2004–2007[1] |
| Physical status | Partially demolished |
| Final capacity | 45,000[1] |
| Capacity notes | 45,000 per Wikipedia infobox. |
| Surface | Paved tri-oval of about 0.946 mi (1987-2004); earlier 1.125 mi and 0.5 mi dirt ovals |
| Owner / operator | Roger Penske (1986-1999); International Speedway Corporation (1999-2004); later sold for redevelopment (Jaindl interests per 2016 AP report)[1,2] |
| Closure | Owner International Speedway Corporation cited a lack of community interest and closed the track after 2004. |
Documented details
Sources
- Nazareth Speedway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, coordinates, demolished, events, opened, owner operator, remnants
- Pennsylvania developer buys former Nazareth Speedway, Times News (Associated Press). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, events, owner operator
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.
Where sources disagree (3)
- Opening: Wikipedia's infobox gives 1910 for the Nazareth National Speedway name, while its body text says the big dirt oval opened under that name in April 1966; the paved oval dates from 1987. The 1910 date is not independently corroborated.
- Wikipedia infobox lists Pennsylvania International Raceway as 1985-1993, while the body says the paved track opened in fall 1987.
- Ownership after 2015: Wikipedia names Raceway Properties, LLC (November 2015); AP (April 2016) names developer David Jaindl as buyer. These may be the same transaction but this was not confirmed.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.