About
History
Oyster Bed Speedway is Prince Edward Island’s premier stock car racing facility. Located in Oyster Bed Bridge (15 minutes north of PEI’s capital city Charlottetown, 40 minutes northeast of the Confederation Bridge, and 75 minutes northwest of the Wood Islands ferry), the province’s only paved stock car racing oval has been operating since 1985 (1987 with a paved surface).
The property is formerly known as Raceway Park and was once a multi-purpose facility with a drag strip and oval track, the only one in the Maritimes. The drag strip – once called PEI Dragway – opened in 1971, where Mermaid’s Kevin Power raced. In 1981, he bought the facility with James “Merrill” Cronin and Doug Young – the latter had his interest bought out a few years later. In 1984, having found great success and gained respect from local race teams and supporters, the drag building was burned down by arsonists.
Recalling persistent inquiries from the locals about building an oval track, Power and Cronin rebuilt and expanded the facility to include a quarter-mile (1/4) dirt oval track, ushering in a new chapter of PEI stock car racing. The move garnered widespread acclaim and appeal as opening night in 1985 drew in over 2,000 spectators. In 1987, using earnings from the rebuilt facility, the track received major upgrades, including safer walls, expanded seating, improved lighting, and a paved surface.
Cronin later sold his interest to Power, with Power operating the entire facility with further success and many great partnerships until 2010, when he sold the oval track to a new ownership group which included Bill Kinney, Robbie MacLean, Gary Ford, and Chris Hucz – Kinney’s shares were later sold to Kris Fournier in 2022. Power continued to operate the drag strip until it was sold in 2018 and became a campground now known as Route 6 Ranch, which has become a Cavendish Beach Music Festival and Sommo Festival camping staple.
Since the track’s opening in 1985, Oyster Bed Speedway has hosted weekly and biweekly stock car racing events every year – except 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – with thousands of PEI and Maritime spectators taking in the high-octane action each year.
In 2025, the track will celebrate its 40th anniversary since opening day, starting with the annual A&S Scrap Metals Victoria Day Long Weekend Season Opener and Demolition Derby on Sunday, May 18th.
Track Facts
Oyster Bed Speedway’s racing season runs from mid-May until early September and features, on average, 10-12 events per year. The annual marquee events include the Victoria Day Long Weekend Season Opener and Demolition Derby in May, and the Labour Day Monday Stock Car Races and Demolition Derby in September. The annual marquee race is the Piston Cup 100, a $1,250-to-win Street Stock race usually contested around the end of each season.
The track currently sanctions six (6) stock car racing divisions:
Bandolero, Legends, Bomber, Mini Stock, Honda Outlaw, Street Stock
The track currently hosts five (5) regional touring series:
Fort Garry Industries Maritime Pro Stock Tour, Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series, Cross Roads Maritime League of Legends Tour, Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics powered by Kimco, Tim’s Corner Motorsports Bandolero Road Trip
Facilities
Parking – Spectator lot behind Turns 3 & 4 with free camping (no services). Staff-only parking is available behind the scoring tower – fans who pay for pit access must park in the spectator lot.
Pit area – Behind the frontstretch facilities, stretching from Turn 1 to the end of drag strips. Track entry is outside Turn 1 and track exit is along the frontstretch grandstands. Cement pads are available on a first-come, first-serve basis – for special events, they are usually reserved for regional touring series teams.
Pit entry for all requires the completion of an electronic e-waiver, 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.
Tower complex – VIP lobby and balcony + offices and bathroom on the main level, scoring tower at the top level, and merchandise booth and bathrooms at the bottom level.
Seating – Grandstands can be found along the frontstretch, backstretch, Turn 3 entrance, and Turn 4 exit – all general admission. 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 is available between Turns 3 and 4. Grandstands are available at the Turn 1 entrance for people with pit area access.
Bathrooms – At the bottom level of the scoring tower and a separate permanent facility between the scoring tower and canteen.
Fencing – Around the entire track except for between Turns 1 & 2 where cars. Guardrail to the right stretching from victory lane to the Turn 1 entrance.
Facility images are available at the bottom of the page.
Average fastest distance from notable Maritime locations
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island – 28 min, 23.4 km/14.5 mi
Summerside, Prince Edward Island – 44 min, 50.8 km/31.5 mi
Borden Carleton, Prince Edward Island – 43 min, 51.7 km/31 mi
Moncton, New Brunswick – 1 hr 53 min, 161 km/100 mi
Miramichi, New Brunswick – 3 hr, 264 km/164 mi
Fredericton, New Brunswick – 3 hr 30 min, 337 km/209 mi
Truro, Nova Scotia (by bridge) – 2 hr 37 min, 232 km/144 mi
Halifax, Nova Scotia (by bridge) – 3 hr 26 min, 324 km/201 mi
Sydney, Nova Scotia (by bridge) – 5 hr 50 min, 529 km/329 mi
Traveller Info
Tourism PEI – www.tourismpei.com / 1-800-463-4734
Environment Canada (weather) – weather.gc.ca
Hotels & Motels
Brackley Beach North Winds – Brackley Beach
Blackbush Beach Resort – Grand Tracadie
Quality Inn & Suites Garden of the Gulf – Summerside
The Loyalist Country Inn & Conference Centre – Summerside
Fair Isle Motel – Charlottetown Airport
The Rodd Royalty – Charlottetown
Canada’s Best Value Inn & Suites – Charlottetown
Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Charlottetown
Hampton Inn & Suites – Charlottetown
Rodd Charlottetown – Downtown Charlottetown
The Hotel on Pownal – Downtown Charlottetown
Delta Hotels Prince Edward – Downtown Charlottetown
Location
We are located at 4754 Route 6, Oyster Bed Bridge, PE, C1E 0X8. Take the north part of the roundabout at Oyster Bed Esso to Rustico and the track sign will pop up on your right.
