World of F.E.A.R Figure-8 (Abandoned)

The spectators gather, drinks in hand and the engines roar to life. Brave warriors with their metal steeds take position and the flag drops. Let the CARnage begin! There’s the acrid smell of grease and stinking exhaust, the sequel of tires, the sickening sound of tearing metal followed by shrieks of joy from the grandstand. This is the the World of F.E.A.R. Figure-8 and the air is electric.

The track closed many years before this visit in 2015, but we’ll show you what remained at the time. This is an old post lost to a recent website crash and rather than restore from a backup verbatim, it’s been given a make-over and presented as new. It’s been tidied up, there’s more up to date information but the original photos have been be reused. They were not shot on the best camera, but that’s how it goes.

Picture it! Ancient autos, once someone’s pride and joy but now near unrecognisable franken-cars perfectly at home in the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max. They duke it out gladiator style and it’s a fight to the death on four wheels. Screeech…crash…CARmageddon baby! It’s a giant jacked up truck load of low brow fun for the whole family. They’ll sell you the whole seat, but you’ll only need the edge!!!! <-- Generic speedway tagline.

The crowds are gone and the track silent on our visit. By this point it had been quiet for a while. Raceways are a dying breed and here, another one bites the dust. This site has mostly been demolished since this visit but a few things remain (the track and one building). It’s on private land and the Team visited with permission.

This racetrack in southern Alberta remained in business from 1996 and until sometime in the 2000s. It’s believed 2007 or 2008 season may have been the last, although some folks say it closed earlier. Data is sparse and old memories are sometimes cloudy.

If it means anything, the still extant website (as of 2024-12-02) had its last update for the 2002 racing season. Google earth images from 2007 show the site looking quite intact, but captured in the off-season (snow) and therefore it’s hard to tell the status. The previous set of images are from 2002 and show the track clearing is use. Searching for old ads or online mentions didn’t help confirm which date, so we’ll concede that it could be either.

In auto racing, the figure-eight form is not odd, but that here it’s so small (1/8th mile – couple hundred metres) and incredibly tight makes it different. That it’s a dedicated track and not incorporated into a larger racing oval or part of a larger venue, is similarly unusual. Absolutely, it’s a specialized and unique racetrack.

F.E.A.R = Figure Eight Auto Racing and no doubt fear is also what most drivers felt upon seeing what they were up against. Officially the track used the moniker “World of F.E.A.R”.

To win means inflicting damage to others (if you so choose), while avoiding it yourself and coming in first for the win. Dog eat dog…think Deerfoot on a Friday afternoon rush hour. It’s part demolition derby and a game of keep away combined. A simple concept really, yet wonderfully entertaining.

You could hit and be hit anywhere, but the crossover is where the major damage could happen. Still, hitting someone could disable your own car, so it was a risk. It often paid to avoid contact and adjust speed accordingly. The short track meant fast paced action and drivers had to be on the ball at all times.

This layout proved equally thrilling for both drivers and spectators.

Once a car became disabled it’d be game over and drivers took a beating just like their rides. Bruises, abrasions and rattled brains must have been all too common an occurrence. Based on old photos, it looks like the track got wetted-down at times and this added to the excitement.

Many of the cars participating at an event would be older full-sized body-on-frame American models from the 1980s and earlier. The website stated they must be post-1962 however. They also ran separate races for smaller cars and trucks as well. Vehicles would be fairly stock but were all modified in regards to safety (addition of roll bars, removal of some glass, etc).

This is an economical way to get out and have tons of fun! Hook up with a cheap stock car and add the safety equipment required and burn around the dreaded figure-eight track at the World of F.E.A.R. – track website.

Most were old worn out beaters already destined for the scrap yard, but temporarily diverted to the track for a final hurrah. They’d be painted up rather garishly but according to the track website it was a rule of sorts.

In addition to figure-eight racing, mud bogs and even traditional style demolition derby events were held here. Old photos found during research show the venue seemed reasonably well patronized. Drivers, of course, were all amateurs (not like figure-eight racing is a paying career choice), mostly local (presumably) and generally of…well…the good-ol’-boy persuasion. We’re in that club too.

The racetrack had its own website, a Geocities-esque special hosted on Angelfire. Recall, it’s still up! Link below. It’s garish, but of the era, with lots of bright colours, flashing lights and animated gifs. So 1990s…and a time capsule of memories.

An attempt to bolster the business with the addition of a drag-strip (called Tailwind Speedway) was attempted in the 2000s. They did some grading work, but that’s about it.

First thoughts: we’re immediately struck by just how small and tight the figure-eight track is. It’s narrow, has a tight radius and some modest banking on the curves. One bleacher provided space for perhaps a hundred or two spectators. A small concession building, the “Pit Stop” and the World of F.E.A.R track offices were located further back.

More about this from a reader…

My late Grandfather Charles (Dick) Wills Opened this track. I was 16 when this place open. It would have been 1996. We got the grandstands out of the Canons baseball stadium in Calgary when they were renovating, also the concession building from an old mini golf/bumper boat place that had closed. He only ran it for one year and then was sold. The place was great fun!!! – Steven Wills April 2019.

Racetracks were often of a cobbled-together nature and had to be done on the cheap. They’re driven by passion more than anything else and even if backed by all the money in the world, it’s doubtful they could do better business. Race fans expect and accept this casual, dollar-store approach.

A portable work-camp type trailer we believe may have functioned as a bunk house for visiting drivers and sure looks the part. There’s rooms with beds and such. Out back is the remains of an old and large trailer. It looks like it’s been here for some time and while no one we spoke with knew it’s origins exactly, some suggested it was a home for an on-site caretaker.

The large field to the north and east was for parking and also appeared to be used for event camping too. We think the mud bog track was somewhere out that way too but we didn’t see anything obvious.

There was lots of junk scattered about the World of F.E.A.R. site on our visit and many cast-off were reminders of better times at the track. Many, many helmets were seen, go figure (eight), as were other auto related things. Memorabilia and the like. There’s a price list for beer (cheap) and some flyers for events that took place long, long ago.

The grass had taken over and could be knee deep in places. The track surface looks fairly intact, but everything else was either broken, run down and/or vandalized. The aborted prep-work for the drag-strip could be seen to the north and with nature already reclaiming the disturbed ground.

There used to be a catch net in between the track and stands at this facility. Good to keep flying parts from taking out spectators and it’s bad for business you know. A low crash wall to which it attached remains.

Small town racetracks were once reasonably common in Western Canada post World War Two and every region had one it seems. Or many. In big cities there might be lots. This author can think of some attended back in the 1980s – racing events in Cranbrook BC for example – Cranbrook International Speedway, aka Echo Field and it closed sometime in the 2000s. It was the thing to do with friends on a warm summer’s weekend and seemed quite popular at the time.

Many speedways, raceways, or racetracks (pick your favourite term) shut down in the 1990s to 2000s period and were victims of a changing demographic. No doubt many other factors were in play, on both a broad and local scale. Insurance issues? Dangerous stuff like this makes those firms nervous. Noise complaints? Cash flow problems? Likely yes to some at least.

We leave, reluctantly of course, and a bit melancholy on seeing its state at the time. Once a venue of fun, excitement and with so much noise and now it’s eerily quiet. It’s enough to make anyone reflect perhaps and be overwhelmed by a bittersweet sense of nostalgia. We used to go to race tracks just like this – says everyone.

We’ve not been back to the World of F.E.A.R Figure-8 since, but have witnessed its slow decline when viewing it off in the distance from the highway. The stands are gone and only one small building remains that we can see. The place is slowly vanishing and perhaps soon only a memory.

It’s too late, but what we wouldn’t do to catch one last race here – for old time’s sake. Grab a cooler – it’s $4.50 – and come join us in the stands. My money is on #69…

Know more about forgotten race tracks in this country (new tab): Lost Speedways in Canada and know more about this track (also new tab): World of F.E.A.R. Figure-8.

They’re saying…

“Chris and Connie have a unique way of documenting the places they visit, not copying the style or technique of others, but making it their own.” Alex Craig, Filmmaker.

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Date of adventure: November, 2015.
Location: Southern Alberta.
Article references and thanks: The Landowners, Google Earth images, World of F.E.A.R. website, Kyle Rizok and some knowledgeable folks at the CanadianRacer.com website.

At the closed World of F.E.A.R. racetrack (2015).

The layout was a tight figure-8.

From the centre of the X and looking back at the stands.

Looking out over the property.

This view shows the compact nature of the track well.

No smoking.

Seating for maybe a hundred or two.

Local attractions.

At the fringe of the property.

It’s suggested it many have been a home for the site caretaker.

The portholes tell us it’s an old trailer.

For rent – cheap!

This work-camp trailer had beds inside.

Beer + a little CARnage = a good time.

The Pit Stop Concession.

A peek into the snack bar.

Inside the work-camp trailer.

A place to crash?