Starkey Speedway
Roanoke, VA, USA
Track History
Starkey Speedway in Roanoke, Virginia was a three-eighths-mile asphalt oval that hosted four Cup Series races between 1958 and 1964. The track sat in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western Virginia, bringing Cup Series racing to a region where the sport was deeply woven into the cultural fabric. Minimal banking on the flat surface made Starkey a track where mechanical grip and driving precision were paramount, as there was no angle to lean on through the corners. Four Cup races in the mountain setting produced the kind of tight, competitive short-track racing that defined the era. The Roanoke Valley fans were steeped in stock car culture, and race weekends at Starkey carried the excitement of a major event in a community that treated its local track as a gathering place as much as a sporting venue. Starkey Speedway was part of the rich Virginia racing tradition that stretches from the mountains to the coast, a tradition that has produced more than its share of champions and legends.
Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference
Top Drivers at Starkey Speedway
Richard Petty leads all drivers at Starkey Speedway with 1 win across 3 starts.
All-time stats across Cup, O'Reilly & Trucks (min 3 starts)
| Driver | Races | Wins | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Petty | 3 | 1 | 6.7 |
| Ned Jarrett | 3 | 0 | 5.3 |
| Larry Thomas | 3 | 0 | 9.7 |
| Jimmy Pardue | 3 | 0 | 10.7 |
| Wendell Scott | 3 | 0 | 12.3 |
Race Winners (1958-1964)
Starkey Speedway has crowned 3 different Cup Series winners since 1958.
| Year | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 50 Miles at Starkey Speedway | Junior Johnson |
| 1962 | 50 Miles at Starkey Speedway | Richard Petty |
| 1961 | 38 Miles at Starkey Speedway | Junior Johnson |
| 1958 | 38 Miles at Starkey Speedway | Jim Reed |
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 Starkey Speedway
No NR-Rating driver data available for this track yet.
Similar Tracks
Track similarity data not yet available.
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