Formerly located along the south side of Oak Point Highway between the Canadian Pacific Railway main line and the foot of Selkirk Avenue, in the Town of Brooklands, later part of Winnipeg, was a one-quarter mile dirt oval automobile racing track known as the Brooklands Speedway. It was established in 1953 by owner William “Bill” Henkel as part of the Winnipeg Racing Assocation after a falling-out with the operators of the Whittier Park Speedway. The original grandstands came from Sherburn Park.
In 1954, the track was widened by seven feet on the straights, the corners were banked and widened by 14 feet, the track was asphalted with a base of 1,400 yards of gravel, the 20-acre parking lot was resurfaced, and new washrooms and running water were installed, all at a total cost of about $25,000.
It continued to be operated until the end of the 1973 racing season and, in early 1974, the track and land was sold to the Motorways Trucking Company.
In late 2024, it was announced that a new North End Garage for Winnipeg Transit will be built here, replacing a garage at Main and Matheson. At the time of a 2025 site visit, the former racetrack was a grass field with only part of the paved parking lot and some concrete remnants still visible.
Brooklands Speedway (1967)
Source: Canadian Racer - Track Database
Aerial view of the former Brooklands Speedway (May 2025)
Source: Jordan Makichuk
Aerial view of the former Brooklands Speedway (May 2025)
Source: Jordan MakichukSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.92989, W97.21314
denoted by symbol on the map above
“Meanwhile at the Brooklands Speedway, straight stock car racing was the order of the day,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 July 1953, page 27.
“All action at Brooklands Speedway,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 April 1954, page 27.
“More than 2,500 fans thronged to the Brooklands Speedway Friday,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 August 1954, page 21.
“Winnipeg Transit may scale back scope of new garage after projected cost rises $105M,” CBC News, 6 September 2024.
Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta.
Brooklands Speedway, Canadian Race Track Database.
Property Assessment Details [100 Oak Point Highway], Winnipeg Assessment and Taxation.
This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk.
Page revised: 19 May 2025
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