June 26, 2005 Hialeah Speedway Sadly Announces Final Night of Action by Marty Little HIALEAH, Fla. - Famed Hialeah Speedway will present its final ever race card on Saturday night August 13 after which the 51 year-old oval will make way for commercial development. Opened in July 1954 under the management of the Greater Miami Racing Association, the flat third-mile speedway has hosted weekly racing action without interruption ever since. GMRA fell on hard times in 1995 but a succession of promoters have kept the only remaining short track in Southeast Florida going with increased difficulty. Sagging crowds and car counts have reduced the once proud and successful facility to just another of the many failing motorsports venues nationwide. It will be the fifth short oval in Florida to close in the last 14 months. Several sanctioning bodies including USAC, NESMRA, All Pro, Florida Pro, USA, TBARA and Hooters have presented events at the Miami area oval over the years and drivers such as Bobby and Donnie Allison, Gil Hearne, Bobby Brack, Gary Balough, Dick Anderson and Mario Gosselin all got their start at the venerable speed plant. Visit the track web site at www.hialeahspeedway.com or call 305.821.6644 for more information. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! <news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!