ABOUT US

HISTORY

Kawartha Downs and Speedway first sprang to life as an idea by Peterborough county horsemen who in the late 1960's wanted to build a new venue to race harness horses.  They got together and purchased a tract of land just outside the city of Peterborough in the rural farming community of Fraserville.  Construction started in early 1970 and the grand opening of Ontario’s newest 5/8 mile racetrack was held July 1972 and was immediately a success hosting races year round.   Kawartha Downs is well known as the place that launched many great careers of both horses and horsemen.

In 1988 the current owner Mr.Harvey Ambrose purchased the track with a vision that included a commitment to horse racing and to expand the facilities usage to attract a wide range of visitors and make it a must stop for anyone living in the area and for the thousands who vacation in the Kawarthas annually.

His plans included the building of the current 3/8 mile paved oval known as Kawartha Speedway located inside of the horse racing track, which was built in 1999 and has provided the car racing fan with lots of excitement and has received many accolades from the motorsport community as being one of the premier Speedways in the country. During the season the Speedway plays host to many featured events including the final of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

During 1999 the current Ontario Lottery and Gaming Slot facility opened.  Sharing the building with the racetrack the Slots @ Kawartha Downs features 450 slot machines, a restaurant and hosts many concerts and events.

In 2007 Kawartha Downs and Speedway also built the only paved Soap Box Derby track in Canada, the Gravity Cavity as it is called and each summer plays host to local and regional championships for the youngest members of the racing community.

• KawarthaDowns2013RaceDates.pdf (68.28 KB)

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