Searching Google Earth For Old Race Tracks Is Our New Favorite Rabbit Hole

Once upon a time, the only way to explore the world was to actually explore it. Sadly, we can't spend our entire lives road-tripping for cool things to see, and even if we could, some places aren't easily spotted at ground level. For example, who knew there were remains of a quarter-mile drag strip hidden by trees in the suburbs of Chicago? We know, thanks to Google Earth. And now, you know too.

Before we go any further, consider yourself warned. What follows could lead to one of the biggest rabbit holes of your life, especially if you hold even a slight interest in cars and racing. Some folks in the Google Earth, Structure, and Anomalies Facebook Group tipped us off to this motorsport-themed virtual adventure of finding old race tracks, and you know what? Searching for these places is as addicting as deep-fried cocaine.

Oval horse tracks are pretty common and they're sometimes mistaken for old car haunts. But there are some locations that, without question, once enjoyed the sounds of engines and the smell of race fuel. We could spend years searching for them all, but since that's not practical, join us for a short Google Earth tour. And once you're addicted (and you will be), jump into the comments with photos and coordinates of old tracks you find.

For now, here are a few to whet your appetite.

Track: Brooklands
Location: Weybridge, England
Coordinates: 51°19'16"N 0°25'47"W

Arguably the most famous ghost track in the world, the last race at Brooklands took place in 1939 (excluding James May's Scalextric slot car tomfoolery in 2009) but portions of the steeply banked oval still exist today. For that matter, much of the original layout shows through from the air despite considerable development at the site since its glory days.

Track: Mid-America Raceway
Location: Wentzville, Missouri USA
Coordinates: 38°50'48"N 90°54'57"W

This is the track that piqued our interest, recently shared by David Williams in the Google Earth, Structures, and Anomalies Facebook group. Once a 2.8-mile road course with a drag strip, the track closed in 2004 and is now a sprawling subdivision. The southern end of the track is gone, but at the top of the photo, you can see portions of the