NEW YORK STATE FAIRGROUNDS - SYRACUSE NY
The Syracuse Mile was a 1-mile dirt oval raceway located at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York. Originally built for harness racing in 1826, the first auto race was run in 1903, making it the second oldest auto racing facility in United States history. The 1903 race was won by Barney Oldfield in his "Baby Bullet". Oldfield averaged more than 60 mph in a lap around the mile. Syracuse was one of the several tracks one mile in length that made up the AAA national championship. On Labor Day 1949 the sportsman modified stock cars took to the track. In 1955 the first of three races was ran, for what is now referred to as the NASCAR Cup Series, at the fairgrounds. Tim Flock would beat Jimmie Lewallen in the first race, while Buck Baker would beat Jim Paschal by more than three laps in 1956. The final Cup race,
Gwyn Staley beat Lee Petty by almost two laps. NASCAR's Convertible Stock Series also competed in '56 and '57. Curtis Turner won the first event by two laps over Don Oldenberg. Possum Jones battled with Joe Weatherly and Curtis Turner in the final race. Weatherly looked to be on his way to the win. He was leading with three laps to when he crashed. Jones swept by and held on to take the Checkers. Turner was second and Bob Welborn was third. Weatherly managed to limp home in fourth. The AAA/USAC Series run races 35 from 1924 to 1962. The race track was nicknamed "The Moody Mile" after driver Wes Moody turned a 100-mile-per-hour lap in 1970. In 2015, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a
sweeping redesign of the fairgrounds that included taking out what was the 16,000-seat grandstand and mile-long dirt track. The last stock car race was held that year on Columbus day weekend. The track and grandstands were torn down.
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