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Merrittville Speedway facts for kids

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Merrittville Speedway
Canada's Longest Running Dirt Track
Merrittville Speedway Logo.png
Location 2371 Merrittville Highway
Thorold, Ontario
Canada
Time zone UTC-5 (UTC-4 DST)
Coordinates 43°04′39″N 79°15′19″W / 43.0774°N 79.2553°W / 43.0774; -79.2553
Owner Pete Bicknell
Operator Don Spiece
Opened July 1, 1952
Architect John Marino and George Cullen
Major events 327 Spec Novice Modified’s, DIRTcar Sportsman Series,
Action Sprint Tour,
Southern Ontario Sprints,
Empire Super Sprints,
Patriot Sprint Tour
D-Shaped Oval
Surface Clay
Length 3/8 mi (0.604 km)

Merrittville Speedway is a cool 3/8-mile dirt race track located near Niagara Falls in Thorold, Ontario, Canada. This exciting track hosts races every Saturday night from April to September. You can see different types of race cars compete, like stock cars, sprint cars, and modified cars.

Merrittville Speedway's Long History

Merrittville Speedway is super old! It's known as the oldest race track in Canada that's still running. It opened way back on July 1, 1952, and has been hosting thrilling races ever since. New owners took over the track in 2017. The track celebrated its 70th birthday in 2021, which was a big milestone for Canadian racing.

Exciting Race Car Classes

Every week, six different types of race cars compete at Merrittville Speedway. These classes make sure there's always something exciting to watch!

Weekly Racing Divisions

  • 327 Modifieds
  • Sportsman cars
  • Stock cars
  • 4 Cylinder cars
  • Modified Lites
  • Novice Modifieds
20 BRETT HEARN (2008)
A dirt modified car speeding around the track at Merrittville.

Special Touring Series Races

The track also often features special races with touring series. These are groups of racers who travel to different tracks. Some of the big series that have visited Merrittville include:

  • The Super DIRTcar Series
  • The World of Outlaws Late Model Series
  • The DIRTcar Sportsman Series
  • The Action Sprint Tour
  • The Southern Ontario Sprints
  • The Empire Super Sprints
  • The Patriot Sprint Tour

Kart Racing Fun

Besides the big car races, Merrittville Speedway also hosts a weekly karting series. These smaller, open-wheel vehicles race on Tuesday nights. It's a great way for younger drivers to get started in racing!

More Race Tracks to Explore

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