Jacksonville, Florida

Local farmer Eddie Bland built the half-mile dirt Speedway Park on his land to the southwest of downtown Jacksonville, Florida.

Local farmer Eddie Bland built the half-mile dirt Speedway Park on his land to the southwest of downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Opened in March 1947, it held six NASCAR Grand National races from 1951 to 1963. The final event was actually the third round of the 1964 season and was notable for the first victory in the series for an African American driver, Wendell Scott. Bland sold the track in 1954 after which it was renamed Jacksonville Speedway. The track closed in 1973 to make way for a housing development.