NEWTON SPEEDWAY TRIBUTE PAGE 1950

Newton Speedway was a quarter-mile dirt track located on North 19th Avenue East, where the softball and little league fields now reside north-east from Woodland Park. The front stretch was about where the north field and little league field is now as turns one and two were to the east and turns three and four were to the west. The track was built in 1949 to 1950 by Keith Jenkins. Earl Sheels owned the land.

In 1951, the Newton Stock Car Racing Association (NSCRA) was formed and they managed the track. Lights were installed for the 1951 season. In 1957, the track was then run by Jack Byrd and from 1962 to 1974 it was run by Marion Robinson except for a one-year hiatus in 1969 where no races were held. Robinson was well known throughout Iowa as a great promoter of racing as he promoted races at Oskaloosa, Des Moines, Stuart, Webster City, and where he is most well known, Knoxville Raceway. Robinson was the brainchild of the Knoxville Nationals.

Newton residents Boge and Anita Johnson served as track officials at Newton and Knoxville. Both are also members of each track’s Hall of Fame. Newton’s Archie Ergenbright was the 1971 track champion. In 1974, the track was torn down and the dirt that made the banked corners was piled up just north of where the track was. Jasper County Courthouse records show that on July 22, 1976 the land Earl Sheels owned was sold to Maytag Dairy Farms and then handed over to the City of Newton, all on the same day.

Since I was born in 1974, I have no memory of the Newton Speedway which was open from 1950 to 1974. I’ve always been intrigued by the stories I have heard about the speedway and for some time have wanted to research it. Thanks to Gary “Mort” Johnson and Gary “Wally” Price, I have been able to see a five-minute long 8mm video, press clippings and photos. I can remember BMX bike races as a kid that started on that big hill of dirt. It was a treat to take my bike out there while my Dad played softball games and race around the BMX track. But I had no idea of the history and mystique of that “hill” until recently.

I'm still in the process of gathering information and records about the Newton Speedway, so if you have any additional information, pictures, stories, etc. please contact me at arniebhg@yahoo.com. Thank You!

The information here so far is courtesy of Boge, Anita, and Gary "Mort" Johnson and Gary "Wally" Price.