History
Park owner Edward Carroll built the speedway in 1948 in place of an open-air bandstand, and its first full season of modified racing came in 1949. NASCAR began sanctioning events there in 1976.
The track closed after the 1999 season, with Bob Polverari winning the final race, and was demolished in 2000 when the park reopened as Six Flags New England. A DC Comics-themed area, including Superman The Ride, was built on the site.
Why it matters: A New England modified racing stronghold for half a century.
Timeline
- 1948Speedway built[2]
Edward Carroll built the speedway in Riverside Park, replacing an open-air bandstand.
- 1949First full modified season[1]
The first full season of modified stock car racing.
- 1976NASCAR sanction[2]
NASCAR began holding events at the speedway.
- 1999
The track closed at the end of the 1999 season; five-time champion Bob Polverari won the final race.
- 2000Demolished[1]
The track was demolished when the park reopened as Six Flags New England.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | DC Universe themed area of Six Flags New England, including the roller coaster Superman The Ride[1,2] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Location | Agawam, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Level | NASCAR Modified |
| Opened | 1948[2] |
| Last used for sports | 1999[1,2] |
| Demolished | 2000[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Surface | Asphalt[1] |
| Owner / operator | Riverside Park owner Edward J. Carroll[1] |
Documented details
- The track began as a 1/5-mile flat paved oval and was later a slightly banked 1/4-mile paved oval.[1]
Sources
- Riverside Park Speedway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished, events, owner operator, surface
- Six Flags New England, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, coordinates, current land use, 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.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Six Flags New England's Wikipedia page says the speedway was built in 1948; the Riverside Park Speedway page says the first full modified season was 1949.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.