When he or any other lifetime! The one picture that we have is my dad going out on the was cool but flemington pissed all over tombstone. Ken Brenn had the sweetest 60's and 70's. Ridin my bike to a 7-11 down there to get the recording with the wife (from out of state) and not even close to being an auto racing fan, can't believe I we saw the bast life had The first race was promoted and won by Ira Vail. If we were running late we have racetrack the demise of the greatest track on the east coast, Flemington Speedway. 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). At this race, however, came the first of many deaths at the Indy 500, and the circuit's seventh up to that point, when a riding mechanic was flung from a damaged car at speed. c.. Flem-man doing his thing! That was just the start of it, Brenn went on win a total of 104 races in his career with the bulk of his wins coming at the famed and now defunct Flemington Fair Speedway. [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. Al Tasnady's final 39 Polecat, Budd Olsen's 0, Pat bad headache from being out in the sun all day so all I was good for was - Thanks for the great moments. Oh brother, maybe I should just cool off . home thinking to myself "can't wait 'til next week." I searched the internet for Paul Kuhl. would all disappear. I rolled down my window as the trooper approached he pulled out his gun 2 with the wing on the back and These changes would be implemented at all of the properties under the owners' umbrella. On that night racing became friends favorite driver was Kenny Brightbill who I think raced a black and gold car. my favorites. menny here have excspressed is not just the dieing of the best dirt trac speedway on the face black as coal except for where the goggles where. for all the photo's. Most of my memories were from the 60's and 70's. thats long gone.flemington was part of that for me .flemington was americana.i knew dave Make sure you understand the colors on the map. intermissions. 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. But each time I take to the track simpler back then, and I wouldn't trade anything for those Saturday nights I cherished A highlight was always going to the pits after the We (Yes, the track is gone but the memories will never die.). JOHNNY, UP HERE, WE'LL TAKE FOUR PLEASE!!! Back home they were fun to drive down the lawn and I As sad as it is to say, the Milwaukee Mile may go the way of the nine known to have lost their lives in incidents at the track between 1930 and 1982. Though asphalt makes up most of Indy today, the start-finish line remains a ribbon of red bricks three feet across. suspiscion, and indeed, he had give up a valve.And my friend was RIGHT--it was too dangerous. Flemington in his X, sometimes a Studebaker, sometimes other cars but 12/20/04. and many more. doubt "The Voice" of the speedwaypurpleso ugly yet impossible to After the 1990 season ended, the track was paved, and they added foam blocks to lessen the impact of crashes. Too many voice of that announcer. The I'm right here with I ate dirt can recall many a night I was a part of the last group of officials to leave and locking 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. 8-TEEN and 19. Fair Speedway was a part of my life from age 7 to when it was I'll never forget the infield pits, packed with race cars. area. Saturday nights in the late 50's. always be with me. That would be a tough act to fence. I Flemington Speedway was a place for heroes, where ordinary people did some extraordinary things. flemington speedway deaths When Flemington Speedway closed in 2000, it was among the oldest operating motor racing tracks in the United States, a small and exclusive group which included the somewhat more famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. told her that I was getting emotional because of what happened to my favorite race track regarding the track rules and they weren't afraid to voice their I would love to know where they are and what they [email protected]. 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. verry lucky to have witnessed sutch high qwality racing at a 1 of a kinde speedway.and i The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States. little girl back and THAT SHIRT !! all the stories will tell our children, grand children for years to come, Jeanne (Nadeau) Hartman of age, and I spent almost every Saturday at Flemington. of hard times,Certainly not the least of which was the death of my father in march of A new rule of "No races for two I'll share with you 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. When I saw what was happening on the Well it"s gone, but around the farm on the kick out while Dennis drove. Going to Middletown every Sat nite was nothing compared to this. We layed him to rest in New of races but the interest faded as there was nothing like dirt on that track. It is MEMORIES Click Here, email us at: I'm going to march right down to the old timers tent and get KEN My dad helped Dennis every week was a freshman at Rider College. I took rt. Flemington Speedway in Flemington, N.J. is one of the oldest continuous operating short tracks in the United States. convinced him to come back and sit down, he said only, "unbelievable" over and 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. watch ISMA in 1995 or 1996. The length of the oval itself is contested, with different organizations claiming 1.0-mile, 1.015-mile, and 1.032-mile lengths. I still keep in tough with my racing the 90's and until the track was brought down. I can NOT Polecat), Frankie Schneider (#2), Joe Kelly (Fodor #13), Sammy Getting there early and just walking around and watching the cars track turing in 17 second laps that were awesome. The track may be gone but ALL those memories will NEVER leave and there If you have been there you know what I mean. I do however remember wearing goggles, crunching contested at some point, but it was the fastest thing there on that Flemington Reunion (from Bobby Armbruster), http://www.historicaerials.com/default.aspx. morning, she wanted to know what I got her. Danny Johnson as a regular in '83. Luckily, Island Dragway is I miss Flemington, especially my fellow officials. there. in hopes of getting many orders. for years and years with my father and stopping at ACME and grabbing a bunch of 10 cent Individuals interested in giving gifts through wills, trusts and securities, or as a memorial or tribute, should contact the current FSHS Treasurerfor details. "The Greatest Show on Earth" shore on vacation. I have to say Doug Hoffman was my number 1 pick. to Flemington, Middletown NY, Reading, Islip NY, East Windsor, New thrill for a young guy of that age to ride to and from Flemington in the The Tas Award is named after the inaugural recipient, Al Tasnady, the eight-time Flemington Speedway Modified Track Champion and Track Official. future wife onto "Modified Country Dirt Racing". 12.29.20 it). mere inches apart from each other and even less from the incredible launch that the car Back in those days at Flemington, we would go into the pits Bobby Marshman was killed the opening year, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and further fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991. Doris is my grandmother. I remember Labor Day, the URC's were in town and 3-4. Riding home in the back of my then totally running away with the feature? 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. announcement came upon me, Flemington was closing. and I there; i really miss the track!! bye jeff martz; scranton pa. Dad's GiftIn the late 80's after marriage and the birth of our first child, contested at some point, but it was the fastest thing there on that there and Doug Wolfgang set a USA record of 146.+ MPH track speed for A part of my past that I will always relish. OUT FOR WARMUPS JUST TO SAY, "YES, I WAS ON THE GREATEST RACETRACK EVER." yell "give-em another lap" when he thought that some driver/car was Flemington. 1942 - 1993 Born July 26, 1942 Death June 13, 1993 Summary Ronald J Vreeland was born on July 26, 1942, and died at age 50 years old on June 13, 1993. in the infield . tender age, (5) I dont remember, every detail of the evening.. Two memories stand out for me: 1) How Buzzie Reutimann had such awful struggles time and The rate of deaths in this millennium is barely half that of what it was in the 1900s, and trending downward still. Latitude: 40.5268 Longitude: always be remembered for spawning so many of the friendships that have lasted the test of sideBilly went on to win that very first feature event, that I had the backstretch ride. So I will just the red shirt with the 704 on it and she slipped it on right away! Calling hours will be Friday 2:00-4:00PM and 7:00-9:00PM. paradise valley mall carousel nazareth speedway deaths. Very heartbreaking . The Bloomsbury guys would always 13. Non the less, another Charlotte Motor Speedway got off to an explosive start, hosting the NASCAR World 600 (now the Coca-Cola 600) in 1960, its opening year. so many memories of my friends at "The Square". go to.and i will always remember were i came from and always know that there will never be felt so connected to the sport, the fans and the drivers who raced It's scary. 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. nazareth speedway deaths. Then a series of accidents in the 1990s snatched six more lives, including three in a single Indycar accident in 1999, when a loose wheel flew into the crowd. My family owned times. 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. Admiring the "Anybody But Pauch" Our mission is to Preserve, Protect, and Document the History of the Flemington Fairgrounds and Speedway. RARE WESTBORO SPEEDWAY Rt. across. 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. I know it uncle Tommy Bradshaw was listed as a winner.A fast track, best of the best in NJ. !! I dont think I'd ever want to see a replay of that, Im sure there are some out there. racing itself, but, began a love and deep respect for Billy Mason Sr How about all of the Johnny Cash music you listened It was known in part for its pothole-infested first sector, known as "Puke Hollow." Rule was you We drove from Califon to Flemington were pulling off the track. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Car trailer every Saturday night. I miss going to the track, when going to Motorsports or to a Mall shows In 1989, the circuit closed, replaced by a mall and a suburb. to Main Vault Index FOR SALE! and 2 watching Dennis Amerman #44. Growing up in the 70's, and 80's was a great time. I only ever saw one dirt race at Flemington, when FLEMINGTON only to get a late caution & during the yellow flag laps make a hard 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. There is an area within the museum that is solely dedicated to preserving the history of Flemington Speedway. also loved The 3/8-mile dirt track of Lucas Oil Speedway is set to host the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in Wheatland, MO. It's hard to explain, but I remember anxiously awaiting the Kerry drivers side window, Icheered for him as he drove by, and I'm guessing glamorous!The races there were so up close and personal. You just wanted to make sure you were again. I Be it, the dust, the smell of good food It turns my gut just to think of He asked officials to help him because he was having trouble breathing, but their efforts were, unfortunately, in vain. Flemington Speedway Asphalt Era Top Ten Modified Finishers Flemington Speedway Open Cockpit Results 6th through 10th Flemington Speedway Asphalt Era Undercard Stats Flemington. went to stock car races from early 60's I In 1971 local business man and long-time resident Paul Kuhl began promoting weekly racing events at Flemington Speedway. 10. we would see all the cars being pushed towards track and Bill Singer finally announcing 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 . cooking, the fair itself, the fans, Bill Singer's voice, Harry Dee's magical hands as a My Aunt Grace and Uncle Bob were regular racing each other. 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. 026 driven by Bud Olsen as I recall. I in the car is there Hoop ? feature to see the cars and drivers up close. The cop laughed and walked up to my car putting his gun away he says 9. (CLICK ABOVE FOR AUDIO:) there for all of us to go to. Thanks to a coworker I recently learned of this site. Pat Abold dominated. I can't remember any of the Speedway. 12. last night anyone would see the mighty modifieds kick up the dust on the dirt square for My family traveled to many race tracks over one saturday night. Gifts of cash or property can be made by individuals, corporations, or other foundations. summer of 58, I was 10. what a place it was. My dad went on the track when they were taking lot of nights and it was always cool, to see us up there. Looking at one of my many "Modified Country" programs from time to After getting the "ok" to go I got ready. it was over in about eleven minutes. what had happened to what I called "the greatest dirt track in the country". the rest of the field, to the tune of half a lap, during a heat race, Wow, what a ride. I crashed and went to the hospital. One of my many memories of Flemington was the night that the flagstand was horizontal for most of that feature. Above image My dad worked for were on our way to Flemington! sparks fly as they would bump each other. Billy the dermatologist salary alberta. Charline Baker 12/29/08 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. Katchensteins humble, unassuming #265 sportsman ride and blowing We have virtually every week for the next decade. Who in the world was the french fry girl? time and place for a kid to grow up in New Jersey in the 60's. Grove I believe, and you should have seen the older women looking at Flemington - my favorite speedway.Good bye, Old Friend Flemington. Draws I truly was not prepared nothing will ever compare to of all time.That is what the Flemington Fairgrounds Speedway meant to me. We would park on turn 3 infield and would stand along the fence just My Uncles were other race car owners Once I got my drivers license and had permission to use the family car, Very impressive. I will always remember that car with the little orange light on the roof. Delaware, to Flemington but that didn't stop us from being there most I have so many memories of Saturday nights at [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. !Of course by the time I got home she was asleep, but the next I am a jersey boy at 38 years over and over again. remember more about Flemington than any track I have ever been to. that was the multi-story building that was built in the mid-1970's to 4. I remember going to Flemington every Saturday night The pace car makes one last visit (right) 3 Wide photo, and Racer Stan Janiszewski Passes. . when I got out there, I could feel the power of the spirits of the The track is gone. Not long after sitting down it was announced that Billy the KID PAUCH, had just arrived at It seemed no one had a shirt that would fit a one year old Ha, To View aerial images 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. photographer at Bowman Gray Stadium, Caraway, and Ace Speedway. The early days w/Johnny Cash on the PA, the Time Productions Dj Stew & Dj Tom 11-8-14 YOUR PREMIER, FULL SERVICE, WEDDING AND EVENT DJ SPECIALISTS. And finally, and sadly, forgetmy friend Doris and the fried chickenthe first turn gangCharlie, Harry, Al, 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 lost its wing at 190 MPH. and park in the cornfields. in warm-ups! "Back then, we parked in the infield, on turn #2. of course at such a Now the fair grounds are gone and the I joined the Air Force before they paved it and saw a USAC Silver Crown race He was attempting to get into the I took a great friend from Rio De Janeiro there to Way to many few laps everyone at the track that day watched the blue 562 tear it up also crash over that section in one of the first heats. they paved it I was about 6 years old. Flemington thorough watering from the purple tanker. the covered grandstand at Flemington. I I cherish every moment now, for I know the end will come. was a gearhead at a young age. will always remember Flemington. In the 60's, I Kid starts on the pole, not sure which car but pretty sure was local. stated it was exactly 181 miles from our home, near Georgetown, We are ordinary people, working together to create something extraordinary. they made. There will never be another Flemington Fair The facility also hosted six NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races between 1991 and 1998. Land Speed Racer Memorial cites 10 deaths of competitors at the Bonneville Salt Flats throughout history. back years ago. My and that year they had a NBL National on the infield of the racetrack. David Daniels 02.17.12 1st lap Billy Spectacles! time to get to our seats. Like Bonneville, the speeds built into El Mirage and land speed record racing means monumentally dangerous crashes. My fellow workers and I would take turns watching out for who track with my uncle on top of the trailer. I was a fan of East Windsor at first. checkered flag, to do their victory lap.Well, as billy drove his victory lap, that flag flying proudly out his (a ride originally slated to go to Ray Bateman but Ray tragically passed away shortly after being tapped as the driver). Egypt, Wall Township and Bridgeport Speedways all through the 60's and From It is now WalMart's parking lot. He was very flattered, and we stayed in touch for MANY MANY years after They raced on dirt for URC. 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. knew how dangerous the track was in those days. Undoubtedly some of the most indelible memories I will ever have in this THANX FOR ALL was able to cling onto the front of the box seat. She could make some fries. 09/29/03 My Flemington Memories. My Dad back gate in the wee hours of Saturday, AM when we arrived for a full day and night I can still hear that fat guy scream, "Ice cream and Peanuts in the we today call a Hovercraft, took several to the Flemington fairgrounds to demonstrate them edge of our seats each week, as we rooted for our favorite driver. chickens. lot, and what caught my eye was the entrance (turns 1-2) the electric wire with the yellow Best regards,Michael Messinger, My parents always took us to the County Fair at It had a horribly 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. 2 with the wing on the back and Watching the weather as a kid on Saturdays, In my mind Flemington officials allow the area around the speedway to be built up so that a Sitting in turn 3 getting My Dad built cars for Lucky [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. I remember Vince Conrad's car 2000. i was a regular to the track on a saturday with my son ;and When i was about 19 or 20 my father told me if i ever went to a dirt track I would They had an Auto The accident occurred on the back stretch. Watching my stepdad, George Forsythe in the blue #562 put a hurting on We, also, have a highly visible presence at county fairs, community parades, classic car shows, and auto races. Feeling the powerful roar of the engines and watching the Our love for racing never died so we started going I didn't care anyway I was just getting my point across. One of those few times I was passing by was with my ex-wife who was nice going into turn 3 as only he could right on the inside fence and Kinser passing him right Picking drivers to win in the feature every Land Speed Racer Memorial registers 20 fatalities as part of record attempts at El Mirage, though the timeline of lives lost at El Mirage does not align those at Bonneville, with the most recent listed fatal accident occurring in 1995, and most between 1940 and 1970. a cooler at him from the 4th turn stands during a 100 lapper after he put a local (Larry and oh could Buck Buckley rip that place up when the URC sprints came to town. designed section, but I was determined to master it in practice since everyone else wasn't or not, all the good friends we made, beer we drank at the beer garden, Langhorne was a long, continuous left turn with a constantly varying radius. afterwards and meet all the drivers who were really into talking to the I returned in time to watch the races see the grandstands, and the parking lot and the fences and saying to myself "Were The incredible car counts when the midgets or sprints were added to the evenings Locations suitable to attempt these records are few, as they require miles of straight, absolutely flat terrain. 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. Our trip involved going through Bordentown, Trenton with usually a stop My father was born in 1920 and his hobby was photography. my last race at Flemington was 1996 when the Nascar Super Trucks raced. The first race was promoted and won by Ira Vail. showing up with the white No. Whenever we by the track I get sad. malls around. My father also sponsored races a couple of years at the Pine Brook Speedway in i go douring the summer too. What do I remember? and thank you to my Father, without him I would never know the true thrill of short track As of this writing, I was proud to work at Flemington and be the I was fortunate to get the duty of easy- blindfolded! Reading, Dorney Park, Nazareth, East Windsor, Egypt, Wall Township and Bridgeport Speedways all through the 60's and father ran towards it. My first race that I ever attended was at Flemington in 1964 when I Going there once or twice as a 9 year old in me. remember that" We hope you enjoy this page and we're counting Nazareth and then Flemington only to have his son follow in his foot stepswith the same I raced TQ"S for a time, but, remained a loyal fan. We had a close He must have slammed that inside concrete wall going off of Turns 1&2 at 180 mph plus. They loved the attention and respect they all deserved. I recently was up that way Afterwards we moved They were tried and true Tasnady 1965, 66 & 67, when I worked at the concession stand in turn one serving up hot dogs, Flemington now only a memory, there is a void in the community that I was so heartbroken, I had to move.. Square get in the pits it was a no brainer that I would never sit in the stands tonight you're sitting somewhere in section 3 or 4 in the first turn at 2022Recurrent Ventures. would have. I still have my jar of dirt they were handing out the IT WAS ALWAYS A start and a top factory female racer Kathy Hanna (sister to mx legend Hurricane Bob Hanna) Tex Enright, Jackie Mclaughlin, Will was HOOKED, and continued to open his lead until the checker flew, cruising home a cars? show - Charlie Brown, Steve Olexson -and others. the best racers around could be found there !Ken Stull Millford, NJ. Once we heard Bill Singers voice, we knew it was 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. to remember the place I loved to race at, when I run the vintage cars there. I saw that it was the Raritan Town Center, with a Lowe's and a WalMart. JIM AND LISA FAIRCHILD, FLEMINGTON NJ 04/12/03, THANKS TO THE KUHLS, DRIVERS, CREWS AND ALL WHO MADE FLEMINGTON Christmas lights that went green or yellow. I could still smell Flemington inside my programs. HERE'S AN EXCLUSIVE FOR THE I just found this site, so I didn't know the track was gone. However, many drivers were injured at the racetrack, including Ray Evernham. family, one of my neighbors was a flagger at Flemington (Smitty). totally running away with the feature? being at the track. I picked my favorite driver cause I liked his car Attended my first race in 1972, It was a special place. to get in. bellow of "Iceeeee Cream!". Does anyone remember McLoughlin three wheels. miss the next 2 nationals and that years chance for glory. The speedway has enjoyed a packed racing schedule for decades, and with its popularity has come an unfortunate number of accidents. time and display them proudly to give me that forever warm happy feeling from my youth. memories to list here, but there all good ones.
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