Arney's Mt. Speedway
A reunion of a racer and a racetrack...
A Return to Arney's Mt. Speedway
Arney's Mt.
Speedway
A reunion of a racer and a racetrack...
It's been over 50 years since the last engine
roared...
... just a hill in back of a field.
...what's on the other side of those trees?
...looks like something up ahead...
...back of the old stands?
sure is... That means the frontstretch would be
straight ahead...
Cement wall in line with the back of the stands...
The opening looks like it was some kind of an office
(spectator side).
Looking back, facing the bleachers with the
frontstretch to my left
...trees now stand where racefans once sat.
...Turning around, you can see a small cement base
wall with 5' high chain link fence separating the
walking area in front of the stands from the
frontstretch (visible in the background.)
Now on the other side of the fence, you can see
what's left of the posts and cable that was once the
frontstretch wooden fence.
...Facing the frontstretch, the parallel row of
cinder blocks may have been the base for flagger's
stand.
Here's a better view (that's the frontstretch down
and to the right.
Standing on the frontstretch with the flagger's
stand to the right....
... Surprisingly, if you brush the leaves aside, the
50+ year old asphalt surface is still in pretty good
shape!
... the cable and the upright posts are still there,
but most of the wooden planks have been reclaimed by
the elements.
... Let's take a lap around Arney's Mt. Here's
the view looking down the frontstretch toward turn
1.
...making our way into turn 1
...working through turn 2.
...out of turn 2 (watch out for the water in the
outside groove...
As was the case on the frontstretch, the backstretch
fence uprights and cable is still in place.
... out of turn 2 and now headed down the
backstretch... Looks like somebody else is leading!
Benny Trimble, who raced for years at Arney's Mt.,
including opening night in 1946(?), provides his
personal memories and experiences.
Listening to Benny, and looking across the track
toward the infield ... it was easy to imagine the
sights and sounds as the cars once raced by at
speed...
...at the end of the backstretch...
...turning into 3...
...in turn 3 and looking toward turn 4
...setting up turn 4
Coming out of turn 4 we talk to Benny again....
(You know he'd love to take just a few more
laps....)
...and down the frontstretch... we pass the
starter's stand... completing our lap at Arney's Mt.
an old light fixture and some wiring...
...a fallen light pole.
Heading back, we find the walls of the "his and
her's" restrooms.
I'm guessing that this was the "his"....
...as we walk away, we turn back one more time and
think of the excitement that once took place on this
very site...
... and it all happened just 200' or so on the other
side of this tree line...
... all is quiet now... up on the side of the hill.
If you have any memories or original pictures of Arney's Mt Speedway, please email me and I'll add them to our Arney's Mt Speedway Memories Page. Comments can be emailed to: ArneysMt@3widespicturevault.com