PART 2: Speedway
Transcript of a Reddit post by u/xband15, real name Connor Hathaway, on the subreddit r/urbextips asking for urban exploration recommendations in the Jackson, TN area.
Note: The original post is still up and can be viewed at the link below. Responses to comments are in bullet points.
Original link to post: https://www.reddit.com/r/urbextips/comments/dcmgyu/any_cool_spots_in_west_tn/
Post contents:
Any cool spots in West TN?
u/xband15 (OP): Ive been wanting to try out urbex for a while now, I live in the Jackson area and have managed to convince a couple of friends to come along with me so I wont be alone (which ive read is the thing to do). I dont know jack shit about any cool spots in my area cause I live in the middle of bumfuck nowhere and not in a normal “urban” setting like the rest of yall. Any suggestions for my first time?
Selected responses:
* u/rivafitness: You could always try the local Toys-R-Us, if you have one near you.
* u/xband15 (OP): want something a bit more exotic if you know what i mean
* u/tatemz: Living in the middle of nowhere was your first mistake.
* u/xband15 (OP): thanks for the help dickhead
* u/ReeferSneakers: This might be what you’re looking for: West Tennessee Speedway - Abandoned South
* u/ReeferSneakers: I have some friends who went there back in April, they didn’t see anything out of the ordinary
* u/xband15 (OP): good 2 hear
* u/rivafitness: Can’t believe I didn’t think of that, holy shit. I’ve definitely seen pics of that place, it’s nuts.
* u/xband15 (OP): oh wow that looks awesome i think my mom told me about that when i was little, she said it was haunted or something like that
* u/xband15 (OP): Thank you guys for the help its much appreciated Ill post a video in the sub later
* u/rivafitness: Looking forward to it!
* u/home_lander1: [comment score below threshold - 3 children]
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Reproduction of a now-deleted article on urban exploration website www.abandonedsouth.com detailing the history of former West Tennessee Speedway in Humboldt, TN:
West Tennessee Speedway
Humboldt, TN
The Crumbling Remains Of One Of NASCAR’s Crown Jewels
By: Carla Watkins
Published: December 17, 2015
Humboldt, Tennessee is a sleepy town, but it wasn’t always that way. Thirty years ago, the small farming community was on the up-and-up after the construction of a state-of-the-art superspeedway in their backyard. However, as times have changed, and as stock car racing has declined in popularity over the years, the West Tennessee Superspeedway has sat abandoned for decades.
NASCAR used to be nationally televised. Crazy, right? That dumb hick sport your grandfather likes to watch on his local public-access station used to vye with the likes of the NFL and NBA for prime-time viewership in the late 1980s. And no two drivers drove those numbers up like Matthew Rogers and Johnny Carbondale.
It was a classic tale of the old vs. the young. Heading into the end of the season, each driver had traded winning streaks, letting almost no one steal their respective thunder while simultaneously proving their utter dominance of the sport.
Stranger still was the overall career arc of Rogers himself, who had spent most of his time as a Winston Cup competitor filling out the middle of the pack, occasionally winning a race or two but never coming close to the championship. He was getting old, pushing fifty, and looked to be close to retirement at the beginning of the 1989 season. Yet during the 1989 season, he was suddenly competing at the same level as Johnny Carbondale, a young driving prodigy who looked to have a long and illustrious career in front of him.
To all outside observers, it was as if Rogers had suddenly changed from a field-filler to a world-class driver overnight. There were murmurs of steroids. There were murmurs of illegal car modifications. There were murmurs of just about everything under the sun. It did nothing to detract from his incredible season.
The two men were locked in a bitter rivalry for the whole season, and it came to a head in a way nobody could have possibly expected.
I’m not a racing fan, and even I’ve heard about the aptly-named “Crash Heard ‘Round the World.”
It was a national scandal at the time and it’s still one of the most talked-about wrecks in motorsports history. The crash has become taboo to even talk about it to some racing fans, and some would say it contributed to NASCAR’s continual downward spiral.
In the last lap of the JCO Auto Parts 500, the penultimate race of the 1989 NASCAR season, Rogers’ fuel tank ruptured while duking it out with Carbondale for the lead. This engulfed his car in flames and caused his front left tire to blow, cut by shrapnel from the fuel tank. Rogers was sent careening into the infield wall of Turn 3, where his fuel tank exploded on impact. The driver suffered extensive burns and died shortly after being airlifted to a nearby hospital.
The crash led to a nationwide moral panic over the dangers of the sport, which ultimately forced extensive safety overhauls that crippled the performance of the racecars. This led many fans new and old to drop the sport entirely, and several prominent drivers quit.
Due to the stigma associated with the wreck, the reputation of the West Tennessee Speedway never recovered. After several other notable accidents in later seasons in which several drivers were permanently crippled, it closed its doors in 1995 as part of a series of budget cuts by NASCAR. The speedway remains abandoned to this date and NASCAR lacks the funds to re-open or demolish it.
Even in its abandoned, dilapidated state, racing fans and urban explorers flock from all over to Humboldt, TN to visit the abandoned raceway, and peek into a bygone era of stock car racing.
Directions:
Take I-40 east from Memphis and take Exit 56 towards Brownsville, TN. Follow signs for US-79 northbound until you reach Gadsden. From there, take a left on Humboldt Lake Rd and continue for a mile. The speedway will be on your right and very hard to miss.
Know before you go:
* Be wary of local police - the former venue has seen some illicit use in the past and at nights the Gibson County Sheriff's Office patrols the area regularly. Go in the daytime if you’re planning to visit unguided, or book a tour in Humboldt.
* Be careful on the grandstands - The wooden platforms have deteriorated over the years and it is strongly advised to not explore the upper decks, as they are no longer structurally sound.
* For the paranormal enthusiast - A faint smell of burning rubber and smoke has been reported in Turn 3 by drivers and visitors alike, giving rise to rumors of ghostly drivers. Although it’s more likely the runoff from a natural gas deposit located below the speedway, it makes for an interesting story nonetheless. Please refer to the first tip when visiting at night.
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Transcript of a video found on the SD card of a camera belonging to Connor Hathaway, recovered by the Gibson County Sheriff's Office on December 1, 2019. The date on the video file is November 26 of the same year.
Note: Connor is accompanied by two friends, whose names were intentionally omitted from the materials we obtained. They will be referred to as “Friend 1” and “Friend 2” throughout the transcript. All subjects in the video are male juveniles.
[The video opens with the camera pointed towards the ground. CONNOR can be heard fiddling with the controls in the background.]
[Suddenly, the camera swings upwards and FRIEND 1 and FRIEND 2 come into frame. They are standing just below the main grandstand area. It’s nighttime; the sky is clear, the moon is full and yellow, and the sound of falling leaves can be heard.]
FRIEND 1: Dude, this is nuts.
[FRIEND 2 chuckles.]
CONNOR: (from behind camera) Yeah man, I know. This place is huge!
FRIEND 1: It was a bitch trying to hop that fence, huh?
FRIEND 2: (far-off) Oh, yeah.
[CONNOR makes an indistinct noise of agreement.]
FRIEND 1: Connor, you sure you don’t mind filming?
CONNOR: Yeah, positive. This camera is my baby, man.
[All stand in silence for a few seconds.]
FRIEND 1: So, how exactly do y’all wanna go about this?
CONNOR: You read the website, right?
FRIEND 1: (cutting him off) Yeah, of course. I’m not stupid.
[He lightly elbows his shoulder. Both chuckle.]
CONNOR: Haven’t seen any cops. Yet.
FRIEND 1: (muttering) Knock on wood.
[Both laugh again.]
FRIEND 2: C’mon guys, cut the bullshit, let’s get inside.
[FRIEND 2 begins walking towards an open gate leading to the track.]
FRIEND 1: Hey XXXXXXX, wait up!
CONNOR: Wait a sec-
[The camera jostles around as CONNOR and FRIEND 1 try to catch up. This continues for roughly a minute before the picture stabilizes again.]
[When the camera comes back to a stable position, we can see the three are on the dilapidated track surface, near Turn 4, looking down the front straightaway.]
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
FRIEND 2: Holy fucking shit.
CONNOR: Damn, I thought it’d be all overgrown and stuff. You could probably still drive a car on this!
FRIEND 1: That’d be one way to get arrested real fast.
CONNOR: I’d just race the cops.
FRIEND 2: In your riced out Civic? Not a chance, my man.
CONNOR: Still faster than your piece of shit Silverado, XXXXXXX.
[FRIEND 2 scoffs, and begins walking out of frame, towards Turn 3.]
FRIEND 1: XXXXXXX, don’t take off, he’s just messing with you!
CONNOR: Let him go. We were gonna go over there anyway, right?
FRIEND 1: Only if y’all wanted to. You’re the one who’s into ghosts and shit.
[They look at each other silently for a few seconds. The look in FRIEND 1’s eyes is hesitant.]
CONNOR: (after much delay) …well?
FRIEND 1: Fine. God, I can’t put up with the two of you.
CONNOR: You know you love us.
FRIEND 1: Sure, man, sure.
[Both begin to walk over, but are cut off by FRIEND 2.]
FRIEND 2: (far-off) Oh my fucking god.
FRIEND 1: (shouting) What is it?
FRIEND 2: There’s a car on fire over here!
CONNOR: (yelling back) Bullshit, where’s the smoke?
FRIEND 2: I’m telling you, there’s a car on fire! Somebody get the fuck over here and help!
FRIEND 1: Connor, let’s go.
CONNOR: He’s probably just fucking with us man, hold up.
[FRIEND 1 is already running off. CONNOR runs to catch up with him, and the camera points towards the ground.]
[FRIEND 1 and CONNOR reach FRIEND 2 in Turn 3, and the camera pans back up towards the infield wall.]
FRIEND 1: No way. No fucking way.
CONNOR: (overlapping) Oh my God.
[Sure enough, there’s a car on fire by the infield wall. CONNOR tries to zoom in on it, but the camera loses focus. While not many clear details can be made out, it’s clearly an older car.]
CONNOR: (whispering) What are we gonna do?
FRIEND 1: I don’t know! What on earth makes you think I know?!
CONNOR: It looks really old. Like, 80s maybe.
FRIEND 2: Do you see anyone inside? I can’t tell.
CONNOR: No XXXXXXX, I can’t! Should we get closer?
FRIEND 1: No, dumbass, we should get out of here, now!
CONNOR: Why isn’t it burning out? It should’ve burned out by now, right?
[All are silent for a few beats. The camera pans back to FRIEND 1. His entire body is shaking.]
FRIEND 1: We have to call the cops.
FRIEND 2: We’ll go to jail too, idiot! We’re trespassing!
CONNOR: Don’t we still need footage anyway?
FRIEND 2: (murmuring) Shit, you’re right.
CONNOR: We don’t even know if there’s someone in there either, so we can rule that out too.
[FRIEND 2 mutters a noise of agreement.]
FRIEND 1: I’m gonna go sit down by the wall, I need a breather.
[FRIEND 1 walks out of frame.]
CONNOR: You wanna go look, XXXXXXX?
FRIEND 2: Sure. Don’t know what else to do.
[CONNOR and FRIEND 2 begin to move closer to the burning vehicle. FRIEND 1 moves out of frame to go sit up by the Turn 3 wall. The only person visible in-frame is FRIEND 2. All are silent for roughly thirty seconds.]
CONNOR: I mean, best case scenario we get some great footage-
FRIEND 2: (cutting him off) Wait a minute.
CONNOR: What?
FRIEND 2: Just stay put. I really hope that’s not what I think it is.
[CONNOR makes an indistinct sound and stops. FRIEND 2 crouches down, and slowly moves closer to the car.]
FRIEND 2: No shot that’s real.
CONNOR: (whispering) What do you see?
[FRIEND 2 stops dead in his tracks and stares at the front of the car.]
FRIEND 2: Connor, we have to call the-
[FRIEND 2 is cut off by the sound of an engine starting. In the background, the car begins to shake rapidly.]
FRIEND 2: What the fuck!?
CONNOR: Run, XXXXXXX!
[CONNOR and FRIEND 2 begin to run away from the burning car. Behind them, the engine begins to rev louder.]
FRIEND 1: (far-off) What the hell’s going on?!
CONNOR: Look, dumbass!
[The camera pans up, and we can see that the car is slowly beginning to drive forward, lighting the infield grass on fire as it moves closer. The scorched metal creaks as it moves, and the engine is so loud it causes the camera’s built-in microphone to clip. FRIEND 1 is back in view, and he appears to be frozen in fear.]
FRIEND 2: Jesus Christ, there’s someone in there.
FRIEND 1: You’re joking. You have to be joking!
CONNOR: I see him now too. Oh God, man.
[The camera zooms in, and a figure is barely visible in the driver’s seat. All fall silent.]
FRIEND 1: (after some delay) What are we gonna do now, guys!?
[There is no response. The car comes to the pavement on Turn 3 and stops. CONNOR is standing directly in front of the burning vehicle, likely trying to get a better shot.]
FRIEND 2: Connor, get out of the fucking way!
[FRIEND 2 is cut off by the engine revving back up. The back tires begin to smoke, then catch fire.]
FRIEND 1: Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.
CONNOR: (overlapping) Oh, no, no, no-
[The car rockets straight towards CONNOR. He tries to get out of the way but is hit by the burning car, sending the camera flying into the air. It comes to rest on an unburnt section of the infield grass, and the revving engine can be heard fading away.]
FRIEND 1: (far-off) Connor!
FRIEND 2: (far-off) Oh fuck.
[CONNOR screams incoherently.]
FRIEND 2: (far-off) Easy, Connor, just breathe with me, in and out.
[Footsteps can be heard, and the camera is picked up by FRIEND 1. He quickly turns the camera down the straightaway.]
FRIEND 2: Turn that thing off, you fucking moron-
FRIEND 1 (cutting him off) Look!
[The burning car is rocketing down the straightaway, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The fire streams from the pavement in all directions, catching the old wooden grandstands and paddocks on fire. CONNOR is still screaming.]
FRIEND 1: XXXXXXX, get Connor off the track!
FRIEND 2: (in the background) Hang on, buddy.
[Struggling noises can be heard in the background.]
FRIEND 1: Hurry!
[The burning car is coming back around and picking up speed. The engine is firing on all cylinders.]
FRIEND 2: XXXX! Fucking help me!
[The car dives down the back straightaway. FRIEND 2 is struggling with CONNOR, who is writhing around in pain. His legs appear to be broken. FRIEND 1 is audibly panicking and does not move to help.]
FRIEND 2: Hold still, Connor! We need to move!
CONNOR: (overlapping) Put me down! Put me-
[All yell as the car hits CONNOR a second time, silencing him. FRIEND 2 is knocked down but not hit, and the fire continues to spread in the car’s wake, igniting him.]
FRIEND 2: XXXX, HELP!
[FRIEND 2 stumbles around and falls over in the grass next to FRIEND 1, catching it on fire as he attempts to put himself out.]
FRIEND 1: XXXXXXX!
[FRIEND 1 runs back up the embankment to avoid the fire, and the camera points towards the ground momentarily. He swings it back up a few seconds later, and we can see that CONNOR’s body is lying in Turn 3, shattered. FRIEND 2 is writhing in the grass.]
[The stadium is on fire. There is nowhere to go.]
[The video ends.]
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Front-page headline & article of The Jackson Sun, November 27, 2019:
West Tennessee Speedway Burns Down Under Mysterious Circumstances, Causing Wildfire
HUMBOLDT, TN - In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, residents of the small towns of Humboldt and Gadsden thirty minutes north of Jackson awoke to a sky filled with fire.
The West Tennessee Speedway, once one of the crown jewels of the Jackson metro area and abandoned since 1995, burned down in the middle of last night, igniting nearby trees and causing a wildfire that continues to burn on the outskirts of Humboldt.
The fire was first reported by concerned residents of Gadsden, a small community roughly two miles south of the former racetrack. When firefighters from Humboldt arrived, they found that the blaze within the stadium was out of control and spreading to nearby trees. Residents of Humboldt and Gadsden were awoken and told to evacuate their homes by local police.
This morning, Governor Haslam declared a state of emergency for the Jackson metropolitan area due to the spread of the fire, advising residents of Gibson, Madison, Carroll, and Crockett Counties to evacuate their homes immediately.
At the time of writing it is not known what caused the fire, nor if there were any fatalities following the initial conflagration. The speedway has seen little activity ever since [See SPEEDWAY, Page 4B]
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Conclusion:
The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee National Guard immediately contacted us following the discovery of Mr. Hathaway’s video. All parties privy to the video’s contents outside of the FBPO were dealt with accordingly. The incident at the speedway was covered up as an arson gone wrong, with the only three fatalities being Connor and his friends, who were all killed in the incident. The remains of the speedway were demolished and converted to pasture in January 2020.
The FBPO has set up hidden cameras and ultramagnetic transceivers in the area surrounding the speedway, and this file will be kept open for ten years in case of any further paranormal activity, per standard FBPO protocol.
As of June 2023, no further paranormal activity has been observed or detected at the site.
Current Incident Status: CO-B (Continue Observation - Benign)