The Hagerstown Speedway was built in 1946 by Stanley Schetrompf at the former Conococheague Amusement Park between the banks of the Conococheague Creek and US Route 40 at a cost of $60,000 with the seating of 3000 people. Stanley Schetrompf signed a working agreement with the owner of Williams Grove Speedway Roy Richwine. It finally hosted its first event on August 29, 1948 after being postponed twice due to weather. Curtis Turner won the first feature at the track what was a 30 lap stock car race with over 8 second lead in a Ford in a 20 car field. After the 1949 season they changed the name from Conococheague Speedway to its current name Hagerstown Speedway. Frank Plessinger took ownership of the track in 1981 and has since transformed it into a modern circuit. Plessinger has claimed that it is the finest dirt track in the United States. Throughout the years, many NASCAR drivers have raced there, including Cale Yarborough, Ken Schrader and Jeff Gordon. It has 20 metal grandstand sections, two of which bear the last names of the founders Schetrompf and Stouffer. In the 1980s, a 1/10 mile Quarter Midget track was built behind turn 2.October of 2013 Frank Plessinger appointed his daughter Lisa Plessinger to be the promoter of the track. In 2018, the Super Late Model category championship would not be handed out due to low car count; it was the first year in the track history for that to happen. 2020 Hagerstown Speedway got FASTAK sanction The start of the season for the track was delayed to May 30 and the Lucas Oil Late Model Series and Monster Jam would not happen that year do to Covid-19. They were able to fit a couple races but after the PA Speedweek event they had problem with fans not following protocol and attacking track officials they called off the rest of the 2020 season.
1996 Late Model Crash
During a 30-lap race in 1996, the Late Model racer Jack Bland crashed on the backstretch of the track. When another driver tried to overtake after turn two, Jack attempted to block them but hit the guardrail, which broke his car apart and thrust it into the air. His car flipped and was hit by another racer at high speed. He had to be rescued from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life but only sustained a broken leg. It has been called the worst crash in dirt Late Model history. The crash was featured on Discovery Channel show Destroyed in Seconds.
