Site of Cloverleaf Raceway

USA / Ohio / Garfield Heights /
 historical layer / disappeared object  Add category
 Upload a photo
Used to be Cloverleaf Raceway. Closed due to driver death in the early 90's. Week previous to driver's death was a massive demolition derby involving cars, motorcycles, boats, school buses, and even semi trucks without trailers. Owner never filled in man made lake on the in field and the driver had a heart attack and drove straight into it. He was submerged for 45 mins. I will always remember that night.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   41°24'41"N   81°37'36"W

Comments

  • Cloverleaf Speedway was not closed due to a driver's death. Yes, a driver did suffer a massive heart attack during a heat race and plunged into the pool. His body was retreived by a Special Forces medic was an employee of the track in short order, not 45 minutes. The track closed because ownerns L&M Properties had sold the property to the Allega Concrete Company that sat right next to the track and had tried for years to acquire the property for the expansion of their business. Very little of the information you have posted is correct and I suggest whoever wrote it to do his homework and not make up things as he goes along.
  • In the writer's defense, this rumor was pretty prevalent at that time. This was the story many of us heard. While you are correct that he should have done his homework, I have to say that he didn't make this up.
  • that almost sounds rediculous that it closed due to 1 death. Participants dies at race venues all of the time, remember the old cloverleaf radio commercials?
  • Drove into the pond/lake,, who has a pond/lake at a circle track
  • The driver was my Dad. He did have a heart attack, but that was not cause of death. Water filled his lungs. And it was in the feature race, with two laps to go.
  • I was at the big demonstration derby, but missed the event with the tragic death. The info I remember hearing was that the track wasn't insured. The owners made a quick exit dumping the property to Allega.
  • Show all comments
This article was last modified 10 years ago