Islip Speedway was a .2-mile (320-meter) oval

race track A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also use ...

Islip Islip may refer to: Places England * Islip, Northamptonshire *Islip, Oxfordshire United States *Islip, New York, a town in Suffolk County ** Islip (hamlet), New York, located in the above town **Central Islip, New York, a hamlet and census-d ...

, New York which was open from 1947 until 1984. It is the smallest track to host

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

Grand National Series The name NASCAR Grand National Series refers to former names of the following NASCAR series: *National-level stock car series: **NASCAR Cup Series (known as NASCAR Grand National Series between 1950 to 1970, then the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand Nation ...

, from 1964 to 1971. The first demolition derby took place at Islip Speedway in 1958. The idea was patented by Larry Mendelsohn, who worked at Islip Speedway. The speedway has since been demolished.

Demolition Derby

Islip Speedway is credited with hosting the first demolition derby, which took place in 1958. According to Larry Mendelsohn, he originated the idea after realizing that spectators enjoyed watching the cars crash more than the races. However, there are alternative accounts to the origins of demolition derby. One source claims that

Don Basile Don Basile is an entrepreneur and high tech investor best known for his work in the fields of technology, healthcare, and telecommunications. Don Basile currently serves as an investor in multiple companies He is a contributing author at Tech Crun ...

invented the demolition derby at Carrell Speedway in 1947. The

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

television show '' Wide World of Sports'' broadcast demolition derbies at Islip Speedway beginning in the early 1960s. This exposure gave the event national attention and helped increase its popularity.

Figure 8

In 1962, a Figure 8 track was added. The Figure 8 course shared the north and south turns with the oval and crisscrossed using lanes paved through the infield. The first Figure 8 race was held on August 11, 1962. The popular Figure 8 class became a regularly featured division from the time of its inception until the track's final date of operation September 8, 1984. In 1964, track promoter Larry Mendelsohn conceived the idea of hosting the first "Figure 8 World Championship" event and sold his idea to ABC-TV, who would film the daytime event for broadcast at a later date on their popular Saturday afternoon television show, ''ABC's Wide World of Sports''. To draw out-of-town competitors, Mendelsohn would guarantee a starting spot in the feature event to all Figure 8 division track champions who would travel to Long Island and represent their home track, hoping to claim the title of "World Champion". The remaining starting positions were determined through heat races. The "Demolition Derby World Championship" was held immediately following the "Figure 8 World Championship" feature race and was also taped for future broadcast on ''ABC's Wide World of Sports''. These broadcasts led to increased exposure and notoriety of the track, which came to be known as "World Famous Islip Speedway". Figure 8 drivers who won the title and were crowned "Figure 8 World Champion" at Islip were: 1963- Larry Wood,

Northport, NY Northport is a historic maritime village on the northern shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, United States. Initially designated Great Cow Harbour by 17th-century English colonists, the area was officially renamed Northport in 1837. ...

; 1964-Benny Giaraputo, West Islip, NY; 1965-Art Cox, Anderson, IN; 1966-Forrest Halliburton,

Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

; 1967-Richie Gomes, Brentwood, NY; 1968-Richard Simmons,

Plymouth, MI Plymouth is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. The population was 9,370 at the 2020 census. The city of Plymouth is surrounded by Plymouth Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Plymouth is a western suburb of Metro ...

; 1969-Aaron Coller,

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; 1970-Lester Slone, Pinellas Park, FL; 1971 & 1973-Sonny Thompson, Indianapolis, IN; 1972- Mike Pinchuk, Bay Shore, NY; 1974 & 1975-Carl Voelker, Islip NY; 1976 & 1979-Chuck Hall,

Toledo, OH Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

; 1977-Quinn Vollgraff,

Ronkonkoma, NY Ronkonkoma ( ) is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) on Long Island in the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, Town of Islip, New York, United States. Its population was 19,082 at the 2010 United States census, 2 ...

; 1978-Allen Brock, Medford, NY; 1980-Eddie Sutton, Crownville, MD; 1981, 1982 & 1983-Doug Huber, Bellport, NY; 1984-Chuck Hlatky, Ronkonkoma, NY.

NASCAR racing

Islip Speedway hosted six

races from 1964 to 1971, skipping the years 1969 and 1970. Richard Petty won the last NASCAR race at Islip by two laps. Others who have won at Islip include

Bobby Allison Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama, where there were abundant short tracks ...

and Billy Wade. NASCAR stopped coming to Islip Speedway when the organization axed all races shorter than from its schedule.

Gallery

Image:M10JohnnyCoyIslip.jpg, Legendary race driver Johnny Coy at Islip Speedway behind the wheel of the Vitucci midget number 10. Car owner Angelo Vitucci is standing (second from left). Image:1972LesterSlone136.jpg, 1970 Figure 8 World Champion Lester Slone of Pinellas Park, Florida at Islip Speedway, 1972. Image:1974RichardSimmons771.jpg, 1968 Figure 8 World Champion "Li'l Richard" Simmons of Plymouth, Michigan at Islip Speedway, 1974. Image:BobWaas6.jpg, 9A Modified driven by Bobby Holmberg at Islip Speedway.

References

External links