The Dix Hills Racetrack: Deer Park Speedway

Located just north of the Huntington-Babylon town line is the site of the former Deer Park Speedway, home to both dirt track racing and midget auto racing.

The September 28, 1928 Long Islander announced, "The new auto speedway on Deer Park Avenue, half-mile from the Motor Parkway and the new Sunrise Highway, will hold its first speed carnival on Columbus Day, at 2:30."  The Dix Hills site was chosen after much deliberation because it was only 30 miles from New York City and close to all the major highways, and according to an October 5, 1928, Long Islander article, it was constructed at a cost of $300,000. 

A grandstand was constructed, which could hold up to 6,000 spectators, and plenty of parking spots were provided. The races were conducted under the rules of the Contest Board of the American Automobile Association of Washington DC, and William Veterre of Sayville, a retired star of the dirt track, was president of the venture.  Many of the best dirt track drivers in the AAA as well as drivers from other states and districts competed in a competition and series of races for the Long Island championship.

At the time it opened, the track was designed to be the most modern of its kind.  "The straight-aways are 60 feet wide, the widest in America and on the turns they are sloped to the width of a hundred feet, making it the fastest there is," according to the September 28 article.  The track was prepared with a special treatment to make it virtually dustless.  According to an October 5, 1928, Long Islander article, "The new oval [track] is designed after the Ascot track in Pasadena, California, where they turn in time for the half-mile in 23 seconds." 

Despite being built in the most modern way possible, the track was not exactly the safest.  At the second race ever held, October 21, 1920, the Long Islander reported on October 26, 1928, that "two Huntington residents were among those who were injured at the automobile races…." On the third mile of the Sunrise Trail championship, a steering knuckle broke on a Jackson Special and the car crashed through the fence, turned over a half dozen times, and hurled itself into the crowd.  In addition to the two men taken to the hospital, two other men and two other women were also "knocked down and trampled in the rush to get out of the way of the driverless car…." 

Then on May 13, 1929, The New York Times reported that "Harry Wirth, dirt track automobile racing driver, was killed this afternoon when in view of hundreds of spectators he lost control of his car and crashed into a guard rail on the Babylon- Deer Park Speedway three miles from here.  The car turned over several times, crushing him beneath it."  The week before he had set the then new record for the half-mile track at the Speedway of 30 ¼ seconds.  Only 25 years old, he died on the way to South Side Hospital. 

Just three months later, on August 19, 1929, The New York Times reported that Sam Wohl, a veteran automobile racer, was critically injured at the Speedway.  "His car skidded and crashed into a fence in front of the grandstand while he was driving at more than 70 miles an hour.  The automobile turned over twice, coming to rest with Wohl pinned beneath it."  He was taken to the hospital and there was little hope of his recovery.  (Unfortunately, I could not find a follow-up article, so I do not know if he died or not as a result of this injury.)

According to the New Jersey Racing Track Network, this half-mile track operated until July 1941, though I could not find any published accounts of a specific date.  However, according to a December 8, 1949, Long Islander, which discussed the history of the racetrack, by 1946,  "the old race track had grown over with weeds, and the old wooden grandstand had become very dilapidated and had been partially destroyed by fire and for a period of over five years the premises was completely abandoned.  The owner of the property had even lost title by non- payment of taxes and the premises had become county property." 

It was in this condition that Angelo Longo acquired the premises in late 1946 and built a quarter-mile paved racetrack on it for ARDC midget auto racing.  (Midget races use very small racecars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.) 

The first race was held on July 4, 1946, as announced by the Long Islander, and then a schedule of shows were announced for Saturday and Wednesday nights.  Though this lasted only until August, when the Wednesday night race was eliminated.  And on September 26, 1946, the Long Islander announced, "For the umpteenth time this season, officials who guide the destiny of the Deer Park Speedrome have decreed yet another change in the racing schedule… Fans patronizing the Deer Park saucer would do well to consult the papers each week to make sure just when the Suffolk circuit will be in operation." 

The following year it was announced in the Long Islander that the events for the 1947 season would be held on Sundays that year and the season for the outdoor show began on March 23.  But by May 1947, they were up to their old tricks, canceling their Sunday shows and returning to Wednesday nights, installing a brand new floodlight system to make it the most attractive midget auto-racing event in the metropolitan area.

By December 1947, however, the residents had had enough.  One hundred residents and property owners petitioned the board to terminate the operation of the Deer Park Speedrome terming it a "public nuisance" and a "fire hazard."  The area was zoned residential and although the Speedway was grandfathered in as an allowance of "non-conforming use," the fact that it was not operated for many years raised the question of whether or not it was in zoning violation.

This issue was raised again in early 1948 when Angelo Lango applied for a building permit and was denied over the same zoning question.  Lango went ahead and built anyway and was served a summons for this violation.  Longo, in turn, brought a suit against the town to issue the permit.  Simultaneously, some of the property owners commenced a suit against the use of the property as a Speedrome. 

In April 1949, the cases went to trial and the town and residents successfully proved that due to the abandonment and lack of use of the track, the Speedway was not protected against the zoning law and operation would have to be terminated and the land used for residences.  And so on December 8, 1949, the Long Islander announced that "After a two-year battle the town has won a complete victory against the owners and operators of the Deer Park Speedrome." 

In 1988 a subdivision was filed called the "Baldwin Estates" consisting of 52 plots on 29 acres of land on the former Deer Park Speedway property.  This subdivision created Pheasant Run Lane and Pine Edge Place.

For a resident's recollection of the Speedway and some historic photos, go here: