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  *Comments on Hamburg Speedway:*
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  1.   Cooper posted:
  03.22.2010 - 4:37 pm
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Traditional .5 mile Dirt Oval. Races were held in 1949 and 1950. The
track remains active. Most of the drivers to compete in these two races
were northern drivers. The race in 1949 had none of the top point
contenders race, which led to NASCAR not coming back after 1950. Hamburg
Speedway did post very impressive attendance numbers averaging about
10000 fans per race.


  2.   Aldo posted:
  03.24.2015 - 7:26 am
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Is this the Buffalo Raceway for horses?


  3.   Andy U posted:
  12.08.2018 - 2:24 pm
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In a quick check of the history of Buffalo Raceway (horse track) it
makes no mention of car races. The story is detailed and goes back to
the 1942...so NO, this is probably not the same.

But..it IS on the fairgrounds and they have tractor pulls, school bus
races and demo derbies there now.
(later)
A-HA! I found a 1952 post card from the Erie County Fair. It shows open
wheel cars racing on the horse track. AAA sanctioned event with the
stands in the background. Definitely the same track that is now in
operation and I am 99% sure this would have been the track used by NASCAR.

One thing that threw me off was the surface. I guess harness racing
needs a smooth surface for the thin wheels. I doubt the surface was
grass or sand, so NASCAR might have been able to run the clay or
whatever they used.


  4.   Scott B posted:
  12.10.2018 - 8:35 pm
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Andy U:

Yes, I lived just a few miles from this track in my teen years, it is
indeed the harness racing track at the Erie County Fairgrounds.

The surface was dirt with cinders laid down for the harness racing, and
there was no banking in the turns.

The auto racing was phased out starting around the late 1970's due to
inadequate safety for the speeds that were being run. A few events were
held in later years, but nothing on a regular basis.

The original track was surrounded by just a wooden fence. Toward the end
of the motorsports era at the track, they tried everything from hay
bales to temporary concrete barriers, but the potential for something
tragic was always there. I can't imagine what it was like with the
heavyweight NASCAR stockers in the 1950's.

The grandstands didn't change much over the years, the 1952 post card
you found and a photo from the same angle taken today would match up
very well.

Thanks for your work documenting old tracks, very interesting reads.


  5.   A posted:
  10.18.2019 - 10:21 pm
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Historic aerials has views all the way back to 1926! Horse track was
mostly the same even then, and quite similar in 1952 in comparison to
today.


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