Canadian Racer

Ghost Tracks - Ontario, Miscellaneous

If anyone has any more information on Dayus Raceway, Model T Speedway, Jackpot Speedway, Riverview Speedway, Orr Lake or Checker Flag- photos, programs, points champions, etc please contact me: webmaster@motorsportscentral.com.

Riverview Speedway
Trenton
1/4 mile dirt oval

This is how Riverview Speedway appeared in March, 2006 when Robert Edgar visited the site.

Riverview Speedway operated from 1967 to about 1973. It was owned by Cliff Stillman. There was no grandstand - spectators brought lawn chairs and sat on a small hill that ran along the front straight.

Pit out	Pit in	Front straight	Corner 4	Back straight
Jim Edgar - 1969

Dayus Raceway
Windsor
1/4 mile paved oval

More photos from the history of Dayus Raceway

This is how Dayus Raceway looked in the summer of 2004 when Ron Nelson visited the site.

Dayus Raceway operated from 1951-1958. It began as a dirt track and was paved for the 1954 season. The drivers at Windsor Motor Speedway were becoming dissatisfied with the condition of the track and were looking for somewhere else to run. At about the same time, Frank Dayus, owner of the Windsor International League baseball team lost his franchise. Dayus offered to build a track in his baseball stadium. Bluebird Speedway opened in 1959, the year after Dayus closed. Many of the Bluebird drivers still used Dayus Raceway for unofficial practice.

The remains of Dayus Raceway are bounded by factories and a strip mall at the corner of Howard and Macdougall in Windsor. The track is fairly overgrown but yet, it's remarkable that anything remains considering that it is located right in the city and it's been closed for over 55 years. Ron has said that would go back to the site in the fall once the vegetation has died.

The front straight looking toward turn 1

On the front straight looking back toward turn 4

Unknown turn

One of the straights, looking back toward a turn

Model T Speedway
McCullough Lake
5/8 mile dirt oval

This how Model T Speedway looked in October, 2004.

Model T Speedway ran from 1970-1972. The track was owned by Roy Girdler. Racing was on Sunday afternoons with Diamond 6 Cylinder, V8 and Modified.

There's very little to see today. The track surface is gone. Being a dirt track, it was easy to plow it back into a working crop field. All that remains is part of the spectator fence and the grandstands, which were built into a hill. The track is located on Sideroad 7, across the road from McCullough Lake. It's located only about a 2 minute drive from Jackpot Speedway.

It's private property but the grandstands are very close to the road and can easily be seen. It appears that the parking lot was long and narrow, running parallel to the road.

Remains of the spectator fence

End of the grandstands from the turn 1 end

View of grandstands from the road

Grandstands from behind

Jackpot Speedway
Williamsford
1/2 mile dirt oval

This how Jackpot Speedway looked in October, 2004.

Jackpot Speedway ran from about 1970 (maybe earlier) to 1974.

Like, Model T Speedway, there's very little remaining. Turn 4 and the front straight can be barely seen. The property owner told me that in the early spring, before the grass grows, the track surface is easier to see. Turn 1 & 2, the back straight and turn 3 are gone. It appears that there has been some digging over the years.

The front wall is still there, some of the spectator fence, and most of the grandstands. The grandstands were not dismantled and were left to rot. They've collapsed completely in some places. There's even a speaker still dangling from its pole.

The track is located on private property, on Sideroad 6, just north of McCullough Lake and very close to the remains of Model T Speedway. The owner is hesitant to show people around but he was kind enough to allow me to look.

Both Model T and Jackpot ran at the same time, but on different days, so I'm guessing that most of the drivers ran both.

The front wall, fence posts, speaker and grandstands - standing at the exit of turn 4

Grandstands near turn 4 and the spectator fence

Grandstands

View of the grandstands, from where the trac would have been

Checker Flag Speedway
3/8 mile paved oval

Barry Dunbar sent in this photo of the pit gate from Checker Flag Speedway in Windsor. This is the only thing remaining from that track. It was closed in 1992 to make way for housing.

Orr Lake
1/2 mile dirt oval

Dave Boon sent in this photo of himself at Orr Lake. The track operated in 1950. Dave raced there himself. There is very little of the track left, but it is partly visible along the tree line in the background. This was as close as Dave could get as the property owner did not want anyone on the property.