Riverhead Raceway

Riverhead Raceway
LocationRiverhead, New York[1]
Time zoneGMT-5
Coordinates40°55′21″N 72°42′16″W / 40.92250°N 72.70444°W / 40.92250; -72.70444
OwnerConnie Partridge and Tom Gatz[2]
Broke ground1949[1]
Opened1951[2]
Major eventsWhelen Modified Tour[1]
Whelen All-American Series[1]
Northeastern Midget Association
Oval[2]
SurfaceAsphalt[2]
Length0.25 miles (0.402 km)
Turns4
Banking18° (turns)

Riverhead Raceway is a quarter-mile (402 m) oval race track with a Figure 8 course,[2] located in Riverhead, New York.[1] It is the only auto racing venue on Long Island since Westhampton Raceway closed down in 2003.[3] It started being built in 1949[1] and opened as a dirt track in 1951, before permanently changing to asphalt in 1955.[2] The raceway was also well known for featuring a towering statue of a Native American, dubbed "Chief Running Fair", at its entrance until it was destroyed in 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy but rebuilt by Christmas and still standing at its original location.

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Riverhead Raceway | NASCAR Home Tracks". localracing.nascar.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lubin, Marshall. "Memories and legends come alive at Riverhead Raceway". Newsday. exploreli.com. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  3. ^ Paul Goldsmith (2003-08-13). "Gauge Nears 'E' at Riverhead Raceway". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-05.