Some time ago the stories hit the web about the Champion Motor Speedway and the sad state that it was in. The old speedway, if you remember, sat at the south end of town, out past Stewart. It opened in 1963 as the Tahoe-Carson Speedway, and later became the Silver State Raceway. It closed in 2005 when a housing developer made an offer on the land that was too good to refuse. Reynen & Bardis planned to build the Schulz Ranch housing development on the speedway site, but that was about the same time the housing market started to slump. So Schulz Ranch was never built, but more importantly to our story, the old speedway was never torn down. The track, the stands, the announcer booths, concessions, and repair shops, all sat there closed and abandoned in the desert. And if you know anything about the history of abandoned buildings in remote environments, you’ll know that this old speedway was a perfect candidate for vandalism.
And oh boy, did the vandalism come. It came in waves, and it came over and over again. Every inch of the speedway has been smashed, trashed, ripped apart, splintered, punched in, blown out, graffitied, and generally destroyed. The racetrack sits now as a monument to what bored kids with a lot of pent up rage can accomplish, and is actually one of the more impressive spots in Carson City now because of it. The city sees it, probably rightly so, as an eyesore and safety hazard, and they want it taken care of. They either want Reynen & Bardis to tear it down, or the new idea is that they’ll go in there and clean it up themselves, and send Reynen & Bardis the bill.
But anyway, through all this I decided I had to see the speedway for myself. So I went last week, and what I saw was amazing. Every flat surface has graffiti on it, most of the walls are smashed in, a few support beams have collapsed, every inch of the place is covered in trash and debris, entire parts of the structure have been flattened, and the whole upper deck, which probably seated at least a hundred people, is gone. Like UFOs took it.
So I want to present a photo essay on the state of the Champion Speedway. Especially if cleanup efforts are going to start soon, this will soon pass into history entirely. I’ll also be tossing in some pictures from when the speedway was still open and operating. These old photos were generously donated by Andy Daddario, a race fan from California who wrote a whole series of articles after the racetrack closed looking back on its history. I suggest you go read them, and I recommend you make a trip out to the speedway to see it for yourself. But if you can’t, enjoy the photos.
There is also a mobile home next door, probably home to the owners or caretakers of the speedway. It is also trashed beyond belief.
If you made it this far, you’ll undoubtedly want to visit Flickr and see all the pictures.
Update, May 2009: As promised, someone went in this winter and demolished the old speedway. The track is still there, but the stands and all the buildings are gone. aroundcarson.com/2009/04/30/champion_speedway_is_all_cleaned_up
I used to work there, actually I managed the racetrack back in the 2001-2003.
it brings tears to my eyes to see those pictures. so many good memories it was.
thanks for posting and sharing.
You’re full of BS Tonya Dawson. Jeb Onweiler was the CMS promoter in 2003! Robert Kline was his trusted race director. That was the best season the speedway ever had.
i think the government should buy it and use it for hoon driving instead of our streets where poeple can get killed thanks davo
Hi,
Is this property for sale and will the city allow the track to be reopened ? We have a track here in Northern California that my friend reopen and renovated. Since they are not building the subdivision of homes, lets get the track reopened. Please email me bobmharada@gmail.com
Bob Harada
This is a typical story of GREED… The Ponderosa was closed because of this same type thing. Thousands of true race fans loved to watch the action, on this one time jewel of Nevada. It is beyond me why someone hasn’t stepped forward to raise this “Pheonix” from the ashes.
This kind of destruction did not happen quietly or without notice. The city and the police department should have to rebuild this track since they turned a blind eye and allowed people to destroy this property. This is disgusting and the police department and the city should be ashamed for allowing this.
Bob Harada tried to buy it to reopen it and the city turned him down flat…blame your city officials citizens. I have so many great memories there..watching my dad race, then I raced and became an official…just sad.
Mark, that was never going to happen. The track operated on a special use permit that required it to run at least one race every year. As soon as the track ceased operation and a year passed without a race, the permit expired. Now there is a housing development less than 100 yards away, and those folks have no idea, and no interest, in hearing race cars in their back yards. I was track announcer there for a number of season in the late 90s and early 2000s, even raced there a couple of times. I wrote articles and race reports about the track for the local paper. I’m as sad as anyone that it’s gone, but it’s never coming back.
We the Silas family loved that track. A lot of great memories. Sorry to see it was trashed.
Yes it has some good memories,raced there in the 70-80’s with Tom Miller the t-car terror
Yes it has some good memories,raced there in the 70-80’s with Tom Miller the t-car terror
Harold Long and Chicken Legs
Every Saturday night this is where we would be when I was a kid in the early 90s. I don’t know why they ever shut it down… there was a few things they shut down that shouldn’t have been. The race track in skating rink to name a couple. And the results of the city taking away all the things for kids to do… well you can see the results above. But hey what can you expect we have a sheriff who believes meth is better than marijuana!
Furlong is an idiot….
I grew up at this track since 1981. I raced here and then was the final announcer before it shut down. My dad, brother and brother in law all raced here. My brother and brother in law both have several track championships here.
My dad was the final race director and brother was a flag man here for awhile. This was our life. It was what we did. It is a shame that there is no where around that our children can go and do the same.
We were basically raised at that track. Our dad started racing there in 1967, and raced the Saturday night in 1968 that I was born. Lots of great memories of Tiny Tom Miller The T-Car Terror!
I have long since moved away from Carson City but in my high school years that was the place to be on Saturday night.
Anyone remember when they had the big concert with the San Francisco bands of the day in 1972? Tower of Power, Boz Scaggs, ok. I got so wasted I don’t even remember who was there but it was a big deal.
We also were raised at the track in the 60’s. My dad Marvin Tubbs #56 (Maveric) raced there for years. His brother Leland TUBBS was his pitman! Beautiful memories! It’s very sad to see these pictures. Is there anyone I can contact to see if they have pictures to share with my kids and grandkids?
Hi Ellen, we have a great Facebook page filled with old photos.
This is Ellen Garcia, I had written the in the comments about the Champion Speedway in Carson City, in hopes to find information about my dad. He was a race car driver in the 60. His name Marvin Tubbs, his Humber was 56.
Please share anything you might have, as I’m putting together family history for my family. My emai is ellenleegarcia@icloud.com. Thank you
I saw Sammy Hagar,Blue Oyster Cult and Brownsville Station there in 1981
I was Bill Graham Security during that 1981 Sammy Hagar, REO Speedwagon,Blue, Oyster Cult Concert.
What a day at the track.
I’m from Chicago and was on vacation in Reno back in 1997. A friend who lived in the area took me to the race track one night. I will never forget the great racing and atmosphere. The hale-bop comet was passing by the planet then. It was hanging perfectly in the night sky.
My family owned this track. So sad. I wish I could have stopped all the vandalism. I remember walking up to the announcers booth every Saturday to fill up those ice buckets and now the staircase is completely destroyed
I had been there several times back in the day, but I can’t remember exactly where it was! What was the address?
We used to go to T Car Speedway in the late 60’s and early 70’s to watch Ron Gautsche and Allen Berber race super modifieds. It was an awesome time. I’m sad the track can’t be brought back to life. I would love to take my grand kids there to experience the excitement.
The property where the track sat is now houses…there is no bringing it back. Please join our Facebook page for tons of pictures and stories.
THE SUMMER OF 1972 ON SATERDAY NIGHT, THEY HAD A DISSTRUCKTION DERBY, AND AFTER THE SHOW THEY RAN A 1957 CHEVY
NOMAD OFF OF A RAMP AND CRASHED IT INTO THE JUNK CARS.DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THAT??????
Probably Orvile the Daredevil Clown. Check our or T-Car page on Facebook