In 1964, Clyde Hart, purchased piece of land just five miles west of New Smyrna Beach, FL and only 12 miles from Daytona International Speedway. Clyde Hart’s plan for the property included a banked half-mile dirt track. It began as Daytona Raceway however just six months later, Hart realized his dirt track didn’t provide the best racing due to the consistency of the dirt. The track was then paved over and eventually the name changed to New Smyrna Speedway. In it’s earlier days, NSS played host to Late Models, Sportsman and even a car known as an Early Model. Today, the track hosts 11 Different divisions including Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Open wheel Modifieds, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Bomber A & B, E-Modifieds, 602 Modifieds, Vintage Cars and Trucks. NSS is still under the direction of the Hart family.
Two years after the opening of the track in 1966, NSS held the first Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. This was originally a four-night race event and now it has grown in to a 9 night premier annual event. Drivers from all over the country come to the legendary local track to compete for nine consecutive nights of action packed racing.
Over the half- century that NSS has been open, the track has welcomed numerous famous NASCAR drivers such as Richie Evans, Donnie, Bobby and Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett, Harry Gant, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson and many others. NSS also welcomes up-and-coming stars like Harrison Burton, Todd Gilliland, William Byron and many others.
NSS is a proud to be a part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, hosting weekly NASCAR grass roots racing from March through Mid November. NSS also plays host to numerous special events throughout the year – such as the Red Eye 50/50, The World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, the Orange Blossom 100, the Clyde Hart Memorial 100, the Hart to Heart Breast Cancer Foundation 100, the Florida Governor’s Cup 200 and much more.
As a small-town, local venue, NSS is heavily involved in the community, Supporting and Welcoming Schools, Local Businesses, Military Organizations, Fraternal Organizations, First Responders as well as other charitable organizations. NSS is proud to support and encourage our youth in racing with Quarter Midget racing (NSQMA) and Go Kart racing at NSS. NSS owner, Jane Hart created the Hart to Heart Breast Cancer Foundation at New Smyrna Speedway, which is a non for profit organization that helps those in the local community battling Cancer.
“If you can win at New Smyrna Speedway, you can win anywhere in the United States.”- Richie Evans