PORTLAND SPEEDWAY - PORTLAND OR
The track began as a five-eighths-mile clay oval in 1924 on the site of a field in north Portland. The track hosted big cars, midget cars, and stock cars before the suspension of racing during World War II. The track was paved in 1946 as a half-mile oval. NASCAR ran their first race here in 1956. In fact, NASCAR had four Cup races here in 1956. Herb Thomas won the first race by beating Johnny Kieper and Clyde Palmer to get the win. Lots of "unusual" names in the races at Portland as most of the well know (East Coast) Cup regulars elected not to drive across country to run the races. In June, the race was lengthened to 200 laps. It saw
Johnny Kieper win, and Palmer was second a half a lap back. An August race at Portland saw the distance once again increased, this time to 250 laps. Royce Hagerty got the win, as once again Palmer was second. Curley Barker and Chuck Meekins was third and fourth. West coast ace Lloyd Dane would finish the 250 laps first, as he beat Eddie Pagan by over a lap in the race held in September. The track hosted three Cup races in 1957. The first was in April. This time it was cut back to 100 laps; and Art Watts would be the one to beat Eddie Pagan this time. Pagan was second and George Seeger was third. In May, the race was 150 laps; and this time Pagan would be the first to cross the finish line and get the win. He beat out Lloyd Dane and Clyde Palmer. The final Cup race came in July
World of Outlaws 2001
and was 200 laps. Once again Eddie Pagan would get the win; and once again Dane would finish second. Danny Graves was third. The track saw it's last race on the pavement surface on July 30, 2000. The track was converted to a clay surface and hosted the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars in 2000 and 2001.
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