BRIDGEHAMPTON RACEWAY - SAG HARBOR NY
Local racing enthusiasts formed the Bridgehampton Road Races Corporation in 1953 to finance the construction of a permanent race circuit in the area. The corporation purchased a 550-acre parcel known as Noyack Hills in 1956, and constructed a 2.85-mile, 13-turn road course. Although construction was not completed, the first races were held in 1957. The circuit opened in 1957, following a series of road races held from 1949 until 1953. It was one of the first permanent road racing venues in the United States, opening after Thompson Speedway, two years after Road America, the year after Watkins Glen International. The headline event, the Bridgehampton Sports Car Races, were a part of the SCCA National Championship. A second National event was added in 1961. This event would shift
to the World Sportscar Championship for 1962, marking Bridgehampton's biggest event. NASCAR came to Bridgehampton in 1958. In all, four Cup races were held there. The race was 35 laps around it's 2.8 mile layout. Jack smith won the pole and led all 35 laps to get the victory. Cotton Owens and Jim Reed made up the top three. NASCAR didn't return until 1963. Richard Petty would start on the pole with Fred Lorenzen along side. After 35 laps that's the way they finished, with Petty pulling off the win by 25 seconds. In 1964 the race was extended to 50 laps. Petty was once again on the pole; but his motor failed after 21 laps leaving him in 13th place. David Pearson had started second, and was leading with 12 laps to go. But, like Petty, his motor blew up and he could do no better than eighth place. Billy Wade was waiting in the wings to step in and grab the lead when Pearson experienced problems and drove his
Mercury to the win over second place Buck Baker. In the tracks final Cup race the following year, lady luck would not be so hard on Pearson. He would start on the pole and lead 46 of the 52 laps to get the win. Only James Hylton was able to keep pace and remain on the lead lap to finish second. The WSC gave way to Can-Am from 1966 until 1969. Can-Am was scheduled to return in 1970, but the race was moved to the newly opened Road Atlanta after heavy storms damaged the track. By the early 1970s, the track was used mostly for amateur events. A 1971 IMSA GT Championship event was the last major event at the track. Locals began complaining about noise in the mid-1970s, and in 1983 the town passed an ordinance limiting noise and effectively ending any chance of big-league racing returning. The track closed permanently in 1999.
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