# Trenton Speedway

Trenton Speedway was a racing facility located near Trenton, New Jersey at the New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Races for the United States' premier open-wheel and full-bodied racing series of the times were held at Trenton Speedway.

## Racing history

The first race at the Fairgrounds was held on September 24, 1900, but there was no further racing there until 1907. Regular racing began in 1912 and continued until 1941. A new 1.000 mi (1.609 km) dirt oval was opened in 1946. In 1957 the track was paved. It operated in that configuration until 1968 when the track was expanded to 1.500 mi (2.414 km) and a "kidney bean" shape with a 20° right-hand dogleg on the back stretch and a wider turn 3 & 4 complex than turns 1 & 2. The track closed in 1980 and the Fairgrounds itself closed 3 years later. The former site of the speedway is now occupied by the Grounds for Sculpture, a UPS shipping facility, and the housing development known as "Hamilton Lakes".

## Championship cars

Trenton was a long-time stop for the AAA and USAC Championship Car series. Its first recognized Champ Car race was held in 1949 on the dirt mile. The series did not return until 1957 when the track was paved, but when it did, at least one Champ Car race was held every year until 1979. The final Champ Car races held in 1979 at the track were sanctioned by CART. During his career A. J. Foyt won twelve Indy Car races at Trenton Speedway. The May 1976 race was Janet Guthrie's first IndyCar appearance.

## Stock cars

Trenton hosted many races sanctioned by AAA and USAC Stock Car divisions. In 1957, Mike Klapak won the Trenton 500, intended to become the most prestigious race on the USAC calendar.
Trenton hosted the NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup series 8 times: once each May in 1958 and 1959, and once each July from 1967 to 1972, a race known as the Northern 300. Richard Petty led all drivers with three Trenton Grand National victories. In July 1973 the Northern 300 ran time trials but rain washed out the race and it was never rescheduled. The Northern 300 was placed on NASCAR's 1974 Winston Cup Grand National schedule (Stock Car Racing magazine listed it on the schedule in its early 1974 season issues) but was dropped early in the year and replaced by Pocono Raceway's Purolator 500.

## Major races for NASCAR modifieds
### National Championship races

From 1958 to 1971, a NASCAR National Championship race for modified stock car racing was held annually at Trenton Speedway, promoted by Sam Nunis. Through 1962, these were hundred-lap races. In 1963, the race was expanded to 200 laps, making it one of the longest and highest-paying races for Modified and Sportsman racers in the country. Ray Hendrick from Virginia was the leading winner of these races, driving the Jack Tant-owned number 11.

### Race of Champions

From 1972 to 1976, Trenton Speedway hosted the Race of Champions modified race. Five different drivers won the five RoC events at Trenton. In 1977, the Race of Champions was moved to Pocono Raceway.

## Race results

All winning drivers were American.

### AAA/USAC/CART Championship Car

| Season | Date | Winning Driver | Chassis | Engine | Team |
| AAA Championship Car (Dirt 1 mile oval) ||||||
| 1949 | June 19 | Myron Fohr | Marchese | Offenhauser | |
| 1950–1956: Not held ||||||
| USAC Championship Car ||||||
| 1 Mile Paved Oval ||||||
| 1957 | September 29 | Pat O'Connor | Kuzma | Offenhauser | |
| 1958 | March 30 | Len Sutton | Kuzma | Offenhauser | |
| 1958 | September 28 | Rodger Ward | Lesovsky | Offenhauser | |
| 1959 | April 19 | Tony Bettenhausen | Kuzma | Offenhauser | |
| 1959 | September 27 | Eddie Sachs | Meskowski | Offenhauser | |
| 1960 | April 10 | Rodger Ward | Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1960 | September 25 | Eddie Sachs | Kuzma | Offenhauser | |
| 1961 | April 9 | Eddie Sachs | Ewing | Offenhauser | |
| 1961 | September 24 | Eddie Sachs | Kuzma | Offenhauser | |
| 1962 | April 8 | A. J. Foyt | Meskowski | Offenhauser | |
| 1962 | July 22 | Rodger Ward | Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1962 | September 23 | Don Branson | Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1963 | April 21 | A. J. Foyt | Meskowski | Offenhauser | |
| 1963 | July 28 | A. J. Foyt | Trevis | Offenhauser | |
| 1963 | September 22 | A. J. Foyt | Trevis | Offenhauser | |
| 1964 | April 19 | A. J. Foyt | Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1964 | July 19 | A. J. Foyt | Watson | Offenhauser | |
| 1964 | September 27 | Parnelli Jones | Lotus | Ford | |
| 1965 | April 25 | Jim McElreath | Brabham | Offenhauser | |
| 1965 | July 18 | A. J. Foyt | Lotus | Ford | |
| 1965 | September 26 | A. J. Foyt | Lotus | Ford | |
| 1966 | April 24 | Rodger Ward | Lola | Offenhauser | |
| 1966 | September 25 | Mario Andretti | Brawner | Ford | |
| 1967 | April 23 | Mario Andretti | Brawner | Ford | |
| 1967 | September 24 | A. J. Foyt | Coyote | Ford | |
| 1968 | April 21 | Bobby Unser | Eagle | Offenhauser | |
| 1968 | September 22 | Mario Andretti | Brawner | Offenhauser | Andretti Racing Enterprises |
| 1.5 Mile Kidney Bean Oval ||||||
| 1969 | July 19 | Mario Andretti | Brawner | Ford | |
| 1969 | September 21 | Mario Andretti | Brawner | Ford | |
| 1970 | April 26 | Lloyd Ruby | Laycock | Offenhauser | |
| 1970 | October 3 | Al Unser | Colt | Offenhauser | |
| 1971 | April 25 | Mike Mosley | Watson | Ford | |
| 1971 | October 3 | Bobby Unser | Eagle | Offenhauser | |
| 1972 | April 23 | Gary Bettenhausen | McLaren | Offenhauser | Penske Racing |
| 1972 | September 24 | Bobby Unser | Eagle | Offenhauser | |
| 1973 | April 15 | A. J. Foyt | Coyote | Foyt | |
| 1973 | April 15 | Mario Andretti | Parnelli | Offenhauser | |
| 1973 | September 23 | Gordon Johncock | Eagle | Offenhauser | |
| 1974 | April 7 | Bobby Unser | Eagle | Offenhauser | |
| 1974 | September 22 | A. J. Foyt | Coyote | Foyt | |
| 1974 | September 22 | Bobby Unser | Eagle | Offenhauser | |
| 1975 | April 6 | A. J. Foyt | Coyote | Foyt | |
| 1975 | September 21 | Gordon Johncock | Wildcat | DGS | |
| 1976 | May 2 | Johnny Rutherford | McLaren | Offenhauser | McLaren Racing |
| 1976 | August 15 | Gordon Johncock | Wildcat | DGS | |
| 1977 | April 30 | Wally Dallenbach Sr. | Wildcat | DGS | |
| 1978 | April 23 | Gordon Johncock | Wildcat | DGS | |
| 1978 | September 23 | Mario Andretti | Penske | Cosworth | Penske Racing |
| CART Champ Car ||||||
| 1979 | June 10 | Bobby Unser | Penske | Cosworth | Penske Racing |
| 1979 | June 10 | Bobby Unser | Penske | Cosworth | Penske Racing |
| 1979 | August 19 | Rick Mears | Penske | Cosworth | Penske Racing |

### NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup

| Season | Date | Winning Driver | Manufacturer |
| 1958 | May 30 – 500 miles | Fireball Roberts | Chevrolet |
| 1959 | May 17 – 500 miles | Tom Pistone | Ford |
| 1967 | July 9 – 300 miles | Richard Petty | Plymouth |
| 1968 | July 14 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | Ford |
| 1969 | July 13 | David Pearson | Ford |
| 1970 | July 12 | Richard Petty | Plymouth |
| 1971 | July 18 | Richard Petty | Plymouth |
| 1972 | July 16 | Bobby Allison | Chevrolet |