About

History

Oyster Bed Speedway is Prince Edward Island’s premier stock car racing facility. Located in Oyster Bed Bridge, 15 minutes north of P.E.I.’s capital city of Charlottetown and 40 minutes northeast of the Confederation Bridge, the province’s only paved stock car racing oval has been operating since 1985.

The property is formerly known as Raceway Park. Originally, the property featured a drag strip, built in 1971 and sold in 2018; it now operates as a campground separate from the facility called Route 6 Ranch. The entire operation was bought in 1980 by Kevin Power, Merrill Cronin, and Doug Young. In 1984, after an act of arson on the drag building, Power and Cronin expanded the property by building a quarter-mile (1/4) dirt oval at the end of the drag strip. In the spring of 1985, opening night attracted over 2,000 spectators.

In 1987, the track received multiple upgrades, including safer walls, expanded seating, improved lighting, and a paved racing surface. Since then, Oyster Bed Speedway has hosted weekly and biweekly stock car racing every year (except 2020, COVID-19), with thousands of Island and Maritime spectators taking in the high-octane action each year.

In 2010, the track was sold to a new ownership group which included Robbie MacLean, Gary Ford, Chris Hucz, and Bill Kinney. In 2022, Kinney sold his facility shares to 2021 Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee and former track champion Kris Fournier.

In 2025, the track will celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Track Facts

Oyster Bed Speedway’s racing season runs from mid-May until early September and features, on average, 11 events per year. The annual marquee events include the Victoria Day Weekend Season Opener and Demolition Derby in May, and the Labour Day Stock Car Races and Demolition Derby in September.

The track currently sanctions seven stock car racing divisions – Beginner Bandolero, Outlaw Bandolero, Legends, Bomber, Mini Stock, Honda Outlaw, and Street Stock – and hosts five regional tours – Maritime Pro Stock Tour, Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series, Maritime League of Legends, Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics, and Ahead of the Rest Mini Stock Challenge.

Facilities

Main parking lot with free camping (no services) behind Turns 3 & 4.

Pit area behind frontstretch grandstands, tower complex, bathrooms, and canteen.

Tower complex features a lobby, offices, bathrooms (inside and outside), merchandise booth, and scoring tower.

Three grandstand areas (frontstretch, backstretch, Turn 3).

Bathrooms (bottom of tower complex + separate permanent facility) and canteen behind main grandstands. Between the canteen and front gates will be, on occasion and depending on the event, a display booth and/or bouncy castles.

Fencing around the entire track except for between Turns 1 & 2 where cars enter the track.

Pits are located on outside of track surface behind the frontstretch. Track entry is outside Turn 1 and between Turns 1 & 2. Track exit is along the frontstretch and outside Turn 1. Cement pads are available on a first come, first serve basis – for special events, they are usually reserved for regional tour teams.

Pit entry for all requires the completion of an electronic e-waiver, which is valid for the year it is signed. Please have it completed and ready to show at the pit gate for every event to avoid delays and congestion. Fans who wish to gain pit access must park in the main parking lot – parking behind the tower complex is for staff only.

Facility images are available at the bottom of the page.

Seating

Available on the frontstretch, backstretch, or Turn 3. People with wheelchairs are permitted to drive through the front gates, behind Turns 3 & 4, and park in front of the fence at the entrance to Turn 3 – lights must be turned off at all times. Standing room available in Turns 3 & 4.

Parking

Free parking available in the main parking lot and along the edges of the lane between track entrance and pit gates.

Average distance from notable Maritime locations

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island – 27-28 min, 22-23 km

Summerside, Prince Edward Island – 45-50 min, 55-58 km

Confederation Bridge – 43-44 min, 52-53 km

Moncton, New Brunswick – 1 hr 52 min, 161 km

Miramichi, New Brunswick – 3 hr, 260-270 km

Fredericton, New Brunswick – 3 hr 30 min, 330-340 km

Truro, Nova Scotia (by bridge) – 2 hr 35 min, 232 km

Halifax, Nova Scotia (by bridge) – 3 hr 30 min, 325-330 km

Sydney, Nova Scotia (by bridge) – 5 hr 40 min, 530-540 km