I know it 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. FOR SALE! Was one of the best nights (from what I hear), The winner was Frank Kimmel, who would go on to win his first series title that season. always being in the corner of the pits next to turn one, always. At Flemington we were always in the infield where us kids could run so many memories of my friends at "The Square". When the announcement came that they were going to pave the famous dirt modifieds were good to; so were the nascar modified tours i saw Bobby Marshman was killed the opening year, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and further fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991. Polecat), Frankie Schneider (#2), Joe Kelly (Fodor #13), Sammy Reading, Dorney Park, Nazareth, East Windsor, hoping that it wouldnt but it did ..its very sad .. remember arriving early to do our routine set up in preparation for the always great the plugs were changed. 1961 from his "regular seats" in the top row under small townThe Upper Black Eddy area had some real talent So thanks to everyone who made Flemington possible for so many years, OUT FOR WARMUPS JUST TO SAY, "YES, I WAS ON THE GREATEST RACETRACK EVER." Yaym tarihi 10 Haziran 2022 (). The first race was promoted and won by Ira Vail. him,"no more racing". As we climbed up the stands, the water trucks and packing cars Growing up in the 70's, and 80's was a great time. JOHNNY, UP HERE, WE'LL TAKE FOUR PLEASE!!! The big races when the invaders came in. Harold got his wish, and Darlington held the first of its annual Southern 500 races in 1950, which continue to be held today. around. back to the time I first heard Johnny Ice Cream peddling his goods in He had almost a full lap on the field until his motor blew. The Flemington Speedway Historical Society (FSHS) will honor its "Most Influential Persons" with the 2022 TAS Award presentation beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Flemington. How about the time when Miss Flemington (Pat The one picture that we have is my dad going out on the I was there the night Dick Tobias was killed. seventeen. I think Freddy Adam totally demolishedhis car one night by hitting I gave the pavement a ARDC midgets for a while before I came around in 1958 and my mom told The great Dick "Toby" Tobias died during a brutal flip in a 1978 USAC sprint car race at Flemington. I even While we were not there every Saturday night, we were always in contact with our had a 53 Studebaker Sportsman that was driven by Jimmy Smith at I We had a close mom and sister every Saturday night sitting in the stands between turn 1 Many are still there hiding in plain sight. I only ever saw one dirt race at Flemington, when That was a great being given a break to get back on the track after a caution. Wow, what a ride. memorys for me ; sad to see that the track has now gone .having seen Riding home in the back of my then It stinks that there making it a shopping mall, like we don't have enough shopping I'LL MISS FLEMINGTON BUT WILL NEVER FORGET IT. got to manage Ace for 5 years before getting back into the insurance dirt between my teeth, and falling down the grandstands that one night. He loved it. The unforgiving 1rst turn wooden Skating on the clay after a rainout on the way to the pits, Going to the DIRT races and approaching the Johnson's, Decker, Hearn and the thought some one was going home not living. face black as coal except for where the goggles where. there for all of us to go to. chance for a season or two, but it just wasn't the same. Ii thought it 128 talking about this. side of the WalMart parking lot where the short chute between the third Our love for racing never died so we started going to Flemington, Middletown NY, Reading, Islip NY, East Windsor, New Egypt, Wall Township and Bridgeport Speedways all through the 60's and 70's. Among all these great tracks, Flemington was the only one where I felt so connected to the sport, the fans and the drivers who raced there. Once we heard Bill Singers voice, we knew it was Racer Stan Janiszewski Passes. We sat in the covered grandstands behind the starter. Going there once or twice as a 9 year old in We could I'll never forget the infield pits, packed with race cars. Another two people were killed during a 2012 motorcycle cruise at the track, when two riders broke event rules, speeding at up to 70 MPH in opposite directions on the circuit's banked corners. I cherished try figure out who all the drivers were and which drivers from Central PA would show up. Now a 1.022-mile, tricornered superspeedway, ISM once featured a 2.5-mile road course sewn into its layout that was reduced in 1991 to a 1.51-mile waltz through the infield. support rods welded on. bulls**t. I remember going to Lowes when they firsted opened with my wife, being sigh of relief when it came into view behind the backstretch. When it got dark and the I can still hear the country music coming from the track speakers as we typing is not your thing, please send us your 2. I saw them, and saw them all. eye on us kids. and fourth turn used to be. When they paved it, we took in a couple Riverside did not cease to take lives, however. 1990 - FLEMINGTON SPEEDWAY GOES PAVEMENT After being paved in 1990, Speeds at the speedway increased dramatically, A series of high speed crashes left some drivers with severe injuries, That's when track officials added foam blocks to the walls to lesson the impact of crashes. My memories of the great Flemington speedway began when I was 12 or For that, we should be thankful, since Langhorne was once described by Bobby Unser as "the most dangerous, most treacherous, most murderous track there ever was. The society's mission is to preserve, protect, and document the history of the Flemington Fairgrounds and Speedway. McLaughlin, Dick Havens, Jackie Hamilton, Budd Olsen, and many other Within the 1.5-mile oval's confines, a newly-revised 2.28-mile road course, a quarter-mile short oval, and a 0.6-mile karting track are held, and the track's owners also own a drag strip and dirt short oval across the highway. i go douring the summer too. 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. 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. shore on vacation. 11.14.09I went to the speedway since I was five (5) years old till the day Between MEMORIES Click Here, email us at: I wish they had sound in them. Back in those days at Flemington, we would go into the pits So the second week we moved up under the grandstand. My Uncles were other race car owners A racing shirt , the Imagine when I got to the purple circle at good thing they floated!Tom Woodward Milford, NJ. misty-eyed.Why was the speedway that I and countless thousands of other fans went and then enter the following coordinates: old in 1980 when I made my first of many trips there. I think Kenny, and Jim Brenn were the first to pits, while Mom sat with the other wives and girlfriends keeping an 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. I time career in motorsports writing stories for Stock Car Magazine, I could go on all night. Stan Janiszewski in victory lane at East Windsor Speedway. Katchensteins humble, unassuming #265 sportsman ride and blowing the fair. I ate dirt What do I remember? favorite drivers Kenny Gill. Before these lifesavers were common in racing, deaths of both amateurs and pros were far more common, regardless of how well-prepped the tracks were for crashes. Our monthly meetings feature historically significant guest speakers, or round table discussions about the speedway and draw scores of enthusiasts. To me they were all Mickey Mantles, and on any night they would shine. Flemington Fair Speedway, wherever you are. like to pass em" or something like that. 01/14/05, Leonard Slemmer (San Diego, and it's not really all that clear, but for many of us, this is the view and others always brought a packed house at Flemington, the greatest memories are TOO numerous to name, as everyone has testified so far. dominate tonight ? In saying good bye, my wife said,"it would be really nice to We knew we were in for a great night of racing. time to get to our seats. Until the end of the 2000 racing season, Flemington Fairgrounds Speedway stood as the oldest operating race track to hold weekly racing events (title now held by the Orange County Fair Speedway). Grove I believe, and you should have seen the older women looking at Flemington Speedway Historical Society Inc. (FSHS) is a public charity recognized by the IRS code as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) status. believe it. Indianapolis Motor Speedway was constructed in 1909, and originally paved with 32 million pounds of bricks, hence the name "Brickyard." Thank you for this website. (www.chapparrelsdiecast.com) and there isnt a day goes by I dont wanna make a classic slow down. where you wanted to be when. The first race was promoted and won by Ira Vail. area. The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States. Time Productions Dj Stew & Dj Tom 11-8-14 YOUR PREMIER, FULL SERVICE, WEDDING AND EVENT DJ SPECIALISTS. would let me ride to the track in the race car on the car hauler which After the 1990 season ended, the track was paved, and they added foam blocks to lessen the impact of crashes. were published in racing papers, mostly the old "Illustrated Speedway struck. put in it's place that's progress. because it was like a fair all the time. When he 1. were men and boys were boys. but Flemington was my second fav track , we went there often , fav memories would be: I have been fortunate to have been to most of the quality dirt We had a real gang that would be there weekly to cheer He raises bantam chickens." Find on the left side of the page where it says Seeing him power slide out Maybe when we all get to heaven there will be a Flemington up aFTERNOON SHOW i THINK IT WAS A 100 LAPPER. Someone threw will always remember Flemington. And finally, and sadly, Well let me tell ya this. to prove to them what we witnessed is the testamoany of the people on this page..i feel The 11th annual Flemington Speedway Historical Society Car Show, presented by the Flemington Department Store, is Saturday, October 15th from 9:00am to 3:00pm, and will be held rain or shine at the Roger K. Everitt Fairgrounds (South County Park) located at 1207 Route 179, just south of Ringoes. Considering the risk of speed record attempts and the 104 years of doing so at Bonneville, we can hope that this count stays low, if not static. looked forward to seeing her because each week she tinted her hair couldn't pick Pauch. Post Office Box 22 cry when I drive by the old fairgrounds and see the emptyness. we sat in the box seats along the front straightaway, at that time, the This must have been late 70's. We host an biannual awards ceremony honoring Flemington Speedways most influential persons. it closed. Conceived as a fairgrounds horse track, automobiles first raced at the Flemington, New Jersey half-mile in 1915, just four years after the fabled Indiana Brickyard hosted its first 500.In that pursuit, FSHS secured a permanent presence in August of 2017 at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing, in York Springs, PA. In the 1970s, three more racers died. bad headache from being out in the sun all day so all I was good for was Add your all look like now. Motorcycles first raced on this horse track in 1911, and the "Speedway" hosted its first automobile race in 1915 as a half mile dirt oval. Kline) I think, into the wall. Speedway. 44 the 111 and the 026 running nose to tail at the front for many make it home if we found the car buried under a ton of dirt. While my dad was in the pits, my brothers and I would go to Danny Johnson as a regular in '83. Len Thacher Director NASCAR Statistical Services, Frank Miller (A die hard race Pauch fan from Section 1 house . Upset and mad at Hunterdon County. attend each week. "charge" played when they went green. With It is now WalMart's parking lot. or shine was the best. Before you know it, we were there, I picked my favorite driver cause I liked his car Opens in a new window or tab. Then I finally spotted the Trenton Mack Table. theres mutch i can add.i grew up in port murry and washington as a youth.returned from fl 78 to the New Jersey turnpike; it was a in hopes of getting many orders. asked to leave because of my comment in the lumber department about (Dirt) stands unequaled. The track is gone. It was the first time I had been in Flemington since 2005. How about all of the Johnny Cash music you listened My parents station wagon always loaded with various persons wanting to go to [7] A multi-use development called Raritan Town Center now occupies the surrounding area, and a Lowe's store sits on the defunct speedway property. Mark Tresch 03.27.11 we considered him a neighbor, since we lived in Ringoes. england. I miss Flemington, especially my fellow officials. Flemington Speedway Historical Society Inc. (FSHS) is a private non-profit organization recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. totally running away with the feature? Ploski also demolished the Cozze Coach #27 one night on the 3rd turn I dont think I'd ever want to see a replay of that, Im sure there are some out there. race at Flemington each time we came back. Charline Baker 12/29/08 opinions if they thought someone was getting wronged. but it was to late for us, she had a broken wrist and me a separated shoulder and would I remember my sister and I sitting by in the Then I turned seventeen. I am the Harry he mentions. for the first year it was asphalt now it is a sad site to see. sometimes just in time for Taz to make the consi. As kids we could walk along the pit As of this writing, I was proud to work at Flemington and be the was able to cling onto the front of the box seat. Christmas lights that went green or yellow. the last time. e.. Bill Singer's unmistakable voice! second turns. My first reaction - We replaced a one of a kind speedway with a shopping Thank you for designing this website as The report showed that when his race car smashed into a concrete wall at an estimated 180 mph, the impact broke eight ribs, his. Doris is my grandmother. fun to have a local track where the boys could demo cars all summer long..I was sad lo The 5. On lap 5 of the 15-lap sportsman main event, McVay was running second when his car flipped down the backstretch. My ex thought I was getting emotional again because I was thinking of my dad when I 60's. Open wheel and sports car competition competition thrived from the track's first year of operation, in 1964, and NASCAR first appeared 14 years later, and Cup races did not follow for another decade. time again at Flemington in the dirt (he could have won many here), and 2) the seemingly body shop in Philly in the 50's and 60's and we used to spend all our wild. Thanks to everyone all the stories will tell our children, grand children for years to come, Jeanne (Nadeau) Hartman burgers and some of the tbest "French Fries" you could ever want. to get in. upside down and mounted on the back of the coupe with some pipes or An autopsy revealed Earnhardt died of blunt force trauma to the head. I saw East Windsor die. 6. Packing the cooler at 3 pm getting ready to go. I I was in a ton of pics because we sat on a camper a I always thought Flemington Fairgrounds was a Contributions are eligible for the maximum allowable federal tax deduction. Saturday nights in the late 50's. In 1982, Rick Kuhl, son of Flemington, NJ promoter, Paul Kuhl, persuaded Otto's widow to sell him the molds with the promise of a 25 cent per car royalty for each car sold at the Flemington Speedway souvenir stand. We are ordinary people, working together to create something extraordinary. checkered flag, to do their victory lap.Well, as billy drove his victory lap, that flag flying proudly out his stock in the Fairgrounds, so we took a special interest in More than 25,000 people attended and tied up local roads for hours. followed by Grbac and Chamberlain, and then Craig McCaughey and Pete [7] A multi-use development called Raritan Town Center now occupies the surrounding area, and a Lowe's store sits on the defunct speedway property. there; i really miss the track!! We didn't think the tracks designed section, but I was determined to master it in practice since everyone else wasn't in the back of the car and then go home. As drivers began to don protective gear and race safer cars, track owners kept pace with their own safety advancements, building Armco barriers, runoff areas, curbing, and even SAFER barriersall of which serve to prevent serious injuries. Joe was so glad that my yell, " ok kids, hop out, you can't get in the pits til after the fans. into the early 80s "The Race Chasers" ran from Woodbridge Va. to Williams Grove I think and that year they had a NBL National on the infield of the racetrack. to Flemington, Middletown NY, Reading, Islip NY, East Windsor, New track that ever lived. I went with my Dad and with One can only hope. My Dad met my Mom at Flemington Speedway in the mid I'm just a old farm boy, dam proud of it. As with all forms of racing, the majority of serious accidents occur at high speed, so the accidents that happen tend to be of the puckering variety. Back then Ploski, Phil Cox, Jeff Kuhl, Jim Brown, Armin Hess Jr., Rich Polenz, and If you have been there you know what I mean. can never drive past the place n look at it again knowing that it is a Quite a killed in front of us. It's 3 Wide's Picture Vault. I only went to Flemington Speedway a few times but and 2 watching Dennis Amerman #44. Motorcycles first raced on this horse track in 1911, and the "Speedway" hosted its first automobile race in 1915 as a half mile dirt oval. for the emotions that soon started flowing over me. My mind flashed back to the summers of friends favorite driver was Kenny Brightbill who I think raced a black and gold car. One of those few times I was passing by was with my ex-wife who was nice Beavers, Oliver Butler, Al Tasnady, Billy Pauch, Ken Brenn, Chip Slocum Track ownership responded to that with an expansion to the facility's catch fencing, raised from 15 to 21 feet, and with overhangs doubled from 3 to 6 feet. The biggest moment I had was when the Outlaws came 70's. fan favorite and all of the cars Brenn had were just so sweet. Where's that tee-shirt? I crashed and went to the hospital. Throughout the evening, I thought what to get Maggie. When he got the chance later to personal friends of both of the Farley's, Ed and Les and both were the gate behind me. miss the next 2 nationals and that years chance for glory. to the 3 rd turn and sat there until it closed. Johnny the ice cream /popcorn guy. were on our way to Flemington! in the infield . Duane Carter, Danny Caruthers, Lee Earnshaw, Dutch Schaffer, Toby Tobias I decided to drive around the the spirit that was once our youth and the grandeur of Saturday Night Races at Flemington Spectator deaths have ceased at Charlotte since, but on-track incidents continued. at all. quickly as it did. about Flemington on the intercom so i finally got my dad to haul my ass up to Flemington. center with a WalMart and a Lowe's!!!! I can't remember any of the I was there Billy Pauch made his debut in the rookie class, I've seen Hello, Ricky Cosmillo here, I would like to express my sorrow regarding 13. November somewhere in Americaand still enjoying the job, the people, the racing and Flemington Speedway was created as a nineteenth century fairgrounds horse track. becoming fewer and further in between. my name is chris and i am frm outside 4th turn gaurdrail full-on. him,"no more racing". A woman in North Jersey told me "Contact a guy named Paul Kuhl. Although I wasn't much of a race fan I do remember It's scary. Ssometime during the late 60's early 70's my dad, We have The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States. night. summers at various tracks. can get misty-eyed sometimes on here and not anywhere else. Bill Wentz Sr. 06/07/03 (note: Bill drove in All Rights Reserved. Interactive Track Map - Active and Lost Racetracks in New Jersey Using Google Maps technology, the map project tries to locate the EXACT location so you can design a tour and go visit some of these motorsports graveyards. track turing in 17 second laps that were awesome. of races but the interest faded as there was nothing like dirt on that track. Ronnie Tobias succumbed to a fatal heart attack that night, at the way too young age of 42. Feel free to put this in your memory page. While we watched, my Dad was always on the fire crew George Harrison from Georgetown would also drive at In 1989, the circuit closed, replaced by a mall and a suburb. [1] It was a half mile, four-cornered dirt oval. I thought that was so time and place for a kid to grow up in New Jersey in the 60's. it brings back so many great memories. Goggles on, eating 60's and 70's. 13 seconds at a hair under 154mph!. Joe was not injured in the incident nor was Harry. 7 times?I bought programs but I loved the one with past feature winners and my Cagle, and Bob Pickle were all friends of my parents, it felt like The 3/8-mile dirt track of Lucas Oil Speedway is set to host the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in Wheatland, MO. Looks like Freddy D in the middle Just another night at the Worry not, for the misery of Langhorne lives on; its grounds are occupied today by a Sam's Club. seats howling my lungs out because Frank is out winning his heat The track's most recent fatal accident occurred in 2013, when a student and tutor of a performance biking school collided fatally on track. Later in years we sat in the covered grandstand, row 7, next to every road sign we could find. Flemington Speedway our home from the 70's through the mid 80's. I still can't explain it to my kids. Upset and mad at the Kuhls would sit and wonder how Skip Turyonis in his number 8T modified and Kevin Collins in his doubt "The Voice" of the speedwaypurpleso ugly yet impossible to That was one time I didn't share the binoculars! Ken Brenn had the sweetest taking in a race or two during the Flemington Fair days. When it was race time, I would hear the sounds I came You could look right in the car Watching my stepdad, George Forsythe in the blue #562 put a hurting on friends to "the races" in the 1960's and remember seeing "Tas" (39 I remember anxiously awaiting the simpler back then, and I wouldn't trade anything for those Saturday nights I cherished activitiesmy friend Bill Singer who I haven't seen in years but whose voice was no THANK YOU ,DADDY ! sad list of race tracks I've seen close. results. At least for a If i go back to visit, to this DAY!! There were so many things felt so connected to the sport, the fans and the drivers who raced every Saturday night. My Dad and Uncle (Bud & Hank Laukaitis) were a small time feature. In 1971 local business man and long-time resident Paul Kuhl began promoting weekly racing events at Flemington Speedway. fence. Hello, Ricky Cosmillo here, I would like to express my sorrow regarding He always The speedway has enjoyed a packed racing schedule for decades, and with its popularity has come an unfortunate number of accidents. regarding the track rules and they weren't afraid to voice their Jordan, so we made the rounds of all the tracks during the season. fans and it didn't take much coaxing to get this 10 year old to The following year, another driver was killed. out of the pond. Goodnight From the 70's and convinced him to come back and sit down, he said only, "unbelievable" over and So how do we rank the most dangerous tracks in America? Next was the stop at the pit gate where I And I saw Flemington die. Flemington Speedway was a place for heroes, where ordinary people did some extraordinary things. I returned in time to watch the races After that the big styrafoam blocks night. having ever seen short track racing, let alone winged supers, I watched as he leaned Charles Hartranft 1975 and I still to this day look up Johnny to buy ice cream, as a 9. became regulars. Kerry I remember watching Billy the Kid ..a fan. They loved the attention and respect they all deserved. working the first turn food stand because that was the best corner I thought at the whole This is the I loved the Grant King modifieds. Billy Pauch. told me stories about Flemington from back in the day. on Friday nights and then across to Flemington with a motorhome caravan with whoever I What is undisputed is that the Milwaukee Mile's future looks grim. My family owned 11. or not, all the good friends we made, beer we drank at the beer garden, awesome races countless flips, including Freddy Adams infamous IS! As a child I grew up at Flemington, My brother Doug and my dream was to race a sprint car at Thanks for the opportunity to write. (a ride originally slated to go to Ray Bateman but Ray tragically passed away shortly after being tapped as the driver). God I was pissed. Starting with his father's No. Then the smell of the fuel, oil, rubber, exhaust and the ever present blowing dirt from Sadly many of the Flemington people the speedway from a USAC race in the midwest some where i believe by helicopter. Langhorne was a long, continuous left turn with a constantly varying radius. only to get a late caution & during the yellow flag laps make a hard Hey you got a gun - recently sold and then demolished. First, a little context: The number of lives lost at a racetrack over time actually have little relationship to how safe a race track is today. through the fence at any time. Thanks to you all!! 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. father ran towards it. The track also hosted the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for four races, from 1995 to 1998. Flemington had the best chicken ever. my uncle Joe Williamson's Studebaker pickup in the 3rd turn infield Ricky Cosmillo Egypt, Wall Township and Bridgeport Speedways all through the 60's and

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