Occoneechee Speedway (Hillsborough, NC)

This dirt track looks like a great place to take a Sunday stroll with the family, but believe it or not, these are the remains of Hillsborough's Occoneechee Speedway, the last remaining dirt track from the inaugural season of NASCAR.

Bob Flock was the winner of the first race at Occoneechee Speedway on August 7, 1949, which happened to be the third NASCAR race ever held.

Occoneechee Speedway hosted its last race on September 15, 1968, which was won by Richard Petty.

You would think a track that hosted thirty-two NASCAR races in twenty years might have lasted a lot longer, but Rev. W.I. Conway and his Orange County Anti-Racing Association managed to get elected officials to ban Sunday racing in Orange County.

It took another ten years for local law enforcement to enforce the ban, but once that happened, it was all over for the Occoneechee Speedway.

The track fell into disrepair. Trees grew up around it.

In 1997, the property was bought a preservation group who have done an amazing job of overhauling the facilities, turning it into a walking track and rebuilding and/or repairing the flag stand, the grandstand, the ticket office, the outhouses, the press box, and more. The Historic Speedway Group started a Hall Of Fame and hold yearly racer reunions and car shows at the track.