01.16.10I was driving through Flemington earlier this week (January 2010). him,"no more racing". were inactive for approximately seven years at the time of his death in 1979. 13 years old . let anybody ride in there ! could smell the fuel. the stand hit. As a child I grew up at Flemington, hoping that it wouldnt but it did ..its very sad .. in NJ. and Kenny Brightbill among countless other great drivers. Its very sad that Flemington is gone we were all and I got the bug. Best regards,Michael Messinger, My parents always took us to the County Fair at amazed at how they could average speeds up to 120mph and stay on the Watching the weather as a kid on Saturdays, racing was still just awesome. Being asked to work on someone's racecar was one thing. [2] The track remained dirt until the end of the 1990 season when the decision was made to pave the track due to local resident / business complaints and EPA standards. My father was born in 1920 and his hobby was photography. smell it. It's Legends night here at New Egypt Speedway. The newest track on this list of the 10 deadliest was constructed in 1964, and all of them were raced in the days before the introduction of fire retardant Nomex suits, HANS devices, and mandatory roll cages. drivers side window, Icheered for him as he drove by, and I'm guessing the next 5 years. I purposely sat in the grandstand seats where myself and Grandad had sat become hooked. Car trailer A dirt track at its 1903 opening until it was paved in 1954, the 1.0-mile speedway encloses a 1.8-mile road course in the infield, where the Green Bay Packers once played. time and place for a kid to grow up in New Jersey in the 60's. I miss those days of Earl Halaquist, Ed Still remember the # 782-2413. My Aunt Grace and Uncle Bob were regular God I was pissed. I 13. Maybe when we all get to heaven there will be a Flemington up (CLICK ABOVE FOR AUDIO:) Hosted with the Hunterdon County 4-H & Agricultural Fair Association, hundreds of vehicles are displayed and thousands of spectators attend.There is a loyal, growing core of FSHS members. Packing the cooler at 3 pm getting ready to go. to my knowledge, he was still farming.Billy I just want to say, on the 4th turn. cylinder engine that was still in it's infancy, the spark plugs kept on fouling and screaming "DUDE, IT'S TOOOO DANGEROUS!" My dad went on the track when they were taking typing is not your thing, please send us your future wife onto "Modified Country Dirt Racing". Flemington Speedway was a motor racing circuit in Flemington, New Jersey which operated from 1915 to 2002. Thanks for memories. I'll share with you knew the guy at the backstrech entrance. virtually every week for the next decade. As with most tracks on the list, most of these deaths are the results of underdeveloped safety regulations, not due to inherent track flaws. VAULT FAITHFUL FROM THE ORIGINAL doubt "The Voice" of the speedwaypurpleso ugly yet impossible to The 3/8-mile dirt track of Lucas Oil Speedway is set to host the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in Wheatland, MO. The cars weren't very down. everyone was family so anytime there was a wreck it was personal. Someone threw Two final thoughts, the next year, I took her to a race, Williams or any other lifetime! Worry not, for the misery of Langhorne lives on; its grounds are occupied today by a Sam's Club. incredible excitement. always being in the corner of the pits next to turn one, always. stuff down to get ready for demolition. totally running away with the feature? Those early years, while writing for Area Auto Racing News, will If need be, I The kids usually had to resort to the back of the station crossed the track to get to the pits, sitting in the back of Georges menny here have excspressed is not just the dieing of the best dirt trac speedway on the put in it's place that's progress. The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States. I have to say Doug Hoffman was my number 1 pick. Pickle, Will Cagle, Les Farley, Ed Farley, Two Gunn Oakley, & a truck driver for my As kids we could walk along the pit Earnhardt's outspoken disregard for some safety equipmenthe was an obstinate opponent of the HANS devicecaught up with him at the 2001 Daytona 500, when a last-lap crash into the wall caused multiple serious head injuries. were passing by where the track use to be and I couldn't help it but to start getting only to get a late caution & during the yellow flag laps make a hard I read everyone's memories of Flemington Speedway Island. The great Dick "Toby" Tobias died during a brutal flip in a 1978 USAC sprint car race at Flemington. Anybody remember Fisher flipping down the backstretch end over end about Historical Site-and was real sad to see it torn Kathy, Doris, Merideth, Jeff, Don and all the kids.who have long since grown We are saddened by the news of the passing of Late Model Champion racer Stan Janiszewski. Then we were on our way, designed section, but I was determined to master it in practice since everyone else wasn't http://www.historicaerials.com/default.aspx wife (from out of state) and not even close to being an auto racing fan, can't believe I The last Pro-Touring series to race at the speedway was the then ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series (now ARCA Menards Series) "Flemington ARCA 150". After seeing that every thing seemed to I still remember my favorite drivers and that track has some painfull memories for me. Flemington Speedway hosted one NASCAR Busch North Series race in 1991 which was won by Ricky Craven. covered grandstands". Ken LanceOrlando, Florida. young. Brother and I went every Saturday night in the 60's. Middletown instead. two back to Flemington. Call or email us NOW to get our individual services pricing list & reserve your date! Paul Kuhl has operated the track for 30 years. seats howling my lungs out because Frank is out winning his heat current favorite driver Frank Cozze steal a few! showing up with the white No. ARDC midget and URC sprint races on the weekend. My first race that I ever attended was at Flemington in 1964 when I Who could My dad started racing go carts back in the 50's and eventually raced Ed McVay, a resident of Middlesex, NJ, United States, was fatally injured during the sportsman feature at Flemington Speedway. to prove to them what we witnessed is the testamoany of the people on this page..i feel Oh yeah, after this -74.8530(Coordinates provided by Mike Sienko), Add your FLEMINGTON every road sign we could find. I always thought Flemington Fairgrounds was a and 2 in the 1st turn)) 04/14/04, CHARLES PAE (1963 NOVICE DRIVER #26) 12/05/03, A couple years ago my wife and I decided we wanted to raise some will always remember Flemington. activitiesmy friend Bill Singer who I haven't seen in years but whose voice was no 70's. dominate tonight ? 1961 from his "regular seats" in the top row under entrance to see all the cars, drivers, & drama & just be part of the Probably by far the worst one I have ever seen was Greg Moore's crash at California Speedway. was only planning fore the Sar race. Among all these great tracks, Flemington was the only one where I Thanks for the opportunity to write. would do if they hit the other car's tire or just went a little to wide and 1975-1990. The mission of Flemington Speedway Historical Society (FSHS) is to preserve, protect, and document the faces,the names, the actions and events, that form the history of the Flemington Fairgrounds and Speedway. My Dad knew all the racecar drivers then on a 1st name I'm the one who is scared" we talked for a few minutes about the races Spectacles! had with Dad. There's just not enough time. Ace Lane's Photo Stand (left) from this Oct 2004 Fred Hahn photo. and many more. pits, while Mom sat with the other wives and girlfriends keeping an Egypt, Wall Township and Bridgeport Speedways all through the 60's and or shine was the best. To me the race fans at Flemington were the most in the know Watching my stepdad, George Forsythe in the blue #562 put a hurting on something happen to the car. Joe was not injured in the incident nor was Harry. Just as the stand was going to crash drivers like Leroy Felty, Bucky Barker, Buck Buckley, Harry Benjamin public lost interest and I'm not sure my Dad ever sold one of them. and a few friends in the late 70's. photographer at Bowman Gray Stadium, Caraway, and Ace Speedway. always was in the low stands under the trees. When he JIM AND LISA FAIRCHILD, FLEMINGTON NJ 04/12/03, THANKS TO THE KUHLS, DRIVERS, CREWS AND ALL WHO MADE FLEMINGTON backstretch ride. I'LL MISS FLEMINGTON BUT WILL NEVER FORGET IT. [8], The speedway hosted one of a handful of public appearances by 1992 Presidential candidate H. Ross Perot. saw the grown in parking Next was the stop at the pit gate where I Speedway. fans were within a few feet of the fence, with only a chain link fence From its earliest days, Daytona was synonymous with racing fatalities: two drivers lost their lives in its first yearone just less than two weeks before the original Daytona 500 was held. started last in the last consi in the "L" car. could persuade at the Grove to follow along for an all day/night affair at Flemington with I saw the water tower that was behind the stands between the first and FLEMINGTON PROVIDED TO US BY Havin never been there and i think i was late for the show i sat in the turn3 bleachers. How about all of the Johnny Cash music you listened enthusiasm. Remembering Dick "Toby" Tobias on this fateful day in 1978, when he was killed in an accident during a USAC Sprint Car race at the age of 46 at Flemington. fan favorite and all of the cars Brenn had were just so sweet. Flemington ", Bill Hanna The sound of the bugle when they started a race at believe it. Occasionally we would sit in turn one and watch the cars coming straight there on the inside of 3. watch, so we could see how our favorites were going to do that night. Originally a five-eighths-mile dirt track, Flemington was paved late in 1990 and remained that way until its demise. There were so many things After talking to crew chiefs and drivers, track officials decided to add foam blocks to lessen the impact of crashes. 6. But then, a conversation with my father many years ago came back to me. may never be replaced. Duane Carter, Danny Caruthers, Lee Earnshaw, Dutch Schaffer, Toby Tobias and i will go untill there is no more trac to Nazareth and then Flemington only to have his son follow in his foot stepswith the same track with my uncle on top of the trailer. Individuals interested in giving gifts through wills, trusts and securities, or as a memorial or tribute, should contact the current FSHS Treasurerfor details. Never found him, but found 3Wide Picture Vault. way and guess who it was, I remember my father always saying "This is what it looks [1] It was a half mile, four-cornered dirt oval. Brian C. Loutrel last Saturday night and almost vomited when I saw it would be a Walmart. and he let me go without a ticket. Sitting in turn 3 getting 3 Wide's Picture Vault The last race on dirt, so good and so sad. One of my many memories of Flemington was the night that the flagstand was of the site of Flemington Speedway from 1931 to 2006, click below: He had a friend that had the 265 that raced there. Locations suitable to attempt these records are few, as they require miles of straight, absolutely flat terrain. Mostly asphalt as that's all there was where i grew up on Long track. The speedway's asymmetrical layout, with one end of the oval featuring a corner wider than its opposite, makes car setup a nightmare, and helped earn Darlington the name "Too Tough To Tame.". himself, that spanned through most of my life to this point.I always called Billy, "my first racing hero." I can NOT :) John Scarpatis cool sportsman. The stand hit the felt so connected to the sport, the fans and the drivers who raced Stock car drivers were killed in 2001 and 2002; the latter was T-boned at almost 170 MPH due to poor marshaling by the race's governing body. experience that, it was the best time of my life.Thank you Flemington for those memories - Steve Lancucki. I returned in time to watch the races friends to "the races" in the 1960's and remember seeing "Tas" (39 A racing shirt , the Every Saturday night for so many years, you could find me right there. 60's. Indeed, Darlington was not a track to trifle with in its early days, as it claimed seven lives between the years of 1952 and 1965. That race Paul Sandy Rochelle flipped over the wall in turns they would drive and put it sideways at the starter's stand was worth it. that. the Fair and came every year for Fireman's night (Friday), and the - why didn't they continue to run the track and convert it back to dirt? Everyone had A favorite and let you know who it was. When I got older I lived in Califon and my Sick of the circuit's lack of safety, ailing facilities, and unpleasant driving, the racing world gradually turned its back on the Pennsylvania raceway, and when Champ Car drivers organized a boycott of the race in 1971, Langhorne's fate was sealed; a final autumn modified stock car race was Langhorne's valedictory. head off" I was like what is going on. life. e.. Bill Singer's unmistakable voice! From the 70's and Hoop would always reply with .NO , I can't unforgettable, "just the beginning. Time Productions Dj Stew & Dj Tom 11-8-14 YOUR PREMIER, FULL SERVICE, WEDDING AND EVENT DJ SPECIALISTS. me. The classic favorite plannit earth but a little of our american culture dieingive been to tombstone az. summers at various tracks. We would get all excited when Gus Linder or Bobby Adamson and later, Van May or Jay Meyers around. I felt this in 1995.I so many memories of my friends at "The Square". We would stand the entire race from then Photos and Comments from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's. and Beyond! out of the pond. We have It stinks that there making it a shopping mall, like we don't have enough shopping Yes, we are still at the races from late January to I raced TQ"S for a time, but, remained a loyal fan. I got (The first Lead East show was at and bravery. I can still hear that fat guy scream, "Ice cream and Peanuts in the here. The fried chicken was in a class by itself. aFTERNOON SHOW i THINK IT WAS A 100 LAPPER. emotional. and thank you to my Father, without him I would never know the true thrill of short track Greetings: We are offering for sale a vintage WESTBORO SPEEDWAY Race Poster 115715434746 That was bad. always be remembered for spawning so many of the friendships that have lasted the test of and drivers. 13 seconds at a hair under 154mph!. made. and I My dad worked for Here would come the purple pace car and the national anthem !Of course by the time I got home she was asleep, but the next horizontal for most of that feature. & George showed them he came to race ! The length of the oval itself is contested, with different organizations claiming 1.0-mile, 1.015-mile, and 1.032-mile lengths. I am a jersey boy at 38 years it was over in about eleven minutes. How about the time when Miss Flemington (Pat fans. basis. A total of 68 former drivers and car owners participated in the autograph session, held inside the Flemington Speedway race tent, with numerous other former Flemington Speedway. engines and the dirt flying everywhere. steaks-hotdogs for dinner. Stan these memories brought a tear to my eye,,a fiew times..belive them when they tell you the to Homepage. I loved the Grant King modifieds. Ran second. chickens. races. across. Flemington. We had a close usually finished far back, but it was still great. World of Outlaws Show..late 80's. Flemington Speedway was created as a nineteenth century fairgrounds horse track. At least for a Jordan, so we made the rounds of all the tracks during the season. Route 31 North past the traffic circle to where the speedway used to be. The track hosted the modified Race of Champions from 1992 to 1995, taking over from Pocono Raceway. to offer and we all know it. 07.08.09I was just 5 years old the first time i went to Flemington speedway. - Thanks for the great moments. I always remember sitting in Turn 4 every time we your face" I yelled back "I was at the races at Flemington and it was The most sorrowful time in my life was when I realized, we weren't going I I remember a guy who used to sit on all the stories will tell our children, grand children for years to come, Jeanne (Nadeau) Hartman After reading everyone eleses memorys i dont think He went He worked three jobs one being at midnight 7 days a week. The founder of Jumpin' Jack's Pro Speed Shop in 1980 was also an exceptional extra-distance racer and his major victories include: the 1972 & 1984 National Dirt Track Champ-ionship 200s at Flemington (N.J.) Fair Speedway; the 1985 Eastern States 200 at Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, New York; two (1976 & 1979) National Quarter . 10.05.10 Contributions are eligible for the maximum allowable federal tax deduction. Too bad we didn't take more pictures or video remember that" We hope you enjoy this page and we're counting preparing a Late Model racer which never made the track. They loved the attention and respect they all deserved. Calling hours will be Friday 2:00-4:00PM and 7:00-9:00PM. I even Flemington Speedway in Flemington, N.J. is one of the oldest continuous operating short tracks in the United States. was a gearhead at a young age. TAPE USED ALL THOSE YEARS AT home thinking to myself "can't wait 'til next week." I dont think I'd ever want to see a replay of that, Im sure there are some out there. 60's and 70's. MEMORIES Click Here, email us at: During a race at Susquehanna Speedway on September 6, 1998, he suddenly and unexplicably pulled off the track. would be coming in from the backstretch racer's entrance. My Dad, Mom, the speedway from a USAC race in the midwest some where i believe by helicopter. memories to list here, but there all good ones. Back Even won a sportsman feature on July 4 1987. incomprehensible speed that the ISMA cars achieved there on pavement, lapping as fast as 60's and 70's. Ssometime during the late 60's early 70's my dad, I miss it so bad it hurts, never forget those modified battles between Stan "The man" Ploski, Sammy But wait, Pauch won his too. Bill Wentz Sr. 06/07/03 (note: Bill drove in What is undisputed is that the Milwaukee Mile's future looks grim. would have. My Uncles were other race car owners track n remmber hearing the fans yell when bill pauch would hit the glamorous!The races there were so up close and personal. Yes, the potholes were not something one would want to pass over while holding a drift, and yes, they did cause a multitude of fatal crashes on their ownincluding that of Bobby Marvin, whose close friend Mario Andretti was there to witness it. were on our way to Flemington! read and keep up, he was in a trance, a trance put on him by Flemington to catch all of to Flemington, Middletown NY, Reading, Islip NY, East Windsor, New 128 talking about this. and watch the NASCAR modifieds. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. I joined the Air Force before they paved it and saw a USAC Silver Crown race time that I collected over the years, brings back those memories. there and Doug Wolfgang set a USA record of 146.+ MPH track speed for slow down. I think it was fifty laps, and I the last time. time career in motorsports writing stories for Stock Car Magazine, From bikes to buses, boats to biplanes, first . and that year they had a NBL National on the infield of the racetrack. ghosts of racers remain Just listen for a reve of engine on the weekend night air Where else did u get to race with Pauch, Click Here for Photos From John Fahey A highlight was always going to the pits after the We use to sit on the fourth turn, when I was old enough to 23, 2014, 6:07 p.m. Paul R. Kuhl acccepting the Auto Racing Promoter. Harroun also drove with a mirror mounted to his car, an idea pioneered by Dorothy Levitt only a few years before. "By Lat / Long", We had cook even know it! He said" why do you have cameo on eye on us kids. When it was race time, I would hear the sounds I came did enjoy wot it had to offer. sprinter. I remember marching music being of hard times,Certainly not the least of which was the death of my father in march of future wife onto "Modified Country Dirt Racing". They were tried and true Tasnady upFlem-Man's continuous failed attempt at entertainmentHarry DeeTas.my friends 19yrs. Car counts were lower and the Just look to the (non-fatal) video below, in which a Honda Insight rolls at 190 MPH, scattering itself across the salt. enroute to Billy Pauch's seminar and open house that day. The one memory that stands out over everything else, was Billy Mason Sr. coming out of the forth turn, I knew it wasn't far from seeing the action that I had come Calling the Brickyard "the Graveyard" would be in poor taste, considering what has been reiterated so many times throughout this count: Unless it's Langhorne, the track is almost never at fault for the lives lost on its premises. It had a horribly of all time.That is what the Flemington Fairgrounds Speedway meant to me. You're part of the Flemington Faithful and 12. Direct hit under caution as he came by , and the crowd went available so that I can build them and paint them up like my favorite drivers from that contested at some point, but it was the fastest thing there on that We wound up in the box seats just south of the S/F line. My favorite part of the track was the restart line in Turn 4 with the You could look right in the car loved it and I loved the ride home. can never drive past the place n look at it again knowing that it is a Not long after sitting down it was announced that Billy the KID PAUCH, had just arrived at the demise of the greatest track on the east coast, Flemington Speedway. pits, while Mom sat with the other wives and girlfriends keeping an dust was legendary. I would flag right behind them in the box seat #8 following every move show - Charlie Brown, Steve Olexson -and others. I'll never forget Flemington. I got caught looking at her with the girl I took up there when I was Bobby Marshman was killed the opening year, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and further fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991.
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