Crowds watch the action at the Cedar Mills Speedway in the 1990’s
When I was young, I spent countless weekends at the Cedar Mills International Speedway. My dad and uncle both raced there for years. So, for many summers it was a part of my weekly routine.
Located in Pomeroy Ridge, roughly 20 minutes outside of St. Stephen, the track served as a community hub for around half a decade in the 90’s. First opened in 1990 as a dirt track, it was quickly upgraded to a paved track the following year after quickly becoming a popular spot for locals. The 1/4 mile oval track offered some fast-paced action with tight turns.
My dad’s racecar
The track hosted both stock car and sportsman division races. My father, Dave Morrow, raced in the stock division under the number 8 on the hood. I remember even getting to hit the track myself with him a couple of times, for a victory lap. I’m sure many others in our community share similar memories, in addition to the countless groups of friends and family that came together each week to work on cars, make signs to cheer on their favourite racers, or just discuss the season around the kitchen table.
Of course, being only around 8 years old when the speedway opened, the races alone weren’t always enough to hold my attention – even with family participating. I can remember much of my time being spent playing under the bleachers, or around the grounds with many of the other kids in attendance. And there of course, was also a fully functional and stocked canteen, where you could get everything from pop and chips, to hot take-out meals! You might have even seen Jo-Jo the Clown there, making balloon animals!
Many of you may also remember one infamous summer in the early 90’s, when Charlotte County seemed to be inundated with hornets the entire summer – including at the speedway! But that didn’t stop the crowds from coming out. I vividly remember my cousin getting a particularly painful sting inside his mouth, when a hornet crawled inside his pop can at the track, without him noticing.
A Cedar Mills trophy I’ve kept all these years
Sadly, the track saw a decline in popularity that matched its rise and closed by 1996. During its final year in operation, the name was briefly changed to The Pomeroy Ridge International Speedway. Today, the old oval track still remains, although heavily cracked, as do some of the scattered remnants of the raceway. Quiet now and slowly being reclaimed by nature, one would hardly know that three decades ago, it was a bustling hub of activity.
