Dirt racetracks are becoming increasingly rare in the southern United States. Many of the county locations that once provided affordable entertainment have closed down and are being reclaimed by nature. A specific track in Woodruff, South Carolina, known as the Confederate Motor Speedway, has recently been cleared of the foliage that had overtaken it for many years, as shown in recent Google Maps imagery. The reasons behind this development remain unclear.
The remnants of the Confederate Motor Speedway are now clearly visible from an aerial view. The track initially opened in 1950 as a quarter-mile venue, but it closed after a few years. In the 1970s, it was renovated into a three-fifth-mile track that remained active until 1989, after which only a few sporadic events took place before it was permanently closed.
I had previously heard about this venue, and I faintly recall a Jalopnik article discussing its overgrown condition from a few years back. That article included a video walkthrough by YouTube channel S1apSh0es, which showcased the track’s dilapidated state in 2021. Recently, someone referenced its rediscovery in one of my favorite Facebook groups—Retired Race Cars and Abandoned Race Tracks—prompting me to look further into it.
I was keen to find out exactly when the area was cleared. Some commenters on the initial post noted that it was mostly clear of trees a year ago during their visit, leading me to question the timeline. While Google Maps didn’t provide much information, we used The Drive’s premium satellite service to obtain the following images:
The clearing appears to have started in late 2022, evidenced by the significant changes between photographs taken on November 18 and November 29 of that year, with much more of the dirt track becoming visible later in the month. By December 18, the track’s outline and infield were clearly distinguishable.
Although it’s not surprising that the landowner would decide to clear this area, it raises questions as to why this specific property was targeted while others remain untouched. I don’t want to sound overly skeptical, but I seriously doubt that it will reopen as a racing venue. According to local comments, city and county officials have imposed near-blanket bans on racing, and a video linked within the article indicates it faced zoning conflicts. Regardless, overcoming these obstacles would be a challenge, and without proper legal safeguards, investing significantly in a racetrack reliant on noise and crowds seems impractical.
I am eager to uncover more details about what is happening at this site. If you or someone you know has insights about this property, please feel free to reach out to me. Alternatively, if you just want to share memories of the old dirt track in South Carolina, I’d love to hear those as well.
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