Portland Speedway
Portland, OR, USA
Track History
Portland Speedway was a one-third-mile asphalt oval in Oregon that hosted seven Cup Series races in 1956 and 1957, bringing NASCAR to the Pacific Northwest during the sport's great western expansion. The 12-degree banking in the turns was aggressive for such a compact track, generating speeds that felt faster than the dimensions would suggest. Seven Cup races in just two years was an intense burst of activity that reflected NASCAR's eagerness to establish itself in markets far from its Southeastern base. Portland's racing community had been built on open-wheel and Modified competition, and the arrival of the Cup Series introduced stock car racing to fans who were accustomed to lighter, faster machines. The one-third-mile configuration created incredibly tight racing, with cars perpetually in each other's way on a surface where passing required both skill and cooperation from the car ahead. Portland Speedway gave the Northwest its first taste of Cup Series racing and demonstrated that the sport had genuine appeal in every corner of the country.
Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference
Top Drivers at Portland Speedway
Eddie Pagan leads all drivers at Portland Speedway with 2 wins across 6 starts.
All-time stats across Cup, O'Reilly & Trucks (min 3 starts)
| Driver | Races | Wins | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Pagan | 6 | 2 | 3.8 |
| Ron Hornaday Jr. | 4 | 1 | 4.5 |
| Lloyd Dane | 7 | 1 | 5.6 |
| Herb Thomas | 3 | 1 | 6.3 |
| John Kieper | 5 | 1 | 6.4 |
Race Winners (1956-1998)
Portland Speedway has crowned 10 different Cup Series winners since 1956.
| Year | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Craftsman 200 By NAPA | Stacy Compton |
| 1997 | Craftsman 200 | Rich Bickle |
| 1996 | Craftsman 200 | Ron Hornaday Jr. |
| 1995 | Maxx Race Cards 200 | Mike Skinner |
| 1957 | 195 Miles at Portland Speedway | Art Watts |
| 1957 | 293 Miles at Portland Speedway | Eddie Pagan |
| 1957 | 390 Miles at Portland Speedway | Eddie Pagan |
| 1956 | 488 Miles at Portland Speedway | Lloyd Dane |
| 1956 | 480 Miles at Portland Speedway | Royce Haggerty |
| 1956 | 390 Miles at Portland Speedway | John Kieper |
| 1956 | 293 Miles at Portland Speedway | Herb Thomas |
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 Portland Speedway
No NR-Rating driver data available for this track yet.
Similar Tracks
Track similarity data not yet available.
Nearby Tracks
Tracks in the same region as Portland Speedway, sorted by total Cup Series races hosted.