FLORIDA
The Sunshine State
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From the travels and adventures of the “World’s #1 Trackchaser”
All-Time Favorite Florida Track: East Bay Raceway Current lifetime trackchasing state rank: 1 Best Memories: I live nearly 3,000 miles from Florida. Nevertheless, I have traveled that distance nearly 25 times to see racing at East Bay. There are only a handful of dirt tracks that offer such top-notch competition as East Bay during Florida’s SpeedWeeks. I’ve seen drivers come from the back of the pack to win against the toughest competition. That just doesn’t happen at very many tracks. One of my all-time trackchasing highlights was seeing my 1,000th-lifetime track at the Auburndale Speedway in Auburndale, Florida on Friday, February 10, 2006. The racing I saw was questionable but it counted. The highlight was having Carol, my stepfather Bill and his wife Betty, as well as long-time trackchasing fellow competitor Ed Esser, join me. I’ve been down to the Homestead-Miami Speedway for the NASCAR Cup finale. What a great place for that race. I’ve been to the old Deland Speedway to see Darrell Dake race and win the SpeedWeeks late model title. I’ve been to New Smyrna to see Dick Trickle and Richie Evans race. I’ve seen Dale Earnhardt Jr. win the Daytona 500. I’ve had a lot of great racing experiences in Florida, most of them during the month of February. If you see a track link in the above list simply click on it to be transferred to my Trackchaser Report. Here you will be able to read about my adventure at this particular track. Not only will you learn about my time at the track but you’ll hear about all of the interesting people, places and things I encountered during the entire trip, coming and going, to that speedway. Most of my Trackchaser Reports will also include a photo album and YouTube video. Check it all out. Don’t be afraid to use the “search” box in the upper right corner of my website’s home page. Just type in the track name or whatever and you’ll be directed to the place you want to be. Below is a key to surface types and track configurations so you can understand the above list just a little bit easier. Surface types: D-dirt; P-paved; M-mixed Configuration types: O-oval; RC-road course; F8-figure 8 track
TRACK
CITY
STATE
COUNTRY
DATE
TRACK TYPE
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach
Florida
United States
Pre-1980
OUTER-PO
New Smyrna Speedway
New Smyrna Beach
Florida
United States
Pre-1980
PO
Ocala Raceway
Ocala
Florida
United States
Pre-1980
DO
Volusia County Speedway-East
Barberville
Florida
United States
Pre-1980
DO
Daytona Beach Memorial Stadium
Daytona Beach
Florida
United States
Pre-1980
DO
Deland Speedway
Deland
Florida
United States
Pre-1980
DO
Golden Gate Speedway
Tampa
Florida
United States
Pre-1980
PO
East Bay Raceway
Gibsonton
Florida
United States
February 6, 1980
OUTER-DO
Florida State Fair Speedway
Tampa
Florida
United States
February 6, 1981
DO
South Florida Fairgrounds
West Palm Beach
Florida
United States
April 2, 1982
PO
Sunshine Speedway
Pinellas Park
Florida
United States
June 26, 1983
PO
Jax Raceways
Jacksonville
Florida
United States
February 8, 1991
DO
Lake City Speedway
Lake City
Florida
United States
February 10, 1991
DO
Putnam County Raceway
Satsuma
Florida
United States
February 12, 1991
DO
Citrus County Speedway
Inverness
Florida
United States
February 6, 1993
PO
Charlotte County Speedway
Punta Gorda
Florida
United States
February 8, 1993
PO
Volusia County Speedway West
Barberville
Florida
United States
February 10, 1995
OUTER-DO
Columbia Motorsports Park
Lake City
Florida
United States
February 12, 1995
PO
USA International Speedway
Lakeland
Florida
United States
February 11, 1996
PO
St. Augustine Speedway
St. Augustine
Florida
United States
February 13, 1996
DO
Hialeah Speedway
Hialeah
Florida
United States
September 21, 1996
PO
Orlando Speedworld Speedway
Bithlo
Florida
United States
February 28, 1997
PO
Thundercross Motorsports Park
Okeechobee
Florida
United States
February 8, 1998
DO
Auburndale Speedway
Auburndale
Florida
United States
March 27, 1999
PO
Desoto Speedway
Bradenton
Florida
United States
March 28, 1999
PO
Citrus County Speedway
Inverness
Florida
United States
Retroactive – 2001
PF8
Sunshine Speedway
Pinellas Park
Florida
United States
April 3, 2004
PF8
Southern Raceway
Milton
Florida
United States
September 4, 2004
DO
Bronson Motor Speedway
Bronson
Florida
United States
October 22, 2004
PO
Bronson Motor Speedway
Bronson
Florida
United States
October 22, 2004
PF8
North Florida Motor Speedway
Wewahitchka
Florida
United States
November 14, 2004
DO
Sebring Raceway
Sebring
Florida
United States
November 27, 2004
FULL – PRC
DeSoto Speedway
Bradenton
Florida
United States
November 28, 2004
PF8
Five Flags Speedway
Pensacola
Florida
United States
December 3, 2004
PO
Homestead Miami Speedway
Homestead
Florida
United States
December 12, 2004
PRC
Dirt Devil’s Speedway
Land O’Lakes
Florida
United States
February 26, 2005
DO
Zephyrhills Antique Car Raceway
Zephyrhills
Florida
United States
February 26, 2005
DO
Charlotte County Speedway
Punta Gorda
Florida
United States
April 9, 2005
PF8
Cross Roads Motorplex
Jasper
Florida
United States
January 15, 2006
PO
Moroso Motorsports Park
Palm Beach Gardens
Florida
United States
February 4, 2006
PRC
Thunderbowl Speedway of Ocala
Ocala
Florida
United States
February 4, 2006
DO
Cross Roads Motorplex
Jasper
Florida
United States
February 5, 2006
DO
Auburndale Kartway
Auburndale
Florida
United States
February 10, 2006
DO
Ocala Speedway
Ocala
Florida
United States
February 12, 2006
PO
East Bay Raceway Park
Gibsonton
Florida
United States
March 17, 2006
OUTER-DO
Speedway Park
Fruitland Park
Florida
United States
March 18, 2006
DO
Volusia Speedway Park West
Barberville
Florida
United States
March 18, 2006
INNER-DO
Sand Mountain Speedway
Fort Meade
Florida
United States
March 19, 2006
DRC
New Hendry County Speedway
Clewiston
Florida
United States
March 3, 2007
DO
Florida Sports Park
Naples
Florida
United States
March 4, 2007
DO
Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg
Florida
United States
April 1, 2007
STREET-RC
Sumter County Motorsports Park
Bushnell
Florida
United States
December 13, 2008
DO
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead
Florida
United States
November 22, 2009
PO
Auburndale Speedway
Auburndale
Florida
United States
December 31, 2009
PF8
Pensacola Raceway
Pensacola, FL
Florida
United States
March 19, 2011
DO
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL
Florida
United States
January 27, 2012
PRC
Martin County Kartway
Hobe Sound, FL
Florida
United States
January 28, 2012
DO
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL
Florida
United States
February 19, 2013
INNER-PO
Ambassador Racing School
Wimauma
Florida
United States
December 5, 2014
PO
Daytona International Speedway – Dirt
Daytona Beach
Florida
United States
December 29, 2014
TEMPORARY-DO
Bahia Mar Resort & Marina
Ft. Lauderdale
Florida
United States
May 31, 2015
MRC
All-Tech Raceway
Lake City
Florida
United States
March 4, 2016
DO
Rodman Plantation
Palatka
Florida
United States
March 5, 2016
DRC
Southern Raceway
Milton
Florida
United States
April 1, 2017
DRC
Hernando County Fairgrounds
Brooksville
Florida
United States
April 28, 2017
DF8
Hernando County Fairgrounds
Brooksville
Florida
United States
April 28, 2017
DO
Space Coast Full Throttle Speedway
Cocoa
Florida
United States
May 6, 2017
PO
Sebring Raceway
Sebring
Florida
United States
June 11, 2017
SHORT-PRC
Inverness Grand Prix
Inverness
Florida
United States
November 18, 2017
PO
Collier County Fairgrounds
Naples
Florida
United States
March 19, 2018
DO
103rd Street Go Kart Track
Jacksonville
Florida
United States
May 12, 2018
PO
Orlando Speed Bowl
Orlando
Florida
United States
May 12, 2018
PF8
Philip Brady Arena @ the Sumter County Fairgrounds
Bushnell
Florida
United States
March 1, 2019
DF8
Stampede Premium Indoor Arena @ the Florida State Fairgrounds
Tampa
Florida
United States
February 8, 2020
DF8
Stampede Premium Indoor Arena @ the Florida State Fairgrounds
Tampa
Florida
United States
February 9, 2020
DO
Five Flags Speedway
Pensacola
Florida
United States
February 20, 2021
PRC
Jacksonville International Raceway
Jacksonville
Florida
United States
May 6, 2023
DO
Jacksonville International Raceway
Jacksonville
Florida
United States
May 6, 2023
DRC
Miami International Autodrome
Miami Gardens
Florida
United States
May 7, 2023
TEMPORARY- PRC
Pasco County Fairgrounds
Dade City
Florida
United States
February 23, 2024
DO
Pasco County Fairgrounds
Dade City
Florida
United States
February 23, 2024
DF8
Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park
Starke
Florida
United States
February 24, 2024
MIXED-RC
Northwest Florida Speedway
Blackman
Florida
United States
February 26, 2024
DO