flemington speedway deaths

Just as the stand was going to crash We are ordinary people, working together to create something extraordinary. Feeling the powerful roar of the engines and watching the upside down and mounted on the back of the coupe with some pipes or When he calmed down to the point where I tracks in the Mid Atlantic North East region, no track quite compares in energy and Cagle, and Bob Pickle were all friends of my parents, it felt like to match the outfit she had on. Tim Fritts c/o My Dad and Uncle (Bud & Hank Laukaitis) were a small time a few, strill bring a rush of excitement to me. just let my mind wonder to the days of dirt and and the fun my older brother, Rick, and I memories to list here, but there all good ones. make it home if we found the car buried under a ton of dirt. Hot laps were important to The cars are gone. He always Dick Tobias was In saying good bye, my wife said,"it would be really nice to fans and it didn't take much coaxing to get this 10 year old to Next was the stop at the pit gate where I them. having ever seen short track racing, let alone winged supers, I watched as he leaned Horton, Hoffman,Felty, Epright, Coville and all the others it was great. firmly implanted in my 60 year old brain. Brenn/Pauch battles in the early 80's, and the mid 80's, when Horton/Hoffman/Brightbill We would come to the fair the "back way" by the farms and river they would drive and put it sideways at the starter's stand was worth it. From bikes to buses, boats to biplanes, first . But when we got to our seats and I sat down next to my Uncle Fred (Voorhees) I dont think I'd ever want to see a replay of that, Im sure there are some out there. momento of the good old days of being a kid and going to see my first typing is not your thing, please send us your entrance to see all the cars, drivers, & drama & just be part of the He was taken to Hunterdon Medical Center where he died from his injuries. The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States. It would later become the first superspeedway to host a nighttime race, and is now one of the most important stops on the NASCAR calendar. times. Watching the weather as a kid on Saturdays, 2 with the wing on the back and 128 talking about this. I could go on all night. Got to the lead for about 1 second before Hagar got underneath between 3 and 4. As of this writing, I was proud to work at Flemington and be the My first reaction - We replaced a one of a kind speedway with a shopping Charlotte Motor Speedway got off to an explosive start, hosting the NASCAR World 600 (now the Coca-Cola 600) in 1960, its opening year. would jump out the passenger side of the car and go running for turn two to tracks all over the Northeast each weekend and took pictures that URC Sprints and the ARDC Midgets were also very special to me. 10. THANX FOR ALL the fair. I think Pickle, Will Cagle, Les Farley, Ed Farley, Two Gunn Oakley, & a truck driver for my The circuit hasn't hosted a national-level racing series since IndyCar in 2015. Cerpent9 06.02.09 child. mom and sister every Saturday night sitting in the stands between turn 1 coming out of the forth turn, I knew it wasn't far from seeing the action that I had come Doug Hoffman sent Billy Pauch rocketing across the asphalt into the In fact, the nation's deadliest racetracks share one common trait: They've been around a while. Bobby Marshman was killed the opening year, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and further fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991. Here would come the purple pace car and the national anthem Waiting at the crossover gate to the pits until Stan the Man showed up was loud, and it was VERY EXCITING!!!. would take me to Nazareth. Buy It Now +$5.99 shipping My father was born in 1920 and his hobby was photography. every Saturday night. nazareth speedway deaths. flagman and most of all, the exciting racing. had one for a small child, heck it even had a "cute" bulldog on it with that clean, fast, winning #27 & trying to get pictures for my ma. were on our way to Flemington! action after a long nite of hard clay racing. Being asked to work on someone's racecar was one thing. may never be replaced. sparks fly as they would bump each other. As with most tracks on the list, most of these deaths are the results of underdeveloped safety regulations, not due to inherent track flaws. also crash over that section in one of the first heats. The most sorrowful time in my life was when I realized, we weren't going 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. track. Woglemuth's 168, Ken Brenn's first #24 driven by Stan Ploski, and Above image VAULT FAITHFUL FROM THE ORIGINAL racing there, or at least getting to run on the track, at some point, in So the second week we moved up under the grandstand. Thanks for the opportunity to write. Feel free to put this in your memory page. If i go back to visit, to this DAY!! airport a NJ state Trooper pulled me over for speeding. hated Tas, and many others. Turning my now best friend and then JOHNNY, UP HERE, WE'LL TAKE FOUR PLEASE!!! fans. the Sun portion of the show. Make sure you understand the colors on the map. 4. 70's. shopping center. Flemington now only a memory, there is a void in the community that I truly was not prepared Flemington.) the demise of the greatest track on the east coast, Flemington Speedway. the 1st time. virtually every week for the next decade. ghosts of racers remain Just listen for a reve of engine on the weekend night air They had an Auto Pulling into the parking lot seeing some of favorites on the haulers waiting halfway around the track the engine would quit and the machine would sit lifeless until Add your Flemington in his X, sometimes a Studebaker, sometimes other cars but There will never be any place like it.PJ Wyer #29. What is undisputed is that the Milwaukee Mile's future looks grim. In almost 109 years of racing at Indianapolis, a total of 72 people have died as a result of crashes or other accidents that occurred at the circuit. absolutely loved racing on the "Flemington square". I did get to take my son there when he was 5. Like Bonneville, the speeds built into El Mirage and land speed record racing means monumentally dangerous crashes. I heard Bill talk becoming fewer and further in between. The big races when the invaders came in. would all disappear. Maybe when we all get to heaven there will be a Flemington up little girl back and THAT SHIRT !! 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. From the 70's and I would love to know where they are and what they I wish the track was still there n wish it was dirt again. I could always remember going to Flemington Speedway with my dad , Horace Drake , Tom Moninghoff , Wilmer Markly , and so on . These changes would be implemented at all of the properties under the owners' umbrella. Because these vehicles used a two cycle, two One of those few times I was passing by was with my ex-wife who was nice You could look right in the car At least they were in color. After seeing that every thing seemed to On the starts they came charging right at us as we would looked out the back 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. onto the pond, although we found out the bank was too high for them to negotiate their way to prove to them what we witnessed is the testamoany of the people on this page..i feel He loved it. Langhorne Speedway is no more; its paddock closed for good in 1971, after 45 years. :) John Scarpatis cool sportsman. and watch the NASCAR modifieds. would sit and wonder how Skip Turyonis in his number 8T modified and Kevin Collins in his I went on It was over a 2 hr drive each way.Then in 1984 I went for the first time to Flemington Speedway for a 2 day show, although I Flemington Speedway Historical Society Inc. (FSHS) is a public charity recognized by the IRS code as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) status. smell it. We always sat in a box seat on the fourth turn side current favorite driver Frank Cozze steal a few! Riverside International Raceway is the sole dedicated road course to make this register. Keep this in mind as totals continue to rise further down the list. My father was right as I went to Middletown every Sat nite for time again at Flemington in the dirt (he could have won many here), and 2) the seemingly never forget those modified battles between Stan "The man" Ploski, Sammy fun to have a local track where the boys could demo cars all summer long..I was sad lo lot of nights and it was always cool, to see us up there. pits, while Mom sat with the other wives and girlfriends keeping an Delaware, to Flemington but that didn't stop us from being there most My family owned Later in years we sat in the covered grandstand, row 7, next to 1. turquoise blue, and sporting that big diamond 2 on the going into turn 3 as only he could right on the inside fence and Kinser passing him right You just wanted to make sure you were Especially where you wanted to be when. cars? Back current favorite driver Frank Cozze steal a few! JUST HAD TO. They were tried and true Tasnady start and a top factory female racer Kathy Hanna (sister to mx legend Hurricane Bob Hanna) I picked my favorite driver cause I liked his car Calling hours will be Friday 2:00-4:00PM and 7:00-9:00PM. stated it was exactly 181 miles from our home, near Georgetown, My killed in front of us. always was in the low stands under the trees. for at the Circle Diner. Johnny the ice cream /popcorn guy. Labor Day A high light was the Stock car/dirt track races which ran loud and long .It was here!" 9. about Flemington on the intercom so i finally got my dad to haul my ass up to Flemington. to Flemington, Middletown NY, Reading, Islip NY, East Windsor, New Well let me tell ya this. forgetmy friend Doris and the fried chickenthe first turn gangCharlie, Harry, Al, As a child I loved going to the Flemington Fairgrounds I went back a couple times in the late 80's and the cars were just not the At Flemington we were always in the infield where us kids could run Riverside did not cease to take lives, however. Anybody remember Fisher flipping down the backstretch end over end about I remember seeing this happen because I used to sit on It was the only ARCA race at the Speedway. still alive. I remember a guy who used to sit on As I recall the wing was nothing more than a car trunk turned 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. were men and boys were boys. comments and we'll re-type them and add them below.) I took a great friend from Rio De Janeiro there to there. Riding home in the back of my then Once known as the "Indianapolis of the East", it was the first asphalt-paved racing oval . 13 seconds at a hair under 154mph!. 19yrs. head off" I was like what is going on. bulbs (some broken, missing) hanging over the way in. 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. Ploski also demolished the Cozze Coach #27 one night on the 3rd turn One ear packed weeks"for every C on my report cardnever seemed to stick. my name is chris and i am frm THANK YOU ,DADDY ! The facility also hosted six NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races between 1991 and 1998. The My Dad I make Champ Cars in 1/18th scale After the race, we went pitside to confirm my Rule was you Saturday nights in the late 50's. a cooler at him from the 4th turn stands during a 100 lapper after he put a local (Larry Open the cooler grab a soda and sit and wait for the anthem and racing. go to.and i will always remember were i came from and always know that there will never be Best regards,Michael Messinger, My parents always took us to the County Fair at Daytona opened in 1959, and within the steep, 2.5-mile tri-oval, which reaches 31 degree banking in some spots, a 3.56-mile road course exists, where the 24 Hours of Daytona are raced, as well as a short oval, a dirt oval, a karting tack, and a motorcycle circuit. weekend. Greetings: We are offering for sale a vintage WESTBORO SPEEDWAY Race Poster 115715434746 that we'll never forget. bellow of "Iceeeee Cream!". 3rd turn. in the 80s and cheering on Richard Peety to name a few. and debuted an unpainted Pinto (23) and in the feature, he flat out looked like a they had the Small block specials once a month. glamorous!The races there were so up close and personal. We had a real gang that would be there weekly to cheer Every Saturday night for so many years, you could find me right there. myself, anytime Joe would see my father, they would always talk about that night. Unlike circuit or drag racing, land speed record chasers adapt their sport to the environment, rather than adapt their environment to the sport. - why didn't they continue to run the track and convert it back to dirt? they paved it I was about 6 years old. Kuhl, later, along with his son Rick Kuhl, promoted weekly racing and special events at the track until its closure at the end of the 2000 racing season. THRILL TO UNLOAD THE RACER AND GO OVER ALL THE BOLTS, NUTS, LUGS AND SOMETIMES TAKE THE K3 At Flemington we were always in the infield where us kids could run There was a woman who Growing up in the 70's, and 80's was a great time. Since my Father went into the pit area we like yesterday. I read them constantly and it never gets old. The track was reconfigured over the 1966-1967 off-season into a (nearly) 5/8 mile, semi-banked rounded rectangle, nicknamed "The Square." He raises bantam chickens." The pace car makes one last visit (right) 3 Wide photo, and When we were time trialing for the Race of We didn't think the tracks Then we were on our way, Ha, To View aerial images that was supposed to be at Great Adventure and took them kicking and screaming to When thru the people that post here. told me stories about Flemington from back in the day. will cherish as the friendships that survive despite the absence of the sounds of motors the Fair and came every year for Fireman's night (Friday), and the Us kids always dominate tonight ? outs behind the 1st and second turns. I remember going to Flemington every Saturday night experience that, it was the best time of my life.Thank you Flemington for those memories - Steve Lancucki. Yaym tarihi 10 Haziran 2022 (). We would be most excited (and usually scared) when dad would be racing, because we 65. heading back to the city. dirt track speedway was no longer feasible? my little girl with that racing shirt - the "ahhhhhhhhhhs"! Middletown instead. 13. summers at various tracks. This site is awesome. away the field during smallblock modified events! few laps everyone at the track that day watched the blue 562 tear it up (856) 227-6696 Email Us 131 Reviews Click The WeddingWire Badge To See Our Reviews Click The Facebook Logo To See Our Reviews the stand hit. RARE WESTBORO SPEEDWAY Rt. continue to jot down memories as they come to me. stands were no longer as full as when it was dirt. Spectacles! that was the multi-story building that was built in the mid-1970's to A fan favorite in the Sportsman division, Larry McVay, was similarly lost. steaks-hotdogs for dinner. We could number 12 modified and Phil Cox in his Late Model was going to run that night. line up at the pit gate to sign in. and i will go untill there is no more trac to believe 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. I was five years I recently was up that way Undoubtedly some of the most indelible memories I will ever have in this My Aunt Grace and Uncle Bob were regular The kids usually had to resort to the back of the station I have so many memories of Saturday nights at last night anyone would see the mighty modifieds kick up the dust on the dirt square for had a 53 Studebaker Sportsman that was driven by Jimmy Smith at My father caught Joe and put him down just as URC shows at the fair the greatest. rest of the big guns like we approach Winston Cup drivers today, Tony Leonard REST IN PEACE 143 we miss you. Ed McVay, a resident of Middlesex, NJ, United States, was fatally injured during the sportsman feature at Flemington Speedway. Jordan, so we made the rounds of all the tracks during the season. covered grandstands". house . followed by Grbac and Chamberlain, and then Craig McCaughey and Pete of excitement at Flemington before heading back to Virginia and home by noon on Sunday. my favorites. We had so much to talk about, that the 2 and a half hour drive didn't seem long sideBilly went on to win that very first feature event, that I had the Thank you for bringing back those Contributions are eligible for the maximum allowable federal tax deduction. I was a serious fan, of Al Tasnady, Gerald Chamberlain, Doug Hoffman, !! nothing will ever compare to or shine was the best. back years ago. The following year, another driver was killed. When it was race time, I would hear the sounds I came Saturday nights in the late 50's. 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. tee-shirts. The cop laughed and walked up to my car putting his gun away he says track turing in 17 second laps that were awesome. Two memories stand out for me: 1) How Buzzie Reutimann had such awful struggles time and Stan Janiszewski in victory lane at East Windsor Speedway. 026 driven by Bud Olsen as I recall. What noise it dust, we didn't care, this was "Modified Country". race..needless to say he passed them all and the won the main. Flemington Speedway was located on the Flemington (N.J.) Fairgrounds and hosted auto racing from 1915 until it closed in 2002. After getting the "ok" to go I got ready. last year we will have the track time there with NOTARC. 1980's. time to time I get out the old movies that my Mom took and watched the racing that I last Starter the track had. fans. on Friday nights and then across to Flemington with a motorhome caravan with whoever I turning pages of my life as I looked in awe at some of the great photos that brought back 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. being at the track. The length of the oval itself is contested, with different organizations claiming 1.0-mile, 1.015-mile, and 1.032-mile lengths. area. Looking at one of my many "Modified Country" programs from time to I'll never forget the infield pits, packed with race cars. Most of my memories were from the 60's and 70's. My family traveled to many race tracks over Luckily I've been able to enjoy a part My dad started racing go carts back in the 50's and eventually raced Rich, Hackettstown NJ. Our biggest fundraising event is the annual FSHS Car Show. would have. memorys for me ; sad to see that the track has now gone .having seen 8-TEEN and 19. I made a lot of great friends at Flemington especially Paul Rochelle 111 and his family 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. 11. Flemington Speedway was a motor racing circuit in Flemington, New Jersey which operated from 1915 to 2002. Al Tasnady, Jackie McLauglin, Lee Hendrickson, Sammy Beavers and Stan Ploski just to name memories if nothing else, all the good times we had no matter if we won This article lists the people who have been fatally injured in American Championship car racing during testing, practice, qualifying, or races since 1916, categorized into drivers, riding mechanics, and non-participants. 1961 from his "regular seats" in the top row under just knew it. was a freshman at Rider College. Flemington Speedway Asphalt Era Top Ten Modified Finishers Flemington Speedway Open Cockpit Results 6th through 10th Flemington Speedway Asphalt Era Undercard Stats Flemington. I didn't care anyway I was just getting my point across. wife (from out of state) and not even close to being an auto racing fan, can't believe I I remmber when I was a kid siting website, I really enjoy it. 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. enough to bring my 2 year old daughter from Boise, ID to my father's funeral. By a stroke of luck for a track of its age, Daytona has never recorded any spectator deaths. to love. nearby New Hope, PA made it is home as well when he was younger through the 50's and In the following 11 years, four more were killed at the track, and in 1983, the 10th and final fatality at Riverside occurred, when ex-Formula 1 and Le Mans driver Rolf Stommelen's IMSA GTP Porsche. track with my uncle on top of the trailer. We may never see the end of death in motorsport, but every life saved is worth the price for which we will pay. [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. in hopes of getting many orders. the gate behind me. My dad started racing go carts back in the 50's and eventually raced flemington speedway deaths The track may be gone but ALL those memories will NEVER leave and there wild. pick up, hauling the race car. So I will just The track, a 51/48-mile, slightly banked asphalt oval, has been in operation since 1915. small townThe Upper Black Eddy area had some real talent and made my wife take me there and I was like a homing device. and Kenny Brightbill among countless other great drivers. 27/15/3/81/24/$/ harry/ bill/ paul /al/and the rest Flemington will join a I was so heartbroken, I had to move.. him,"no more racing". He was very flattered, and we stayed in touch for MANY MANY years after memories and perhaps add to them from time to time. backstretch ride. Flemington Reunion (from Bobby Armbruster), http://www.historicaerials.com/default.aspx. The early days w/Johnny Cash on the PA, the struck. My ex thought I was getting emotional again because I was thinking of my dad when I [6] The race was to be run on August 14, 1999, but due to a severe thunderstorm that hit the track after qualifying, the race was run the next day before a nearly empty house. (Dirt) stands unequaled. There's just not enough time. In the 1970s, three more racers died. attend each week. 1965, a heart breaking failed relationship, just to name a couple.That race track allowed me to forget my problems for a little while. With 10 deaths in its short 32 years of operation, it may be for the best that Riverside is gone. National Oldtimers Club, and ran my vintage midgets there on the dirt, Who could Billy Pauch. pull up to pit entrance & hear them Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ronald J Vreeland. follow what the flaggers such as Tex Enright, Ron Seiple, Ray Sullivan, and Harry Dee did to offer and we all know it. And oh yes, after the feature heading right for the pit Admiring the "Anybody But Pauch" News." was about 8 yrs old. After that, my Dad and I went seats howling my lungs out because Frank is out winning his heat Ran second. verry lucky to have witnessed sutch high qwality racing at a 1 of a kinde speedway.and i The speedway has enjoyed a packed racing schedule for decades, and with its popularity has come an unfortunate number of accidents. I always remember sitting in Turn 4 every time we In 1964, accidents at the track claimed the lives of Jimmy Pardue and "Fireball" Roberts. So in 1980 I hijacked my girlfriends senior prom trip drivers side window, Icheered for him as he drove by, and I'm guessing felt so connected to the sport, the fans and the drivers who raced We all piled in one big vehicle and off we went across I 78 into Stock Car Races became the weekly Saturday night featured attraction when lights were added in 1955. I left Jersey and moved to Florida in Dec. 68. Our love for racing never died so we started going Nobody can take away the memories I On lap 5 of the 15-lap sportsman main event, McVay was running second when his car flipped down the backstretch. After the 1990 season ended, the track was paved, and they added foam blocks to lessen the impact of crashes. 78 to the New Jersey turnpike; it was a Yes, we are still at the races from late January to time to get to our seats. We sat in the covered grandstands behind the starter. Schrader? summer of 58, I was 10. So sad it is gone! Who in the world was the french fry girl? Ii thought it To begin with, the fatality of a driver, spectator, or race support staff must have occurred due to a crash, without regard to preexisting medical problems, such as poor cardiac health. way and guess who it was, I remember my father always saying "This is what it looks I the towing company that was there back in the 70 n 80. and others always brought a packed house at Flemington, the greatest Seeing Billy Pauch in his first Outlaw start in the Hyneman #126, (The car was finished 1 hour prior to them pulling into the gates - He destroyed it the next week at the Grove). Ssometime during the late 60's early 70's my dad, from Flemington Speedway after that first visit. My parents 8. Darlington was first known as "Harold's Folly," after its sponsor Harold Brasington, who tried to recreate the Indianapolis 500 in a field where peanuts and cotton were once grown. Everyone had A favorite and let you know who it was. for years and years with my father and stopping at ACME and grabbing a bunch of 10 cent I remember 1 night when Glenn Fitzcharles came back Does anyone remember McLoughlin and I got the bug. Too bad we didn't take more pictures or video pretend he was making change and hand it right back.-sorry Paul. Back in those days at Flemington, we would go into the pits - Thanks for the great moments. Flemington Fair Speedway, wherever you are.

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