Riverside Park Speedway, Defunct race track
Riverside Park Speedway was a car racing track in Massachusetts built after World War II to attract racing fans. The facility featured a quarter-mile paved oval with grandstands for spectators, located next to the Connecticut River.
The speedway opened in 1948 after a dance hall at the park burned down, prompting the owner to replace it with a racing track. The facility operated successfully for over 50 years before closing at the end of 1999 to make way for the new Six Flags New England theme park.
The speedway served as a gathering place for the local community, where people from the region came together to watch car racing. The events created a social space where neighbors and families shared time together and built memories around the excitement of competition and speed.
The track was easily accessible from nearby towns, with sufficient parking for visitors attending weekend races. The grandstands offered good views of the track, while the pit area was positioned directly next to the racing circuit for crew operations.
At the final race in 1999, spectators and participants collected pieces of the asphalt as souvenirs. These keepsakes continue to connect fans today with the legendary place where they experienced racing history.
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