Salem Speedway

Salem Motor Speedway, as it was called then, opened June 22, 1947. Two drivers were involved in a crash on the first lap of the first race. One died at the track, the other a few years later of complications from the injury. The track received major storm damage in 1981 and it was not used until 1987. Former driver Nick Bohanon bought the racetrack in December 2022. Brent Harmon and Melissa Middleton bought the racetrack in January 2026. ==Appearance of Touring Series==

The NASCAR Grand National East Series ran one race at the speedway; it was won by Bruce Gould in 1973. The ASA National Tour ran six races at the track, from 1998 through 2003 and the winners were Scott Hansen (twice), David Stremme, Tim Sauter, Gary St. Amant and Robbie Pyle. As of 2019, the track has held more ARCA races than any other track (106th visit); it held races at the track since 1955. The ARCA qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035 mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994. == Rich Vogler ==

On July 21, 1990, during the ''Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial'' sprint car event, which was nationally broadcast on ESPN Thunder, sprint car driver Rich Vogler sustained fatal head injuries due to a crash in turn 4. Vogler, who was leading the event and about to take the white flag signaling one lap to go, struck the turn 4 wall virtually head-on. The race was red flagged and declared finished. Vogler, 39, was declared the winner posthumously because of USAC National Sprint Car Series rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap. This was his 170th win. Finishing second was Jeff Gordon. == References ==