PALM BEACH SPEEDWAY - WEST PALM BEACH FL
(West Palm Beach Speedway / West Palm Beach Fairgrounds)
Palm Beach Speedway was a motor sports racing venue located in West Palm Beach Florida. It was also known as West Palm Beach Speedway, West Palm Beach Fairgrounds, Palm Beach County Fairgrounds and Southland Speedway. Tour series and major events held at the track started in 1951 when NASCAR brought the Modified Series here. Al Keller won the first six events there that year. The Modified series raced several events
there regularly every year through 1958. The speedway hosted a total of seven NASCAR races between January 20, 1952 and December 11, 1956. NASCAR races were 200 laps in length around the 1/2 mile dirt oval. It's inaugural NASCAR race was also the season opener for the Grand National 1952 season. Six Thousand fans gathered for the 100 mile event, and looked on as Tim Flock started on the pole, and reached the checkered flag ahead of 26 other drivers. Lee Petty finished second and Tim's brother Fonty Flock finished third. The track also hosted the final race of the 1952 season in November. Herb Thomas would lead all 200 laps and
beat second place finisher Fonty Flock by two laps. Perk Brown was third. Thomas won three of the final four races in 1952; but finished second in the championship hunt. Thomas was strong again in 1953 when NASCAR returned. He led 45 of the first 48 laps before a broken U-joint eliminated him from the race. Lee Petty went on to lead the last 152 laps to beat Jimmie Lewallen by two laps. Thomas was back in top for in 1954 as he wheeled his 1953 Hudson Hornet to the win over Buck Baker and Lee Petty. Thomas was once again second in the points standings. 1955 saw a very close race as four cars finished on the lead lap. Thomas would once again go to victory circle as he beat Jack Choquette by just three car lengths, with Buck Baker
third. 1956 would be the final year that NASCAR brought the Cup regulars to race at the track. The races came early in the season. In December of 1955 NASCAR raced; but it was actually the fourth race of the 1956 season. By this time the track had been paved. For the third time in a row Herb Thomas would get the win; this time beating Al Keller and Billy Meyers. The final race held here would be race number seven of the 1956. The 100 mile event was marked by a disqualification which would play a part in final finishing order. Al Keller beat Billy Meyer to the checkered flag, but was found to running with modified pistons, and Meyer was awarded the victory. Buck Baker and Herb Thomas grabbed the second and third spots respectively.
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