Peterborough Speedway
Ontario short track oval hosting weekly racing since 1967.
Peterborough Speedway is a 1/3 mile semi-banked short track motor racing paved oval located west of the city of Peterborough, in Cavan, Ontario, Canada. It opened as Westgate Speedway on Sunday May 28, 1967, and was renamed Peterborough Speedway in 1986. The track is significant as a long-running venue for weekly Saturday night racing from May to October and for hosting the annual Autumn Colours Classic, one of Ontario's most important stock car events.
Quick Facts
- Nicknames
- Canada’s Toughest 1/3 Mile Oval
- Location
- 1710 Mount Pleasant Road. / Cavan, Ontario / Canada
- Capacity
- 4,800
- Owner
- Jean-Paul (JP) Josiasse
- Opened
- May 28, 1967
- Former Names
- Westgate Speedway
- Miles First
- True
- Layout
- Semi-Banked Oval
- Surface
- Asphalt
- Length Km
- .536
- Length Mi
- 1/3
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Peterborough Speedway first opened its gates on Sunday May 28, 1967, under the name Westgate Speedway. The track was built by four original owners from the Peterborough area at a cost of $70,000. In 1986, new ownership renamed the facility Peterborough Speedway, and the track celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
Since 1993, the speedway has presented the Autumn Colours Classic during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in October. This three-day event features close to 10 different divisions of drivers and teams from across the province and is considered one of the most important stock car events in Ontario.
The track's weekly Saturday night racing program runs from May to October each year, featuring Bone Stocks, Mini Stocks, Renegade Trucks, Legends, Super Stock, and Late Models. It also regularly hosts touring series including the APC United Late Model Series, OSCAAR Modifieds and Hot Rods, Ontario Outlaw Super Late Models, and Can-Am Midgets.
Reader's Guide
Peterborough Speedway holds a notable place in Ontario's motorsport history as a continuously operating short track oval since 1967. Its weekly Saturday night program provides a consistent venue for grassroots racing divisions such as Bone Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Late Models, while also attracting major touring series like the APC United Late Model Series and OSCAAR Modifieds. The track's signature event, the Autumn Colours Classic, launched in 1993 and has grown into a three-day stock car gathering that draws competitors from across the province, cementing the speedway's reputation as a key stop on the Ontario racing calendar. The facility's longevity—marked by its 50th anniversary in 2017—and its role in hosting both local weekly racing and provincial touring series make it a enduring fixture in Canadian short track racing.
Did You Know?
- The Autumn Colours Classic has been presented since 1993 during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in October.
- The speedway celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
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