Arlington’s Racing Past, On Display Starting Feb. 16 at UTA Libraries

At UTA Libraries, uncovering stories is part of what we do best. This spring, that work has led to one that puts Arlington firmly on the map of American racing history. 
 

Running through March 16 in Special Collections is the “Uncovered Speed: The Legacy of Open-Wheeled Racing in Arlington” mini exhibit.  The new mini exhibit shines a light on a nearly forgotten chapter of the city’s past as the city prepares to welcome the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, on March 13–15.  

A Passion for Racing Sparks Discovery 

 
The exhibit grew out of a mix of curiosity and personal passion. Processing Archivist Erica Rousseau, a lifelong racing fan, began exploring local racing history while thinking about all the attention Arlington has been getting lately. 

 
“I kept hearing how this big race coming to town was being called historic,” Rousseau said. “That made me wonder, has Arlington really never seen open-wheel racing before?” It didn’t take long to find the answer. 

 
Arlington Downs: Horse Track and Auto Racing Track 

 
Rousseau’s research led her to Arlington Downs, a former horse track and auto racing track located less than half a mile from today’s sports and entertainment district.  
 
According to the Texas State Historical Association, Arlington Downs opened Nov. 1, 1929. Built by oilman W.T. Waggoner as a 1¼-mile track with grandstands for about 6,000 spectators, it was an ambitious gamble. Waggoner invested heavily even before pari-mutuel betting was legal in Texas. When betting was legalized in 1933, Arlington Downs quickly became one of the state’s premier racing destinations. 

 
While it began as a horse racing venue, Arlington Downs’ story didn’t end there. After pari-mutuel betting was banned again in 1937 and the property changed hands, the track hosted a variety of events, including rodeos, stock car races, and, most notably, open-wheel auto racing. Between 1947 and 1950, Arlington Downs hosted AAA Championship Racing events, sanctioned by the AAA Contest Board, the organization that helped lay the foundation for modern open-wheel and INDYCAR racing. 

Legendary Driver Ted Horn 

 
Among the standout racers at Arlington Downs was Ted Horn, captured in a striking photograph holding his trophy after winning the AAA Championship. Horn was a force in American open-wheel racing.  

 
The UTA Libraries website states that Horn won the AAA National Championship three years in a row, 1946, 1947 and 1948. Over 71 major races, he notched 24 wins, 12 second-place finishes and 13 third-place finishes. Tragically, his life and career ended at the age of 38 during the final race of the 1948 season at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. 

Horn’s talents extended far beyond Arlington.  

 
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum notes that Horn dominated nearly every track he entered, particularly half-mile dirt tracks, where he claimed more than 80 AAA sprint car victories between 1936 and 1948, including 23 in 1948 alone. He also won the Central States Racing Association sprint car title in 1941 and 1945. While he never won the Indianapolis 500, his record there was remarkable for consistency: nine straight finishes of fourth or better, a pole position in 1947, and 94 laps led over three years.  

 
At the exhibit, visitors can see Horn’s photograph with the Waggoner Cup alongside the original race program from his Arlington Downs victory, a tangible connection to a legendary driver and to Arlington’s place in early American auto racing. 

Hollywood Comes to Arlington Downs 

 
The track even made it to Hollywood. Part of the 1950 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film “To Please a Lady,” starring Clark Gable, was filmed at Arlington Downs, including the dirt track racing scenes, according to the Internet Movie Database.  

Special Collections holds a souvenir program from an MGM sweepstakes for the film, and on it, Gable wrote, “To the race fans in Texas, good luck, Clark Gable.” It’s a fun, tangible reminder that Arlington Downs was more than just a racetrack; it was a place where history, culture, and Hollywood intersected. 

 
Remembering Arlington Downs Today 

 
Today, the Arlington Downs track is gone, replaced by an industrial park at 300 Six Flags Drive, but traces of its past remain. The driveway into the site follows the same path once used by race fans, and a relocated fountain near a historical marker is one of the few visible reminders of what once stood there. A second historical marker stands at 2225 E. Randol Mill Road, in front of the Arlington Downs Town office building, preserving the site’s legacy and connecting today’s Arlington to its racing past. 

What You’ll See at the Exhibit 

 
The exhibit brings that history back to life through photographs, maps and rare materials from UTA Libraries’ collections. Visitors will see images from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, original race-day programs and a detailed map of Arlington Downs. Horn’s photograph and race program are among the highlights, along with the Clark Gable “To Please a Lady” souvenir program, all telling the story of Arlington Downs, its racers and its Hollywood connections. 

 
Visit the Exhibit 

 
Uncovered Speed: The Legacy of Open-Wheeled Racing in Arlington will run from Feb. 16 through March 16 on the sixth floor of the UTA Central Library. Stop by, explore the exhibit, and discover how Arlington’s past and present connect, one turn at a time.