![USA_International_Speedway_-_Lakeland_Fl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/USA_International_Speedway_-_Lakeland_Fl.svg)
The USA International Speedway was an oval located near
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, that opened in 1995. The track was a .75-mile-long concrete paved oval with 14° banked turns. USA International Speedway was closed with the final race on August 2, 2008. In 2010 the track was stripped of its grandstands and control tower. In early 2012 the track was completely demolished, a warehouse now sits on the property. The site lies next to the former site of Lakeland Motorsports Park, on
Florida State Road 33
State Road 33 (SR 33) is a state highway running through Lake and Polk counties in Florida.
Route description
State Road 33 begins in Lakeland off U.S. Route 92 (US 92) east of the intersection with US 98 and heads north along the vi ...
just north of exit 38 on
Interstate 4, where an Amazon warehouse now exists.
In 1977, Lakeland International Speedway hosted Florida Sunfest, a music festival featuring 20 acts, including Jimmy Buffett. It was the largest music festival in Florida history, attracting over 100,000 fans. The event was created and produced by Richard Flanzer, of AtlanticPacific Music.
The
USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
The CARS Solid Rock Carriers Tour (formerly known as the USARacing Pro Cup Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, CARS Pro Cup Series, Rev-Oil Pro Cup Series, CARS X1-R Pro Cup Series) is a stock car auto racing series in the United States. It is s ...
had a race at the speedway in early March and the final championship race in mid to late November. There were also several series that tested there, including the
ARCA Racing Series
The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into the three national ...
,
CRA Super Series
The CRA Super Series is a super late model stock car racing series owned and operated by the Champion Racing Association. It is a touring series based in the Midwestern United States, which competes at paved short ovals. It was formerly known as ...
, and the
NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...
.
USA International Speedway hosted three
NASCAR Southeast Series
The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series was a NASCAR-sanctioned amateur/semi-pro late model stock car racing series based in the Southeastern United States. The series was formerly known as the Slim Jim All Pro Series; it was founded i ...
events from 1999 until 2001 and five races of
ASA National Tour from 2000 until 2004. All the race winners had driven in
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 hi ...
:
Gary St. Amant,
Mike Garvey
Michael Garvey (born September 13, 1962) is an American professional stock car racing driver who currently works as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for DGM Racing's No. 90 Chevrolet Camaro. As a driver, he competed in NASCAR and the Ame ...
,
Joey Clanton
Joseph Clanton (born November 1, 1972) is an American race car driver and businessman. He was the 2002 champion in the now-defunct American Speed Association stock car series. He is also the owner of two Zaxby's franchises.
Busch Series
Clanton m ...
had one win apiece, and
Butch Miller won twice.
The track hosted one
ARCA Racing Series
The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into the three national ...
event in 2007. The race was won by future
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck based stock cars. The series is one of th ...
champion
James Buescher
James H. Buescher (born March 26, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the 2012 Truck Series champion.
After parting ways with NTS Motorsports in 2015, Buescher became a real estate agent. He owns and operates his ow ...
.
The speedway also hosted 40
CARS X-1R Pro Cup Series
The CARS Solid Rock Carriers Tour (formerly known as the USARacing Pro Cup Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, CARS Pro Cup Series, Rev-Oil Pro Cup Series, CARS X1-R Pro Cup Series) is a stock car racing, stock car auto racing series in the Unite ...
races from 1997 until 2008. Some
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 hi ...
drivers such as
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin (born July 20, 1968) is an American former stock car racing driver.
Chaffin has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series. He was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend, Andy Ki ...
,
Mario Gosselin,
Michael Ritch
Michael Ritch (born February 24, 1973) is an American stock car racing driver who competed in 47 races across NASCAR's top three series between 1992 and 2002. He also competed in 165 Rev-Oil Pro Cup Series races between 1998 and 2009, winning ...
,
Scott Wimmer
Scott Allan Wimmer (born January 26, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has a total of six wins in the Xfinity Series. His brother Chris Wimmer competed in the Busch Series. Wimmer co-owns State Park Speedway in Wausau, ...
,
Bobby Gill
Bobby Gill (born June 25, 1959) is an American former stock car racing driver. He raced for a number of years in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, earning four top-tens in 16 starts.
Pre-NASCAR Career
Prior to racing in NASCAR's national tour ...
,
Shane Huffman
Shane S. Huffman (born December 30, 1973) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and current crew chief for Bret Holmes' No. 23 team in the ARCA Menards Series. He drove the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in the ...
,
Clay Rogers
Clayton Rogers (born November 6, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, and is the 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2010 champion in the ...
,
Benny Gordon,
Brian Vickers
Brian Lee Vickers (born October 24, 1983) is an American professional stock car and sports car racing driver. He last drove the No. 14 Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing as an interim driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the injured ...
, and
Joey Logano
Joseph Thomas Logano (born May 24, 1990), is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske, and part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Seri ...
won races at the track.
ARCA Series event
The Construct Corps–Palm Beach Grading 250 was an
Automobile Racing Club of America
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager, who took over the position in 1996 following the death of Bob Log ...
race at USA International Speedway in Florida. It was only held during the 2007 season.
*Race was extended from 250 to 253 laps due to a
green-white-checker finish.
External links
Official ARCA WebsiteOfficial USA International Speedway WebsiteUSA International Speedway race resultsat Racing-Reference
ARCA Menards Series tracks
ARCA Menards Series races
NASCAR tracks
Motorsport venues in Florida
Sports venues in Lakeland, Florida
Motorsport competitions in Florida
Sports in Lakeland, Florida
Defunct motorsport venues in the United States
1995 establishments in Florida
Sports venues completed in 1995
2008 disestablishments in Florida
Sports venues demolished in 2012
Demolished sports venues in Florida
2007 in American motorsport
2007 in Florida
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