Every Saturday night, from April through September, the serene Southern Wisconsin countryside thunders with the racing action at Jefferson Speedway. Nestled in the rolling farm land of Jefferson County, Wisconsin’s Action Track boasts a long history of close, fast paced racing action.
Starting life as a quarter mile dirt track, in 1952, with little but cornfields for boundaries, this track has been the home of Saturday night Racers, and fans, for many years. Over the years there have been many improvements. The track was paved, as a small quarter mile, with 6 degree banking at both ends, in 1964. The walls have progressed from cornfields, to guardrails to back-filled reinforced concrete, by 1981. The 1983 season saw the appearance of the tall yellow scoring tower, which served through the 1989 season.
In 1990, turns 3 and 4 were extended, making the track a true quarter mile around the center line. The extended turns were graced with progressive 6, 9 and 12 degree banking, while turns 1 and 2 remained unchanged, at the original 6 degrees. This unique configuration added a challenging element to the track, which continues to treat fans to close racing action. This reconfiguration also had the effect of moving the Start/Finish line, making the yellow tower obsolete.
After one season of scoring from the infield, a new scoring tower was constructed, aligned with the new start/finish line, in 1991. The old yellow tower now serves as an observation area for VIP, and other groups.
During the 2000 racing season, turn 3 was adorned with a new electronic scoreboard and message board, to aid fans in tracking their favorite drivers, during the course of a race.
During the off season, this year, a new pavilion was erected, behind the turn 1 grandstands, to provide a shaded area for sponsored picnics, etc. Every Saturday night a full field of Late Model, Sportsman, International (4 cylinder) and Hobby Stocks, compete for bragging rights, season points and weekly prize money.
The “Bandit,” pure stock, front wheel drive, 4 cylinder class, was introduced, as an entry level racing division, in the 2001 season. These guys have added a valuable element to Jefferson Speedway’s regular saturday night program. This division, for safety reasons, does not use the sweeping turns 3 & 4, but rather use the infield cut-across, at that end of the track.
The Bandits have proved to be a great place to start, for those who feel the “Need for Speed” but don’t want to commit a great deal of time and money to get started. This division has grown, every year, since their start, in 2001.
