Green Valley Raceway was a motorsports race track located in Smithfield, Texas, and was part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Designed and built by Bill McClure on his North Texas dairy farm, the facility opened in 1960, and was used for over 20 years until its closure in 1986.[2]
| The Valley The Track that Milk Built | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°53′48″N 97°12′37″W / 32.89667°N 97.21028°W[1] |
| Owner | Bill McClure (founder) Bill Hielscher (race coordinator) |
| Opened | 1960 |
| Closed | 1986 |
| Major events | Road course:
|
| Website | nrhgreenvalleyraceway |
| Road Course (1966–1986) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.100 miles (3.380 km) |
| Turns | 8 |
| Race lap record | 0:59.204 ( Michael Roe, VDS-002, 1984, Can-Am) |
| Original Road Course (1960–1965) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.600 miles (2.575 km) |
| Race lap record | 1:13.900 ( Jim Hall, Porsche 718 RSK, 1961, Sports car racing) |
It had its 1st full season in 1961, whereby it drew 125,000 spectators.[3]
Track description and history
editGreen Valley Raceway was a 1.600 mi (2.575 km) permanent road course, whilst the start-finish straight was also used as a drag strip.[4] In 1966, the original layout was changed to 2.100 mi (3.380 km).[2] The road course was used for Trans-Am Series races, SCCA races,[4] and it also held a Can-Am race in 1984.[5] The drag strip was used for NHRA and AHRA-sanctioned events.[4] In 1974, Evel Knievel used the circuit for one of his stunt performances.[6][2] The track has since been demolished, and is now a site for housing developments. Green Valley Elementary School is also located where the track once was and the school uses a perfect attendance trophy made from a piece of the demolished race track.[4]
Lap records
editThe fastest official race lap records at Green Valley Raceway are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Course: 3.380 km (1966–1986) | ||||
| Can-Am | 0:59.204[7] | Michael Roe | VDS-002 | 1984 Dallas Grand Prix Presents The Texas Challenge at Green Vallery Raceway |
| Trans-Am | 1:03.539[8] | Willy T. Ribbs | Mercury Capri | 1984 Dallas Grand Prix Presents The Texas Challenge at Green Valley Raceway |
| Group 2 | 1:11.000[9] | Dick Thompson | Ford Mustang | 1967 Green Valley 300 |
| Original Road Course: 2.575 km (1960–1965) | ||||
| Sports car racing | 1:13.900[10] | Jim Hall | Porsche 718 RSK | 1961 SCCA Regional Green Valley |
References
edit- ^ "Tracks: Green Valley Raceway". Guido de Carli. 14 February 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ^ a b c "Green Valley Raceway's Role in Racing History". Green Valley Raceway. North Richland Hills Parks & Recreation. 2021. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ "HISTORY". greenvalleyraceway. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ a b c d "Green Valley Raceway". North American Motorsports. 2 September 2005. Archived from the original on 2018-11-14. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ^ Brown, Allen. "Can-Am 1984". OldRacingCars.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-23. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ^ Barker, Stuart (2008). Life of Evel: Evel Knievel (1st ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-312-54735-6. OCLC 233545673.
- ^ "Can-Am Green Valley 1984". 28 October 1984. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Trans-Am Green Valley 1984". 28 October 1984. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Green Valley 4 Hours 1967". 16 April 1967. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "SCCA Regional Green Valley [Main] 1961". 19 February 1961. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
External links
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