AIR BASE SPEEDWAY - GREENVILLE SC
originally named (and interchangeably called) Textile Speedway and Greenville Textile Speedway, was a motorsports half-mile and quarter-mile dirt track facility located south of Greenville, South Carolina. It was located south of Donaldson Air Force Base, which was active during the same time period as the track. This track eventually featured several types of racing, including motorcycles, midgets, and stock cars. Air Base Speedway, as it was then officially named, hosted one NASCAR Cup race. Textile Speedway opened for motorsport racing for the first time on July 3, 1949, with two days of motorcycle racing. The
track was originally owned and operated by L. C. Hicks, who owned Hicks Auto & Indian Sales in Greenville. Hicks renamed the complex Air Base Speedway, giving the track a grand re-opening on April 14, 1951. Hicks was eventually able to get a sanctioned NASCAR hosted at the track, which was held on August 25, 1951. Jesse James Taylor would start on the pole and lead the first six laps. after starting sixth, Bob Flock would work his way up to the lead by lap seven and lead the remaining 194 laps. Tim Flock would finish second; followed by Buck Baker, Finty Flock and Erick Erickson. One week after the NASCAR race, Air Base Speedway was reported to have been leased to Buck Baker, Ike Kaiser, and Roby Combs. This was not the trio's first foray
into motorsport racing promotion: in 1950, they leased Charlotte Speedway to promote races, before selling that lease to Bruton Smith a year later. No other NASCAR races were ever held at Air Base Speedway.
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