This Major Speedway in Langhorne Was Opened Nearly 100 Years Ago

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speedway
Image via Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation.
The speedway has become infamous in the area and in the sports world.

A major speedway once stood in Bucks County, and it saw many famous (and infamous) moments in racing history.

The Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation discussed the history of the Langhorne Speedway online. The speedway once stood in the namesake area of Bucks County and was opened in 1926.

The one-mile track, designed as round as possible to fit onto their eighty-nine-acre plot of swampland, was used by NASCAR for many famous races, one of which ended in tragedy.

On Sept. 14, 1952, racer Larry Mann, born Lawrence Zuckerman, lost his life while participating in a Grand National Circuit event at the race track. At some point during the 250-mile race, with one record stating it was in the 211th lap, he lost control of his vehicle and ran through a fence.

Mann later died as a result of a pulmonary hemorrhage and massive head wounds that he had sustained as a result. He ended up being one of many racers to lose their lives at the infamous speedway, which has been closed for some time.

The setup of the speedway also left a somewhat troubling legacy attached to its name. The absence of straightaways made for dangerous turns throughout any race. Racer Bobby Unser once commented on the nature of the local track.

“I raced all over the world, and that was the most dangerous, most treacherous, most murderous track there ever was. Nobody liked it, and the ones who said they did were lying.”

Learn more about the infamous speedway at the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation.

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