Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Race track
Beech Ridge Motor Speedway was a racing track in Scarborough, Maine, featuring an oval asphalt surface approximately one-third mile in length with four turns. The venue hosted different race divisions on Saturday and Thursday nights, including Pro Series, Sport Series, and Wild Cats on weekends, plus Mad Bombers, Beetle Bugs, and other classes during the week.
The track was founded in 1949 by Jim McConnell, an airplane mechanic who started racing cars, and developed into a major motorsport venue in Maine. The Cusack family purchased it in 1981 and operated it for decades, hosting 18 NASCAR Busch North Series races between 1995 and 2003, establishing it as Maine's only NASCAR-sanctioned speedway.
The speedway served as a community gathering place where families and friends reunited every weekend to watch races together. It became a shared space where local drivers were celebrated and lasting bonds formed between racers and spectators.
The grounds are easily accessible near Scarborough Downs, another motorsport venue in the area. Visitors should know that regular racing operations ended in 2021, though occasional memorial events and gatherings have been organized for fans and former racers.
The final race took place in September 2021, but in 2024 supporters organized a special farewell gathering where vintage race cars were displayed for fans and former drivers to reconnect with memories. A longtime announcer from the original track later called races at another speedway in New Hampshire dedicated to honoring Beech Ridge's history.
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