Just over the hill from Keuka Lake is
Outlaw Speedway in the small Yates County community of Dundee, New York. Drop down another hill a few short miles and you are greeted by Seneca Lake — another of the Finger Lakes — and the village of Watkins Glen, home to the world-famous
Watkins Glen International and the thunder of
NASCAR.
Two lakes.
Two valleys.
Two very different race tracks.
Yet both share something that has long been part of life in the Finger Lakes — a love of speed.
Outlaw Speedway: The Baddest Dirt Track on the Planet
If you have ever stood along the fence at Outlaw Speedway on a summer night, you know dirt track racing is not a quiet sport.
It is loud.
It is gritty.
And it is wonderfully unpredictable.
Nicknamed
“The Baddest Dirt Track on the Planet,” Outlaw Speedway has become a gathering place for racing fans from across the Finger Lakes region. On race nights the small valley outside Dundee fills with the rumble of engines, the smell of fuel, and the sight of cars sliding sideways through the dirt oval.
Unlike paved racing, dirt track drivers rarely take a corner in a straight line. Cars drift through the turns, tires digging into the dirt while drivers fight for position — sometimes running
three or even four wide down the straightaway.
Families fill the grandstands.
Kids press against the railings.
Veteran fans know exactly where to stand to feel the thunder of engines as the pack roars past.
For many local drivers, tracks like Outlaw Speedway are where racing dreams begin.
The Hills That Lead to Watkins Glen
Drive about twenty minutes south from Dundee and the landscape begins to change.
The road winds down toward Seneca Lake, the deepest of the Finger Lakes, and soon the village of Watkins Glen comes into view. Sitting just outside the village is Watkins Glen International, one of the most historic racing venues in North America.
Unlike the clay oval of Dundee, Watkins Glen is a
road course — a twisting ribbon of pavement that loops above Seneca Lake.
But what many visitors don’t realize is that racing in Watkins Glen began long before the modern track was built.
In
1948, the first organized race in Watkins Glen took place on a 6.6-mile road course that ran directly through the village streets.
Drivers raced past houses, stone walls, and farm fields.
The course started near the courthouse, wound through the village, climbed the hill toward what is now the outskirts of town, then dropped back toward the lake before finishing again in the village.
Spectators lined the roads.
Hay bales were stacked along corners for protection.
And the entire town essentially became a racetrack for the afternoon.
This early race — organized by local residents who loved European-style road racing — is what eventually led to the creation of Watkins Glen International.
The permanent racetrack was built a few years later in the hills above town.
During those early races, drivers blasted right up
Franklin Street, the main road running through the heart of Watkins Glen.
Imagine sitting outside a café in the village and watching race cars scream past at racing speed.
That unforgettable image — cars racing through a quiet Finger Lakes village — helped give Watkins Glen its legendary nickname:
“The Birthplace of American Road Racing.”
From Dirt Track Dreams to NASCAR
What makes the Finger Lakes racing scene special is the connection between places like Dundee and Watkins Glen.
Small dirt tracks have long been the training grounds for racing talent. Drivers learn car control on loose surfaces, mastering the art of sliding through corners at high speed.
Those skills translate to larger stages.
More than a few professional racers started their careers on dusty local tracks not so different from Outlaw Speedway.
The journey from dirt track to NASCAR is not always easy — but for many drivers, it begins on a summer night at a small track under the lights.
A Racing Tradition in the Finger Lakes
For a region known for vineyards, quiet lakes, and winding country roads, the Finger Lakes have a surprisingly deep racing heritage.
From the roar of dirt modifieds in Dundee…
to the international prestige of Watkins Glen…
Speed has always had a home here.
And if you listen carefully on a summer evening around Keuka Lake, you might just hear the distant rumble of engines rolling through the hills — a reminder that just over the next ridge, someone is chasing the checkered flag.
OUTLAW SPEEDWAY, LLC
82 Main Stree
Dundee, NY 1483
P:(607)678-4044
E:OutlawSpeedwayLLC@gmail.com
A Keuka Roots Closing Note
Around Keuka Lake, stories are often told through vineyards, steamboats, and village streets.
But sometimes they are written in tire tracks across a dirt oval…
or in the echo of engines rolling through the hills between Keuka and Seneca Lake.
From Dundee’s Outlaw Speedway to the legendary curves of Watkins Glen, the Finger Lakes have always had a need for speed.
And for the fans gathered along fences and grandstands every summer night, that thrill never fades.
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka. 🌿
