Bowman Gray Stadium Feature

Bowman Gray Stadium is a hidden gem in motorsports. In 2004 Totally NASCAR took a look at the Short Track that is so rich in history and present-day success. The story is shot and produced by Matthew Dillner.

[@tylerstowe-holt9711]

17,000 strong every Saturday night

[@lancehurley9743]

The Great Bobby Allison..an American legend,and treasure...

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

What a wonderful segment! It's so cool to see a place like Bowman Gray thriving in the world of today's NASCAR. I've gotta get myself out to that track one of these days.

[@HenauderTitzauf]

My dad started taking me there when I was only 7 years old. That track has hosted a lot of great drivers that never come here anymore. But, I was there to see them. And it all started my watching in 1951-1952

[@RacingRulz]

I have only been living down in NC for 2 years and I love going to this place almost every week!! GREAT FANS and AWESOME RACING!! Love the Modifieds!!

[@markbutler6539]

How can you not love this ❤️

[@Speed51Video]

It was a story I did in 2004 for Totally NASCAR. Thanks for checking it out. Oswego fan huh? I used to go up there for the SuperMod/Mod combos in the late eighties!

[@Speed51Video]

Joe, Thanks so much for asking and checking out the video. Of all the things I've done in TV it's my favorite. It's a story that I was very proud of because I have a passion for the grassroots level of the sport. -MD

[@kahnefreak38]

that is a nice segment about the track! i posted some response vids. one is of my home track from the 70's and the other is of some canadian racecar drivers from the past and some americans crossing the border to run with us!

[@jamesbraun9842]

I don't get why people hate the track. The good old boys literally described the track attitude the same way it was back than.

[@DirtTrax68]

excellent history lesson

[@GrimTaquito1972]

Still one,of the best tracks around! Too bad Wilkesboro Speedway (where im from) didn't make it relaunch. Just saw a race at BGS Saturday night! Loving it!

[@mrtuttle76]

great job on this man.tuttle boys will be back at the gray next year

[@mailboxmedia6655]

thanks for the upload!

[@gocart57]

Boby Alison is my hero !!! i got to meet him at Lowe`s motor speedway

[@Speed51Video]

:54 - You guessed it. It was shot at ol' Hank Schoolfields offices. He used to do the programs for Bowman Gray and was a great man. That was one of Pee Wee Jones trophies. A light on a dimmer was hitting the photos and a handheld light flashed across the trophy. It was just my girlfriend (former) and I and it was a small room. We didn't have much room but it did come out pretty nice. Hey, black backdrops and a few lights is all you need sometimes...nothing fancy. -MD

[@TheDolphins43]

This track reminds me of the old Dorney Park speedway in Allentown PA.

[@racenround2]

that place is awsome

[@MrWrestling2]

40 years as a fan of the sport, nothing, NOTHING beat Bowman Gray racing.

[@Speed51Video]

4:00 - I hung a backgrop (lit-up red) with a catch fence I hung from C-stands in front of it which also had a splash of light on it. The checkered flag is between the two. The framed pic is hit by one light. - MD

[@guyp9964]

... 'Sure contrasts with the almost empty stands seen on other short tracks videos on youtube!...

[@horacekellett2527]

Rain rain every day?

[@tylerstowe-holt9711]

1:20 there names are Myers,Brown, and Hill

[@tylerstowe-holt9711]

Roger hill, David hill and hillbilly racing ya know who everyone hates bc James Civali is a yankee

[@tylerstowe-holt9711]

Who?

[@tylerstowe-holt9711]

Nobody likes us anymore bc of how Civali races

[@cam21fr]

15,000 is the front stretch only i think. usually they announce the attendance and its usually around 14,000 or so and thats only the front stretch open. they open the back for big weekends like classic weekend and ISMA and MSA weekend and that holds another 10,000 and that fills for big weekends so big weekends its crazy. but yeah id love to see a race at bowman gray. just never had the chance to do it

[@tomt9543]

There site says 17,000 total seating. That doesn’t include the solid line of spectators that stand behind the concrete wall above the stands! Been going there since 1971, and I’ve never seen any part of the stands “closed”.

[@mrtuttle76]

heck yea i remember them they put on a better show than any of them lol big caddies and buicks,it was awesome

[@FormulaFox]

On dirt I actually prefer Late Models - same reasons I enjoy sprints and modifieds on dirt, but you can see much harder they have to work to throw those things around the track. I like being able to see the effort a driver has to put into racing. That's why I prefer road courses for the most part.

[@JoeONeillVideos]

Hey really nice feature! I have a question about the production aspect. When you are lighting thos pictures, how many lights are there? Say for example the pic at 4:00. Is that 2 lights, one from bottom right hitting background, the other from the left hitting the picture? Also the lighting at 0:54. Is it one light on dimmer hitting the pictures and the other light being tilted up at the trophey? If you could answer those questions I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

[@erich84502ify]

Many want the road-rage, altercations and demolition derby...I mean racing, thats why its packed! Average speed 60mph? I hope it lasts ANOTHER 70 years!

[@RacingRulz]

Maybe NASCAR could add a Camping World East race to Whelen Southern Modified race held each year?? Wouldn't that be cool

[@CurtisBerleuePhotography]

when was this on tv?

[@stitch-xx2oo]

Is this guy at 3:05 still living?

[@FormulaFox]

Didn't see anything about that only being the frontstretch, but even so we probably shouldn't be including "special" events in this matter unless we're gonna try to add up the total attendance of every event at each track and see the overall total. Given the quote was "each week," I don't think it's unreasonable to limit the consideration to the weekly events(given that attendance of annual events will be more down to the event's popularity). >.>.......

[@FormulaFox]

Oswego's Facebook page says "in excess of 15000." Though not exact, it's not at all unreasonable to expect they don't quite reach 17500. Both places filled to capacity, looks like Bowman wins.

[@rockinronny14422]

as a 30yr nascar fan this is what nascar now doesnt get that short track racing is better than cookie cutter big tracks that we have now. thats way long time fans like me are bored to death and would rather have old real nascar racing. not this corp money money crap that we have now. id rather see bristol northwiks thompson than these boring big tracks any day.

[@FormulaFox]

What's the capacity at Oswego compared to Bowman Gray? You can pack the stands anywhere, but if the capacity is too small you're not gonna set any records. That said, it's for this reason that the statement will never be completely true of Bowman Gray. Among short tracks it may be accurate(don't have data on capacity of the multitude of local short tracks to know for certain), but in the big scheme of things, not possible.

[@Savage-bo5gm]

Richard petty one hear

[@cam21fr]

its about 17,500 give or take 1 or 2 thousand

[@sheancarey106]

wrestling ring

[@cam21fr]

they say more people in the stands than anywhere in the country? what about oswego speedway in upstate new york. they PACK the stand on front and backstretch every night.

[@cam21fr]

haha. it just bores me. except the world of outlaw sprint cars. those are exciting as hell

[@FormulaFox]

In that case, I must now track you down, tie you up and throw you in the way of my local track's Modifieds as they take the green to punish you for your blasphemy. :P

[@reddberendes82]

Its not a racetrack

[@dieselscience]

So.. it's a potato... seems legit.

[@cam21fr]

i hate dirt racing lol

[@trentadams5337]

cam21fr it’s not