Jungle Park Speedway historic marker • Bloomingdale Indiana
Jungle Park
Few race tracks in America possessed the renown, mystique, and sense of awe as Jungle Park Speedway. Carved from the dense Indiana woods in 1926, by Earl Padgett, the half mile track soon became a hotbed for Midwest racing, attracting drivers that would become icons of the sport. Indianapolis 500 winners, Mauri Rose, Wilbur Shaw, George Robson, and Bill Holland competed here, as did notables like Dutch Baumann, Tony Bettenhausen, Bob Carey, and Duke Nalon. After WWI, Jungle Park racing resumed at a frenetic pace under new owners Ralph Jordan and Lawrence Woody. Cliff Griffith won an amazing nine features, as fans by the thousands flocked to the picturesque Parke County track. Racing ceased at Jungle Park in the mid-1960’s, and ownership changed hands when Charles Sentman purchased it in 1971. Today the Sentman family remains the caretakers of this historic facility, preserving its legacy for generations to come.
A State of Indiana Bicentennial Project
Indiana Racing Memorial Association
www.indianaracing.org
Rights Managed original photography
17jung13/17jung14 | ©2017 David Allio