{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Motorsport venue
{{Motorsport venue
|Name = Beltsville Speedway <br> Baltimore-Washington Speedway
| = Beltsville Speedway <br> Baltimore-Washington Speedway
|Location = 9200 Powder Mill Road
| = 9200 Powder Mill Road
[[Laurel, Maryland]] 20708
[[Laurel, Maryland]] 20708
|Coordinates = {{coord|39.04|-76.84}}
| = {{coord|39.04|-76.84}}
|Capacity = ~7,000
| = ~7,000
|Broke_ground = 1964
| = 1964
|Opened = 1965
| = 1965
|Closed = 1978
| = 1978
|Events = None <small>(defunct)</small>
| = None <small>(defunct)</small>
|Layout1 = Pavement [[Oval track racing|oval track]]
| = Pavement [[Oval track racing|oval track]]
|Miles_first = True
| = True
|Length_km = 0.805
| = 0.805
|Length_mi = 0.500
| = 0.500
|Banking =
| =
|Image = Beltsville_Speedway_1972_USGS_D017301010053.jpg
| = Beltsville_Speedway_1972_USGS_D017301010053.jpg
|Image_caption = Aerial photograph of Beltsville Speedway (1972)
| = Aerial photograph of Beltsville Speedway (1972)
}}
}}
Former NASCAR race track
The Beltsville Speedway, formerly the Baltimore-Washington Speedway was an asphalt oval track in Prince George’s County, Maryland; it spanned 0.500 miles (0.805 km).
Near Beltsville, it was on land now occupied by Capitol Technology University,[1] in the South Laurel census-designated place.[2][3]
The track was specially designed with banked turns for stock car racing. Originally known as the “Baltimore-Washington Speedway”, the track received its final name in its 19th month of operation.[4] The track hosted modified stock car racing vehicles alongside the other NASCAR series.[4] Wednesday nights were the original night for racing but the schedule eventually added Friday night racing.[4] Ten Grand National races were raced there including the popular Beltsville 300 series of races.[5] Strict noise restrictions were given out in its final year of operation and the county started monitoring the events.[4] Eventually, a sound wall was built surrounding the speedways. Cars had to begin running mufflers in order to stifle the noise from the increasing RPMs from the vehicles themselves.[4] The track was eventually shut down, demolished, and replaced with a local university.[4]
Famous race car drivers like Richard Petty, Tiny Lund, and David Pearson participated in legendary races there.[5] The 1968 Beltsville 300 was an example of some of the classic NASCAR Grand National races that were run on the track.[5]
NASCAR Grand National Results
[edit]
| Date | Winner |
|---|---|
| August 25, 1965 | Ned Jarrett |
| June 15, 1966 | Tiny Lund |
| August 24, 1966 | Bobby Allison |
| May 19, 1967 | Jim Paschal |
| September 15, 1967 | Richard Petty |
| May 17, 1968 | David Pearson |
| September 13, 1968 | Bobby Isaac |
| May 16, 1969 | Bobby Isaac |
| July 15, 1969 | Richard Petty |
| May 15, 1970 | Bobby Isaac |
Reference:[6]
- ^ “Capitol History.” Capitol Technology University. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. “In 1980 the college found its home in Laurel, Maryland. Within three years, Capitol purchased the 52-acre former site of the Beltsville Speedway, […]”
- ^ Campus map. Capitol Technology University. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. “Capitol Technology University 11301 Springfield Road Laurel, MD 20708”
- ^ “2010 CENSUS – CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): South Laurel CDP, MD.” U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, and 3. Note that the census-designated place was previously smaller: 2000 Index Map and pages 1 and 2. In the 1990 map of Prince George’s County (see index), South Laurel is on pages 2 and 5.
- ^ a b c d e f Complete history of the Beltsville Speedway Archived 2010-02-07 at the Wayback Machine at The Vintage Racer
- ^ a b c Beltsville Speedway event history Archived 2010-07-28 at the Wayback Machine at Everything Stock Car
- ^ “NASCAR Race Results at Beltsville Speedway”. www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
