History

Oyster Bed Speedway is Prince Edward Island’s premier stock car racing facility. Located in Oyster Bed Bridge, roughly 20 minutes north of the capital city, Charlottetown, and 40 minutes northeast of the Confederation Bridge, the province’s only paved 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 venue with a drag strip and an oval track, the only one in the Maritimes. The drag strip, once named P.E.I. 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, after several years of great success and having 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 on the grounds, Power and Cronin rebuilt and expanded the facility to include a quarter-mile (1/4) dirt oval, ushering in a new chapter of P.E.I. 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 many successful events, the track received major upgrades, including safer walls, expanded seating, improved lighting, and a paved surface.

Cronin later sold his interest to Power, who operated the entire facility with further success and strong partnerships until 2010, when he sold the oval track to a new ownership group that included Bill Kinney, Robbie MacLean, Gary Ford, and Chris Hucz. They renamed the track from Raceway Park to Oyster Bed Speedway.

Kinney’s shares were later sold to Kris Fournier in 2022. Power continued to operate the drag strip until it was sold in 2018, when it became a campground now known as Route 6 Ranch, which has become a camping hotspot for the Cavendish Beach Music Festival and Sommo Festival.

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 Island and Maritime spectators taking in the high-octane action. In 2025, the track celebrated its 40th anniversary since opening day.

Track Facts

Oyster Bed Speedway’s racing season runs from mid-May until early September, hosting an average of 10-12 events per year.

Notable popular annual events include the Victoria Day Weekend Season Opener and Demolition Derby in May, and the Labour Day Monday Madness Races and Demolition Derby in September. The track’s marquee event (its “Daytona 500”) is the Piston Cup 100, an extended-distance, non-point Street Stock race usually contested at the end of each season.

The track currently sanctions seven (7) stock car racing divisions:

Beginner Bandolero, Outlaw Bandolero, Legends, Bomber (V6), Mini Stock (Domestic 4-Cylinders), Outlaw (Hondas), 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

For the first time in over a decade and a half, on June 27th, 2026, the track will host a monster truck show presented by the Monster Madness & FMX World Tour.

Facilities

Parking – Spectator lot behind Turns 3 & 4 with free camping (no services). Staff-only parking is available behind the scoring tower – fans who purchase a pit pass must park in the spectator lot.

Pit area – Behind the frontstretch facilities, stretching from Turn 1 to the end of the drag strips. Track entry and exit are outside Turn 1. Cement pads are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For special events, they are usually reserved for race teams part of a regional touring series.

Pit entry for all requires completing an electronic e-waiver, valid for the entire year it is signed within. Please have it done and ready to show at the pit gate, along with money, for every event to avoid delays and congestion.

For potential media/VIP guests, please get in touch with us before an event, and we will put you on a list that will be at one of the booths on race day.

Tower complex – Two-level building accessible by stairs at the back. The main level has a VIP lobby and balcony, two offices (one for payouts), and one bathroom. The second level features a scoring tower atop the balcony. Underneath the balcony is a shelter with two shelves and a merchandise booth at the front of the building, and three bathrooms along the side.

The building can be accessed either within the pit area or through a guarded gate alongside the bathrooms.

Seating – Grandstands are located along the frontstretch, backstretch, and Turns 3 and 4 – all general admission. People with wheelchairs are permitted to drive through the front gates and 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 in Turn 4. Fans are permitted to bring lawn chairs to standing areas. For people with pit passes, grandstands are available at the Turn 1 entrance.

Bathrooms – Three at the bottom of and along the side of the tower complex. Two in a separate permanent facility beside the canteen. One on the main level of the tower complex. Multiple portable toilets between Turns 3 and 4.

Fencing – Around the entire track except for between Turns 1 & 2, where cars enter the track.

No alcohol is permitted anywhere on the property. Anybody caught with alcohol will be subject to removal from the facility, with repeated offences resulting in further discipline.

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

Stanhope Cottages – Stanhope

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

Comfort Inn – 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 exit of the roundabout at Oyster Bed Esso to Rustico, and the track sign will pop up on your right.