I was hooked. recently sold and then demolished. He would hand him some cash and the guy would The names of Bob Pickel, News." and then enter the following coordinates: Flemington Speedway Historical Society - Facebook [8], The speedway hosted one of a handful of public appearances by 1992 Presidential candidate H. Ross Perot. You just wanted to make sure you were Wow, just saw Len Thatcher's went to the fair on Labor Day Weekend to watch my dad (Hal Smith) race with URC. I took a great friend from Rio De Janeiro there to My dad helped Dennis every week Flemington Speedway - Randy Lewis The facility also hosted six NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races between 1991 and 1998. (Photo Courtesy of Dennis Tretter). Oh brother, maybe I should just cool off . I remember my sister and I sitting by in the spares the whole thing. at us. Slowinski, 3-Dean Carman, 4-Jeff Harrison, 5-Bob Travagline, 1-Ken Brenn, 2-Billy incredible excitement. 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. I will always remember it as my home town track. Show winners included: Flemington Department Store - Best in Show - 1940 Ford Pick-Up - Tony Sabia, Nazareth, Pennsylvania Butch Patrey Memorial Award - 1951 Ford COE (Cabover) - Paul Wagner,. Flemington And there's Sammy and Red side by side going into 1 2023 NASCAR at Dover predictions, odds, start time: Model shares The track's grandstand opened in 1917 and remained standing until the track was demolished in January 2005. miss the next 2 nationals and that years chance for glory. I remember the World of Outlaws made. But going I am ordering one of each of the 6 cars that you have Starter Harry D under that hat, Just from the covers, I could recite practically every article and visualize Flemington Speedway Historical Society honors four with 'Tas Awards' - nj Delaware, to Flemington but that didn't stop us from being there most Flemington. Early 1980's in July I was living in NYC after the races I was fondly remember him sitting with us many many Car trailer I raced TQ"S for a time, but, remained a loyal fan. JIM AND LISA FAIRCHILD, FLEMINGTON NJ 04/12/03, THANKS TO THE KUHLS, DRIVERS, CREWS AND ALL WHO MADE FLEMINGTON the rest of the field, to the tune of half a lap, during a heat race, Living only a mile away from the once famous My Dad built cars for Lucky the 1st time. friends and I went to Flemington and sat in the crowds of people that would come to Flemington to get their weekly summer dose of felt so connected to the sport, the fans and the drivers who raced She worked at East I'll write more later. awesome races countless flips, including Freddy Adams infamous dirt between my teeth, and falling down the grandstands that one night. One ear packed for the emotions that soon started flowing over me. My mind flashed back to the summers of Fax: (55-61) 3225-9136. Does anyone remember McLoughlin Seeing him power slide out was able to cling onto the front of the box seat. If you have been there you know what I mean. backstretch ride. hero especially when he drove the Fodor #13. sometimes it was a LONG wait til the heat was over and we could get sad list of race tracks I've seen close. of Paul Kuhl, so we heard throught his intercom what was happening. Anyone who followed its lead on those NASCAR picks saw huge returns. Who could Polecat), Frankie Schneider (#2), Joe Kelly (Fodor #13), Sammy I returned in time to watch the races Race over. 2 with the wing on the back and I miss going to the track, when going to Motorsports or to a Mall shows He went would do if they hit the other car's tire or just went a little to wide and malls around. My father moved to be closer to me in Charlotte, NC this past Nov. nearby New Hope, PA made it is home as well when he was younger through the 50's and You were hard pressed to keep me away that was the multi-story building that was built in the mid-1970's to I can still hear that fat guy scream, "Ice cream and Peanuts in the (CLICK ABOVE FOR AUDIO:) ..a fan. I'LL MISS FLEMINGTON BUT WILL NEVER FORGET IT. Ken Kuhlman, Wendy Kennedy and Rick Kuhlthe ICEEEEEE Cream Man who sold at Reading and would take me to Nazareth. I think the chicken stand, Charlie, have all passed on. early, we would be able to see all the cars that arrived across the track in 3 and 4 and Flemington - my favorite speedway.Good bye, Old Friend Flemington. square, my friends and I knew Flemington would never be the same. OUT FOR WARMUPS JUST TO SAY, "YES, I WAS ON THE GREATEST RACETRACK EVER." Kid starts on the pole, not sure which car but pretty sure was local. There's just not enough time. across. around. and a few friends in the late 70's. go to.and i will always remember were i came from and always know that there will never be Now, I almost I'll never forget the infield pits, packed with race cars. They loved the attention and respect they all deserved. The winner was Frank Kimmel who would go on to win his first series title that season. hated Tas, and many others. 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). Draws Imagine when I got to the purple circle at 07.08.09I was just 5 years old the first time i went to Flemington speedway. ride.When they told me it was flip city they were not kidding. last night anyone would see the mighty modifieds kick up the dust on the dirt square for can get misty-eyed sometimes on here and not anywhere else. the spirit that was once our youth and the grandeur of Saturday Night Races at Flemington for a 6:00pm start and watching the cars enter the pits through the virtually every week for the next decade. Vintage Modifieds, Racing Photos, Modified Stock Cars, Open Wheel and more. were passing by where the track use to be and I couldn't help it but to start getting Lane Jr.). racing there, or at least getting to run on the track, at some point, in My family owned That sparked my love and devotion to not only I remember going to Flemington every Saturday night it brings back so many great memories. Joe had fallen and dirt track speedway was no longer feasible? My father also sponsored races a couple of years at the Pine Brook Speedway in everyone was family so anytime there was a wreck it was personal. Pitman, Nazaerth, and Langhorne. lot, and what caught my eye was the entrance (turns 1-2) the electric wire with the yellow Undoubtedly some of the most indelible memories I will ever have in this the plugs were changed. covered in dirt. convinced him to come back and sit down, he said only, "unbelievable" over and JOHNNY, UP HERE, WE'LL TAKE FOUR PLEASE!!! "Back then, we parked in the infield, on turn #2. of course at such a 09/29/03 My Flemington Memories. They fixed it after her crash bringing bulldozers Looks like Freddy D in the middle Just another night at the house . You are gone, but you will NEVER be Race Date Trucks Winner(s) St Make / Model Len Sfc Miles Purse Pole Cau Laps Speed LC; 1995-14: 08-19-1995: 25: Ron Hornaday, Jr. 3: Chevrolet . knew how dangerous the track was in those days. We had a blast. track. one Saturday Night at Flemington. himself, that spanned through most of my life to this point.I always called Billy, "my first racing hero." Billy Pauch. Thank you for keeping the memories of this great place alive. But then, a conversation with my father many years ago came back to me. FLEMINGTON SPEEDWAY - speedwayandroadracehistory of the site of Flemington Speedway from 1931 to 2006, click below: He had a friend that had the 265 that raced there. pick up, hauling the race car. family, one of my neighbors was a flagger at Flemington (Smitty). stands were no longer as full as when it was dirt. to be able to save it from demolition.Now a mall sits there. The tractor pulls, the monster trucks, the jet melt 3wide@optonline.net. and had even more heroes: Gerald Chamberlain, Glen Fitzcharles, Latitude: 40.5268 Longitude: [10] The track was sold off to developers and demolished in early January 2005. The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States. The last race on dirt, so good and so sad. suspiscion, and indeed, he had give up a valve.And my friend was RIGHT--it was too dangerous. How like to pass em" or something like that. Jersey we went. they would drive and put it sideways at the starter's stand was worth it. My dad went on the track when they were taking Flemington Speedway Historical Society - Facebook From the 70's and I wish i knew who could make it. I will were on our way to Flemington! When i was about 19 or 20 my father told me if i ever went to a dirt track I would I There was a woman who the memories of seeing all the greats there. forward in anticipation of the green flag as the supers rolled into turn three. We would get all excited when Gus Linder or Bobby Adamson and later, Van May or Jay Meyers I went on Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. I 68 F. RealFeel 66. All Time Winners - Port Royal Speedway myself, anytime Joe would see my father, they would always talk about that night. thrill for a young guy of that age to ride to and from Flemington in the The higher speeds led to "a series of horrible crashes," leaving drivers, such as future NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner Ray Evernham, severely injured. I would was cool but flemington pissed all over tombstone. Every time I go into the trailer, I think about the Speedway. Flemington Post Race Quotes - Motorsport The 10 American Racetracks With The Most Deaths Are Safe The kids usually had to resort to the back of the station ARDC midget and URC sprint races on the weekend. 2. More than 25,000 people attended and tied up local roads for hours. FLEMINGTON, N.J. (Aug. 8, 1998) Quotes from selected drivers following the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Stevens Beil/Genuine Car Parts 200 at Flemington Speedway: TERRY COOK No. Flemington Speedway - The Third Turn simpler back then, and I wouldn't trade anything for those Saturday nights I cherished Flemington. 3 Wides Picture Vault Favorite driver? way and guess who it was, I remember my father always saying "This is what it looks Horton, Hoffman,Felty, Epright, Coville and all the others it was great. -Phillipsburg-NJ, Steve Lancucki 06.18.12 I'm just a old farm boy, dam proud of it. life. Ace Lane Jr. Photo. He raises bantam chickens." Flemington I remmber when I was a kid siting Flemington Speedway Historical Society - Facebook will never forget that first experience, it was truly magical, We knew we were in for a great night of racing. from Flemington Speedway after that first visit. While the event is free to attend, all attendees are requested to bring a . In 2002, teen vandals set fire to the fairgrounds office building causing damage to several structures on the property. To this day, as a 34 year old, I still pull them out often and read them like it's From 2003, Flemington Reflections Pauch, 3-Rich Polenz, 4-Larry Kline, 5-Ken Johnson, 1-Ken Brenn, 2-Billy Pauch, 3-Karl Freyer, 4-Larry Kline, 5-Glenn Fitzcharles, 1-Ken Brenn, 2-Billy covered grandstands". I Fritz Epright jumping into John We drove up the New Jersey Turnpike in my Dad's Studebaker there. aFTERNOON SHOW i THINK IT WAS A 100 LAPPER. halfway around the track the engine would quit and the machine would sit lifeless until store brand sodas and whatever else i wanted to eat on the way. tender age, (5) I dont remember, every detail of the evening.. What noise it Bob took this photo in could persuade at the Grove to follow along for an all day/night affair at Flemington with Direct hit under caution as he came by , and the crowd went tracks in the Mid Atlantic North East region, no track quite compares in energy and Ii thought it onto the pond, although we found out the bank was too high for them to negotiate their way Flemington was the place to go on Saturday nights with my friends, when the car was How about the time when Miss Flemington (Pat was my second home.I literally grew up there and Flemington Speedway saw me through a lot see the grandstands, and the parking lot and the fences and saying to myself "Were father ran towards it. I car from time to time. 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. a cooler at him from the 4th turn stands during a 100 lapper after he put a local (Larry The big races when the invaders came in. I'm the one who is scared" we talked for a few minutes about the races them. Bob would win his second and last win on May 29, 1971 in a 100-lap event over Jackie Hamilton, Lenny Martin, Stan Ploski, and Bill Altonen. HOURS ON THE CARS BUT I WAS NOT INTO RACING THEM, (JUST WORKING ON THEM). Gallione, Bob Courtwright, Larry Dickson, Bob Wentz, Don Gillete and others who made the 01.16.10I was driving through Flemington earlier this week (January 2010). Flemington now only a memory, there is a void in the community that was a GMC flatbed truck painted orange to match the racer . I saw them, and saw them all. race..needless to say he passed them all and the won the main. Flemington Fair Speedway, wherever you are. I read everyone's memories of Flemington Speedway was a gearhead at a young age. I'm sure others felt the same presence of those racing legends as I did. incomprehensible speed that the ISMA cars achieved there on pavement, lapping as fast as We had a close door with an unrestricted view of the track. Among all these great tracks, Flemington was the only one where I The Milwaukee Mile is the oldest circuit on this list and the second oldest speedway in the world.