History of the Legendary Pennsboro Speedway

- home of wv’s oldest ritchie county fairgrounds

The Legendary Pennsboro Speedway sits along the stream “Bunnell Run”, just off the North side of U.S. Route 50 at Pennsboro and has a long and ever-changing history, many Ritchie Countians are proud of.

According to “A Photographic History of Ritchie County,” published in 1989 by the Ritchie County Historical Society, horse racing began in Pennsboro with the incorporation of the Ritchie County Agricultural and Fair Association back on January 18, 1887.

The very first meeting of the stockholders, the board of directors voted to either purchase or lease the land and fence and layout the grounds for a County Fair in the autumn of 1887. On what was then the outskirts of the City of Pennsboro, lay a tract of land purchased by Bert Bradford, Peter Bradford, Mary Kelley and C.E. Harris.

The fair association proceeded to lease that 31-acre tract of land, upon which they would build an oval, five-furlong racetrack with an inside length of exactly 1/2 mile.

To accompany the track and establish a true fairground setup, a fence around the track and the perimeter, 28 stalls for racehorses, two bridges across Bunnell Run, a grandstand and an exhibition hall would also be constructed. Bids and contracts were awarded for each of these projects by April of 1887!

The very first Ritchie County Fair would open that autumn day, September 21, 1887 becoming an annual event at that Pennsboro location until 1962, with the exception of 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. Each year, the track would receive improvements and by 1899, those horse barns were expanded from the original 28 stalls to house an amazing 105 horses! That same year, in December, the stockholders voted to purchase the leased 31-acres for $2,000 and to continue the fair for another 40 years.

It was hard to believe that first fair, featuring those horse races along with agricultural exhibits, a livestock competition, women’s handiwork and food stands and entertainment of all sorts, would become an annual tradition.

Over the next 75 years, 1887-1962, horse racing would serve as an extremely popular event, to which people would travel by horse and buggy, the B&O Railroad and later, by automobile.

In 1922, a total of 20,000 people attended the fair and gate receipts totaled $10,000.

People flocked to see the exhibits, enjoy the carnival, gather with friends and family and to watch the area’s finest horses circle the track!

Horses gave way in the late 1960’s to cars and the fairgrounds became more well known as the Pennsboro Speedway.

For decades to come, the top dirt track racers in the country competed with local and state heroes in major events such as the “Hillbilly 100” and the “Dirt Track World Championship.”

These events became two of the most prestigious events in dirt racing, paying $50,000 to the winner in the later years.

Fans and competitors from all over the country made the trip twice a year to see “The Magic” at the Legendary Pennsboro Speedway. The Speedway saw its final race in 2002.

Since 2002, the Ellenboro Volunteer Fire Department has hosted their annual Summer Bash at the Speedway, which itself draws attendees nationwide.

In 2010, the prior Board of Directors for the Ritchie County Agricultural & Fair Association offered the fairgrounds and speedway for sale.

Seeing the for sale sign near the front gate of the property, a group of concerned citizens filed a lawsuit to stop the sale.

In December of 2013, the parties reached an agreement, which stopped the sale once and for all.

A smaller track, inside the original, was constructed and currently sees several mini wedge races throughout the year.

In 2019, the Ritchie County Tourism & Visitor’s Bureau began planning the Head for the Hills Festival, which will kick off the fall of 2021.

The festival will feature a county-wide poker tour as well as motorcycle-oriented activities at the Pennsboro Speedway.