TIOGA SPEEDWAY - OWEGO NY
(Shangri-La Speedway)
Shangri-La Speedway was opened in 1946 by Bill Owen who planned and built the track with help of family members. From 1946-1948 the track hosted the AAA Championship and AAA Sprint Cars. In 1952 the Cup cars came to town and put on a 200 lap race on the 1/2 mile dirt track. Tim Flock would win, with Herb Thomas also on the lead lap. Dick Rathman, Bucky Sager and Lee Petty came home in the top five spots. It was closed in 1956 due to neglect and small crowds. It was re-opened in 1959 by a group of area drag racers; but closed after just a few races. Again it opened in 1962. Shangri-La's weekly racing was widely considered among the best in the sport during several different periods, including years
when nine-time NASCAR National Modified Champion Richie Evans and six-time NASCAR National Modified Champion Jerry Cook were regulars. Its formal name was changed to Shangri-La Motor Speedway (in use from 1979 to 1991) and to Tioga Motorsports Park (in use from 1992 to 2005), but most racers and fans still referred to it as "Shangri-La". The track was finally closed for good after 2005 to allow gravel mining from the property. The track itself is all gone, and all grandstands and buildings have been demolished.
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