This
is a first in a series of Ghost Tracks sent to CanadianRacer.com
by Ernie Pothier.
Hammond River Raceway was located in Nauwigewauk, New
Brunswick (near Saint John) and was a 1/4 mile paved oval. It
opened in the mid 1950's and after the 1995 season. The pits
were located behind the backstretch.
The photos below show the remains of Hammond River in the early
spring of 2004. There's not much left on the site. The asphalt
has been ripped up but you can clearly see the track configuration
and the banking. The only building still standing is the washroom.
The grandstands burned down a few years ago and only some charred
timbers remain. The area was littered with race tires, parts
and pieces of body work. The remains of the pit area are obvious
as the fence still stands including signs to mark specific drivers'
pit stalls (see photo below). There is also some remains of
the front wall and spectator fence.
Brookside Speedway was also a 1/4 mile paved oval and
was located in Nashwaaksis, NB (near Fredricton). The track
was managed by Ernie McLean at one time. It closed in the mid-1970's
and probably opened in the late 1960's (again, dates need to
be confirmed).
The company that bought the land used it to burn contaminated
soil. There's almost nothing left to identify that a race track
ever existed. Ernie spoke to a local man who confirmed that
this is the location where the track was located. A few photos
have been included to spark the memory of any race fans who
attended here. They were taken in the early spring of 2004.
Scoudouc Airfield was a left-over airfield from World
War II. It was used for a 1.5 mile road course for sports car
and motorcycle racing beginning in 1959. The sports car events
were mostly organized by the Moncton Motorsports Club. The Scoudouc
Dragway also made use of this airfield and was organized by
the Moncton Speed & Custom Club. All the racing was shut down
at the end of the 1967 season because the military still had
radar installations on the site and they were worried about
security. Motorcycle racing may have returned in the late 1980's
or early 1990's (need to be confirmed).
The photos below show what Scoudouc looked like in the summer
of 2005 when Rehean Leblanc visited the site.
If anyone has any more information on Brookside Speedway, Scoudouc
or Hammond River Raceway - photos, programs, points champions,
etc please contact me: webmaster@motorsportscentral.com.
Hammond
River Raceway
photos are copyright Ernie Pothier and may not be reproduced
The
pit fence with pit stall signs
Standing at the end of the front straight looking back
toward turn 4.
Looking
down the back straight from turn 2
Turn 3 & 4 from outside turn 3
Turn 3 & 4
Turn 1 & 2 from the outside of turn 2
The
front straight embankment with some remains of the fence
and wall
Looking up the front straight from turn 4
Looking back into turn 4 from the front straight
Washrooms
Brookside
Speedway
photos
are copyright Ernie Pothier and may not be reproduced
The
road on the left of the photo led to the pits
The tree line roughly outlines the track. The back
straight would have been on the right of the photo
and turn 3 in the background
An overall view of the site. The back straight
would have been along the tree line in the distance.
Turn
4 would have been in front of the trees. The modern
concrete wall is approx where the front straight was
located.
Scoudouc
Airfield
photos
and descriptions are courtesy of Rejean LeBlanc
Looking down front straight. Turn 1 would go to the
right, just before the big earth bank.
The Finish Line, three quarters down the main straight.
Down
the 2nd Runway, right after turn 1. There would occasionally
be a chicane about where the fencing ends, but not often.
The 3rd Runway (the long one.. now known as Brennan
Avenue) looking back. The 2nd Runway would come in from
the left and go down to where the trucks are, and turn
right again to where the camera is.
Basically just turned around from the last pic. There
would be a chicane about halfway down (where the closest
truck is).
The cars would come down where the trucks are (Brennan
Avenue), turn right, and go back down front straight.
