A couple years ago I was watching Lost Speedways with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Peacock, episode 6 of Season 2 was about Arundel Speedway in Maine. I never knew there had been a racetrack in Arundel before. It was a great episode, they footage showed the track was still in great condition considering it closed down 50 years ago.
That sent me on search of other former racetracks in Maine and there is quite a few. There were speedways in Belfast, Biddeford, Ellsworth, Waterville-Oakland, Ellsworth, Sanford, Norridgewock, Old Orchard Beach, and many of the fairgrounds in Maine had them. Most of those fairgrounds still do, except they only have Harness racing which is VERY popular to this day.
This difference between Arundel and all of the other racetracks is Arundel is still there, and the others have been torn up or built over. Arundel is a 1/3 mile asphalt oval track that opened in 1964 and closed in either 1971 or 1974. Most sources say 1971, but there is evidences of races in 1974.
I don't know when they started doing reunion weekends at Arundel, but the Maine's Lost Speedways Facebook page shows photos from 2015 with cars on the track. The track and the land are privately owned, but one weekend, a Friday & Saturday, each year the owners host a reunion where classic race cars come and run hot laps for a few hours.
By the time I found out about it two years ago we had just missed the reunion. In 2025 I had a conflict and we couldn't go, but in 2026 we were not missing it. My Dad had never been to the track it closed while he was a kid, but he knew about it, he didn't know they were doing the reunions. Wesley, my youngest, loves going to the races and wants to go to all the tracks in Maine. We need to still hit Ricky Craven's Speedway in Herman and Spud Speedway in Caribou.
Saturday September 19th Wesley and I hit the road early to pick up my Dad and to get to the track. Hot laps were to start at 9am, so we got there about 10 minutes prior. The track is located at the end of a Dead End road, again on private property. They have people at the entrance where you sign a release form and they guide you where they want you to park which is on the lawn.
We brought our chairs over and we set up on the top of the banking overlooking the front stretch of the track between turns 4 and 1. This is where the grandstand used to be, you can see the remnants of the paved walkway and where the poles for the safety fence used to be. You can see the foundation for a building that I am guessing was the concession stand or bathrooms or something.
We watched most of the races from right down trackside at turn one area. You stand right up against the edge of the track as the cars go by. From turn one through turn 4 the drivers give it some, but they slow down on the front stretch. It is organized as there is a gentleman with a PA system that announces the division that are due up for laps, as well as warns people not to cross the track when cars are active on it. I'm sure this is some huge liabilities to consider for the landowners.
They did hot laps for a couple hours and then they offered rides, Wesley jumped at the chance and caught a ride in a 1926 Ford that resembled the same style of car used in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
We've already established that the land is privately owned, and the owners live there year round in a home build where the turn 4 grand stands used to be and there is no entrance fee. Well, food is also provided. They had chili, steamed hot dogs, pasta and potato salads, water, soda, chips, popcorn, cupcakes and assorted candy. There was no fee for anything, just help yourself.
During the lunch break Wesley and I walked the track and got a good look at the back stretch behind turn 2 that was obstructed by trees from the front stretch.
After the 30 minute lunch break they did a car parade that was roughly 20 laps of all the vehicles that were there.
We watched the Indy and Stock cars do another set of laps and we headed out for the day just before 2pm. They were going to finish the day letting anyone who wanted to drive a lap or two around the track, at a safe speed do so.
We all had a blast, couldn't believe we could get so close to the action, that they owners are so accommodating, and the huge turnout for the event. It felt more like a family BBQ than a public event. Such a unique racing experience, we will definitely go back next year.
Until Next Time!
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