Langhorne Speedway
Langhorne Speedway was an automobile racetrack in Middletown Township, Bucks County, near the borough of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia.
| "The 'Horne" "The Big Left Turn" "The Track That Ate the Heroes" "Puke Hollow" (Turn No. 2) | |
|---|---|
Langhorne Speedway 1926-1964 | |
| Location | Middletown Township, Bucks County, near Langhorne, Pennsylvania |
| Capacity | Approximately 60,000 |
| Owner | National Motor Racing Association (1926–1929) Ralph "Pappy" Hankinson (1930–1941) Earl "Lucky" Teter (1941–1942) John Babcock (1946–1950) Irv Fried and Al Gerber (1951–1971) |
| Operator | Langhorne Speedway |
| Opened | 1926 |
| Closed | 1971 |
| Former names | New Philadelphia/Philadelphia Speedway (1926–c.1930) |
| Major events | AAA Championship Car Langhorne 100 (1930–1955) USAC Championship Car Langhorne 100 (1956-1970) NASCAR Grand National (1949–1957) Langhorne National Open (1951–1971) |
| Circle | |
| Length | 1.6 km (1.0 miles) |
| Banking | Minimal |
Pennsylvania Historical Marker | |
| Designated | 2006 |
According to the book Langhorne! No Man's Land by L. Spencer Riggs: "With all other courses up to that time being fairground horse tracks, Langhorne was the first [one-]mile dirt track built specifically for cars". High-profile American racing clubs like the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), American Automobile Association (AAA), and United States Auto Club (USAC) made Langhorne one of the stops on their national circuits. These events included AMA-sanctioned National Championship Motorcycle races between 1935 and 1956, AAA-sanctioned Championship Car races between 1930 and 1955, and USAC-sanctioned Championship Car races from 1956 to 1970. The USAC races featured (and were won by) notable racers such as A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Gordon Johncock, Lloyd Ruby, and Eddie Sachs. Langhorne was also featured prominently in NASCAR's early years, and hosted at least one NASCAR-sanctioned race every year from 1949 to 1957.