Monroe County Fairgrounds
Rochester, NY, USA
Track History
The Monroe County Fairgrounds in Rochester, New York hosted eight Cup Series races on its half-mile dirt oval between 1950 and 1958, making it one of NASCAR's most important northern venues during the sport's first decade. Eight races was a significant commitment to a market that was hundreds of miles from the sport's Southern heartland, and it reflected both the quality of the Rochester racing scene and NASCAR's determination to build a national audience. The flat dirt surface within the fairgrounds produced the kind of close-quarters competition that drew fans back week after week, with stock cars sliding and spinning through corners while fairgoers gawked from the midway. Rochester's working-class population embraced stock car racing with genuine enthusiasm, filling the grandstands for events that mixed local heroes with the traveling stars from the Carolinas. Those eight races at the Monroe County Fairgrounds helped establish NASCAR's presence in the Northeast, proving that the sport's appeal transcended the Mason-Dixon Line.
Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference
Top Drivers at Monroe County Fairgrounds
Tim Flock leads all drivers at Monroe County Fairgrounds with 3 wins across 4 starts.
All-time stats across Cup, O'Reilly & Trucks (min 3 starts)
| Driver | Races | Wins | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Flock | 4 | 3 | 1.8 |
| Lee Petty | 9 | 2 | 6.7 |
| Herb Thomas | 7 | 1 | 6.6 |
| Bill Rexford | 3 | 0 | 5.3 |
| Dick Rathman | 4 | 0 | 5.5 |
Race Winners (1950-1958)
Monroe County Fairgrounds has crowned 6 different Cup Series winners since 1950.
| Year | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 100 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Cotton Owens |
| 1956 | 100 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Speedy Thompson |
| 1955 | 100 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Tim Flock |
| 1954 | 100 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Lee Petty |
| 1953 | 100 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Herb Thomas |
| 1952 | 100 Miles at Monroe Speedway | Tim Flock |
| 1952 | 88 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Tim Flock |
| 1951 | 100 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Lee Petty |
| 1950 | 100 Miles at Monroe County Fairgrounds | Curtis Turner |
Race Dynamics
Short tracks feature close-quarters racing with higher caution rates. Aggressive drivers and bump-and-run tactics thrive here. Strong restarts and late-race speed are essential. Track-specific history matters more here than at any other track type.
Top Rated Drivers at Monroe County Fairgrounds
No NR-Rating driver data available for this track yet.
Similar Tracks
Track similarity data not yet available.
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