Central N.Y. Stockcar Hall of Fame, Car Show & Swap Meet - Morris, N.Y. Swap meet Sat and Sun. The Swap meet is small but they are looking to make it expand.
Hot Rod parts are welcome lots over lap with the Mid State stockcar club. I will be set up the with vintage stockcar and some hot rod parts. Vintage Racecars on display. Thank You, @Tony Martino put a copy in the opener.
From the Mid State Srockcar Club Web site http://www.midstateantiquestockcarclub.com/index.html Fall 2014 ~ Road Trips ~ On Sunday, September 21st, 2014 - The Central New York Stock Car Hall of Fame Induction ceremony was held at the Otsego County Fairgrounds in Morris, NY. The event marked the 19th consecutive year the induction has been held and I can say without any reservation that this was one of the nicest shows we've ever been involved with. The weather, which by mid-week was being reported as thunder showers for Sunday, instead was simply wonderful. Warm, with a coll breeze and plenty of sunshine. It certainly had a positive effect as all people I saw were smiling, laughing, enjoying themselves. My mother commented that she had never seen so many people hugging, talking and laughing at a show. People. I'm looking for a slant for this report, so here it is. I'm going to refer to "Blazing Saddle's" quotes, mainly because it's easy for me and I think it'll be enjoyable. 'Has anybody got a dime?' 'People. That's what's missing, people.' Just like the fake Rock Ridge in Blazing Saddles, without people this even is nothing. The Induction is more than a reunion of racers, it's affirmation that this club, this idea, to honor former racers and keep their memories alive, was a righteous and lasting one. We all love racing, and have for the majority of our lives. Today's racing has changed so much, it's nice to go back to a simpler time, one where nearly anyone could afford to race. A time when talent could carry the day instead of the wallet, when a good relationship with your local junkyard owner was a necessity, when you had better know how to fabricate and weld yourself. When people came to the tracks in droves because there were so many involved in racing, and the weekend races were THE event of the week. It's more than nostalgia, it's a longing to return to our youth. To remember those wonderful years and celebrate them in honoring some of the people who brought us those memories. 'How about some beans Mr. Taggert?' We know for a fact that not all of the competitors got along all of the time. How's that for politically correct? It's part of what gave racing it's colorful character, it was honest, hard, competition. And hard fought competition brings out the best, and sometimes the worst, in people. Like they say, if you don't spin 'er once in a while, you ain't trying hard enough.. everyone was giving it their all and that kind of effort is going to involve a lot emotion. And it never ends. When we bought the P-13 from Ron Pierce, he offered us some pistons. They were new, 4 1/2" stroke x 3 7/16" bore - impossibly big. Perhaps they could have been used in 1952 when they were cast and blocks didn't have 50 years of water in the jackets, but they were of no use to us. I related this to my buddy Cliff Kotary and he replied, "I knew it! He was BIG!" Some 50 years later and he'd finally got confirmation that Tommy Wilson's car was possibly illegal... Funny. It never changes, the same race has two different stories depending on who your talking to. Last year I witnessed Earl Mewhorter talking to Bud Hinman about a race at Midstate where the late models and modifieds combined - both remembered beating the other.... What's great about these re-unions is listening to these guys relive those days, it's fun and they aren't the only ones enjoying it. "It's twue It's twue.' On Thursday evening I'm heading to Syracuse to pick up Ralph Raastad who is flying in from Orlando. We've been trying to get Ralph to the show for years. This year Gene Cole stepped up and covered costs to make it possible for Ralph's trip back north. It's just one of the behind the scene contributions that take place in order to bring together an event such as this - there are many other instances as well... I meet Ralph at the airport and he hasn't changed much, same easy going Ralph. He's had some hard times the last few years, lost his wife, a son, and times have been tough. He rolls with it, and related on the way back to New Berlin that this whole ceremony is "unbelievable." Not many people remember that it was Ralph that got this whole movement going in New Berlin. He restored the first car, the former Bill Salamaca #88 in 1983. He and Mel Ogden of Franklin started making shows with the Atlantic Coast Old Timers but found their rules tough, "they even wanted you to have your entire front end magnafluxed" and so they decided to start their own club. They recruited locals Dave Allen, Carl Carpenter and my father, and the Midstate Antique Stock car Club was born. I remember attending what was the second meeting at Ralph's house in Pittsfield when Carl was elected president. And, the purpose of the club was discussed at that time, to restore old stock cars and honor former drivers. At that time you could get a car on the track for around $500 - my father and I both did. Seems hard to believe that 30 years have passed. I learned a lot about Ralph the next few days. We visited Nancy Schoonover, Paul Jensen, Butch Swarthout, looked over photographs - Ralph's racing heritage is rich. Four consecutive late model Championships at Fonda with Dick Schoonover driving the Lumber Wagon, many a success himself at Midstate, he drove the V8 my fahter worked on as a boy... the stories flowed. "I remember the time I crinkled a fender and Richard is out there on the track slamming that fender with his artificial leg trying to beat it off the car AHAHAHA, I think some lady in the grandstand fainted.." My father remembered, "That was my first leg, it was rugged. I used it as a jack stand once. We were changing a tire and didn't have anything to hold the car up so I took it off and it held it up just fine." A simpler time indeed. We're going through the pictures, there is one of a doodlebug - at the show I learned from Gene Cole that Ralph had taken Gene for a ride on that Doodlebug and it started Gene's lifelong affair with cars. There is Ralph's first car, a Dodge he drove at Symrna in the early 1950's, then a sharp 1934 Ford 3 window coupe. Then the V8, first a '41 Ford, then a Model A sedan 'grafted' onto the frame. They were not fussy... From there to a '57 Chevy late model, to the Fords that he made his hay with. "I always used a 1963 Galaxie frame, shortened it up, they were rugged and lasted." He and his crew once built a car in a week. "It wasn't pretty but it ran." Ralph got more from less than anyone I know. It was a great weekend getting to know Ralph again, better than I ever had before. "Where's froggy?" On Friday we drive over to Morris and look over the fairgrounds. No one is around but the work is evident. John Mason and Mike Newell have started to deliver cars, the tables and chairs are in place, the lawn is mowed, it looks great. Now if only the weather will hold.. how about a spin? The track isn't quite the same, but close, the surface is groomed for horses now but the track is the same minus a little banking in the turns. Ralph is talking, "About here you'd better have some good brakes. Getting into three was no problem but getting down into one you had to hit the brakes hard. I'd use up a set of brakes every race. We'd probably be getting up to 90 or a hundred at the end of the straights.." I believe it, the straights are loong, like two drag strips connected with paper clip corners. 'Mongo like candy.' On Saturday we deliver the Mouseville Monster and the P-13, more cars have arrived. John and Mike have been busy.. In the Oneonta Star we see that Earl Mewhorter has succumbed to cancer. He was hoping to live long enough to see this event, it's not fair. He was a good and as nice a man as anyone could hope to meet. Finally, it's show time. We wait at home for Bill Marsh and Bill Kisselstein until finally we can't stand it anymore and head to Morris. We aren't there 1/2 an hour and the Bill's arrive, it's good to see them both. Bill Marsh's 'Bucket of Bolts' flathead powered big car carried inductee Harry Eckert to Victory at Warrensburg some 65 years ago now, and he's here to see Harry be inducted. Many thanks to Bill K. for getting him down to the show. There are so many cars here this year - the cruise in is very well attended. And tractors, the Tired Iron Club is out in force, Olivers, Massey -Ferguson, John Deere's and a really nice Willy's jeep catch my eye. The Franklin Doodle bugs are also on display with some really neat machinery, again from a time when you made do with what you have. Then of course there are the stock cars of the Midstate Antique Stock Car Club. Alot of history here - track champion cars to cars that raced but once, they are all on display in full glory. Members who displayed cars are Mike Newell, John Mason, John Clark, Richard and Jeff Ackerman, Brent Cobb, Mel Ogden, Earl Mewhorter, Richard Parry, Dave Conde, and Norm Winton. Jeremy Vunk brought his sportsman out as well. Overall it was a fantastic display of brightly colored and heavily patina'd cars - nothing better and thanks to all who brought out their machinery. 'Work work work work work work work, hello boys do you miss me?' Walking around the show, there is so much to see, so many to talk to. I congratulate Carl Nagle on his induction. There's Otto Graham, we haven't seen each other in a while and it's good to chat. In pulls this brilliant yellow Mack Truck, it's a beauty and from it comes Dick Hansen - it fits him perfect. "My winter project, a model L." I introduce him to Otto and then Ron Hills comes along taking video and catches the two of them discussing Ted Tappet. It's great stuff. Dave Conde arrives with his #20 Lyman Howe coupe, it was raced once at Midstate by the Wisnoski's and is splendid in it's original attire. Although Dave is a little heavy on the throttle....I heard one comment about witnessing a flathead sacrifice in the pits... Ray Bunzey and Marty Ackley are on hand as always and it's good to see them both. The Newell's, Don and Bill are both in good spirits and Mike hands me a sheet of his dad's 'philosiphies on racing' - good reading. Mike is allover the place taking care of stuff. John Clark has brought four cars including the '63 Galaxie Utica-Rome pace car. Barb Clark is all smiles. Really Really, a great day. 'Mongo only pawn in game of life..' OK, onto the inductions. We were led by an excellent version of the Stag Spangled Banner by a young lady, Liana Garry who really sang it superbly. So many times you hear is sung incorrectly by some diva, and it's not an easy song to sing, she nailed it. John Mason then handled the mic and relates Earl Mewhorters passing to the crowd, it was difficult for John but he gathered himself and moved forward in introducing Richard Parry, Dave Conde and Mel Ogden - the three guys that hatched this HoF. Richard gave a brief synopsis of the HoF history, how it got started and why it was started - to honor former drivers & their families. Dave Conde was up next and in truth, could have been more focused on the event at hand. John then asked Mel if he wanted to say anything to which Mel replied "NOPE!" and got the biggest applause of all... Onto the inductions: Harry Eckert was first up and appeared very pleased with being honored. Harry was really quite the guy - Bill Marsh related to me "that day at Warrensburg nobody wanted to drive my flathead. Harry's car broke and he said 'get the flathead out.' He set second fast time with it. His boss was there with a DO Hal (dual overhead), which was really something. In the drivers meeting I can remember him saying 'All you lap cars get to the inside.' And he had the flathead. He started outside pole and left them at the green. The track had a sharp first corner, that was the only place he lifted, set it and full throttle all around the track. He lapped half the field and his boss wouldn't talk to him for three weeks. HAHAHA" John is going over Harry's questionaire, citing the tracks he's raced at, Shangri-La, Thompson, Williams-Grove, Toronto, this is a long and impressive list. The Championships, the big cars, the midgets. Mike has placed a Dayton wheel on the table next to a 12" wide contemporary racing tire, and hands the mic to me. I related seeing the film the week before of Shangri-La in 1946, the big cars on the oiled dirt track and the exposed drivers struggling to maintain control of their cars. I asked Harry who related 'they were a handful. We didn't have cages, the cars look a lot better without them. The helmet (Cromwell) was basically cardboard, but it saved my hide more than once. A lot of drivers didn't wear a belt because they wanted to be thrown free of a car if it rolled, they didn't want to be caught in a fire, I wore a belt.' I wanted to impress upon the crowd the fact that these guys were traveling 80-90 mph on these horse tracks with no cage, no belts, a paper-mache' helmet and a t-shirt. They were doing this on approximately 3 1/2 inches of tread and wire strung wheels. Safety was not at the forefront in those days, speed was. And drivers were considered expendable, you could always get another driver. I asked Harry to take us on a lap of Langhorne 'well it was a mile and oval, you never really let off. The track was awful rough, I qualified against a stellar field and was doing ok but the car started falling apart, when the gas tank fell out I was done.' Mike Newell made a beautiful model big car for Harry, which we presented with his plaque. As he was leaving later Harry related, "I'm very impressed with your organization, it's a nice show." We were pleased harry and Bill could both make it. Next up, Richard Parry related all the contributions Ralph Raastad made to the local racing scene, the Midstate victories, the Fonda Championships. Ralph comes up in front the crowd and relates 'he's a man of few words but I sure do appreciate this... thank you." He's obviously touched and when I ask for a picture with him and Schoonie, I can see a tear. John is back at the mic now relating the significant career of Carl Bub Nagle, easily one of the most celebrated and winning-est drivers in the Southern Tier of New York. Multiple track championships at Penn-Can, 5 Mile Point and Thunder Mountain, multiple Irv Heath Memorial wins, 200 feature wins (it may be a lot more...) Carl is also a man of few words, and also obviously touched by his inclusion, he has a difficult time saying more than 'thank you' before returning to his seat. Richard introduces Clyde Hewitt relating his long service to the Midstate track on the board of directors, as well his long racing career and his inclusion on the technical committee at Midstate. Clyde is all smiles. John introduces us to Mr. Ford Fred Barse, who apparently liked to stand up the challenge that only a Chevy could win at Midstate. Fred proved that challenge wrong in the Super Stock division, and again, he's all smiles in receiving his plaque. Richard handles the final inductee, Linda Mewhorter who understandably isn't in attendance. We're awful sorry for your loss Linda, we all liked Earl very much, in fact everyone I know that's spoken of Earl, always talked very highly of him. Linda's sister Mary Knapp accepted Linda's plaque in her absence. 'Wow, you shot the bad guy. Lets go watch the end of the movie. I hope it's a happy ending.' It is a happy ending. Nothing but compliments are heard all around. One fellow from the cruise in asked if 'a flag could be raised on that beutiful mast?' I mentioned it to Mike Newell and wiola - 5 minutes later the flag was up. Mike did a great job with everything, so did John Mason, Debbie Newell with the t-shirts, the Fair Board with the concessions and the club members with delivering the goods. We'd also like to thank all those who brought doodle bugs, tractors and cruise-in cars, we appreciate it all. Lastly, thanks to Gene Cole of Gate-Cole Insurance for sponsoring the show once again - we couldn't do it without you. And thanks for that little story about Leroy Taylor at Midstate looking at the rather large woman in the stands and wondering if it was uhh, well - probably best left at that... pretty hilarious. And a god way to end the day - with a laugh. Also, many thaks to Ron Hills of the Race Report for providing the DVD's of last years event, and the upcoming ones from this year. Hope all attendee's had a great time, see you next year. PS Thanks to Otto for the good pictures..
2013 H.O.F From Mid state Stock car club web site- 2013 Central Now York Stock Car Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was the brain-child of Richard Parry, Dave Conde and Mel Ogden with the first induction taking place in 1996 at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Brookfield, NY. After a few years there the induction was moved to the VFW in West Winfield, Ny where it was held yearly through the tenth re-union with Richard & Sharon Parry organizing the show. Jim Chase then moved the show to the Otsego County Fairgrounds and the show has been held at this venue since. For many years the event was sponsored by Gates-Cole Insurance Company and we were pleased to have Gene Cole and company support us again. This year the show was run by a committee and I believe everyone is pleased with the results. There have been many inducted into this Hall of Fame, starting with former drivers of the Eastern Mutual Racing Club and Central New York Racing Club. We have now moved into inducting the Midstate Racing Club drivers and this years group included two track champions as well as multiple feature winning drivers. The induction was held on Sept. 22nd and although the weather could have been nicer, it also could have been a lot worse. It didn't rain and we were grateful for that. Members of the Midstate Antique Stock Car Club had 26 period race cars on display. There were approximately 250 people in attendance, the Otsego County Fair Board provided the concessions and ran out of food, the hall was full for the inductions and we all had a great time honoring these six former drivers. What's nice about the event is that you get to see people you may not have seen in a while, relax and bullshit with them and wax on about the cars and racing in general. Very enjoyable. As we're waiting for the ceremony my father and I are sitting with Sid Wust, and I'm going over my brief introduction with him. We get talking and I relate a story to him - I was working at Card's Auto Parts at the time and would often make the trip from New Berlin to Edmeston to deliver parts. On these trips I would often stop by the Wust Garage to say hello to Willy, his father. One day I stopped at the garage and I knew there was someone there, but couldn't see them. 'Willy?' I hollered, "I'm under here." He responded, so I bent down and there was Willy under this big Cat dozer. He had a huge crescent wrench attached to at least a 4 foot long pipe and he was propped up, parallel too, but off the ground. His arms were straight out, if you knew Willy, you know he was a powerful man. His feet are on the pipe and he's grunting and bouncing his weight against it. He looks at me and says "Goddamn that Sidney, there's no reason to put a drain plug in that tight!" Sid lights up and laughs a toothy grin as I finish. Mike Newell has joined the conversation and reminds Sid of the time nemesis Jerry Wisnoski was black flagged at Midstate. Jerry apparently didn't agree with the call and left his car on the track. "The tow truck couldn't move it so Charley (Sid's brother..) got the dump truck, chained her up and dragged that car into the pits..HHAHAHAHA!" Seriously, you could write a book on Sidney. I remember bowling balls bouncing down the alleys, "Sometimes they'd end up in the other lane!" Mike is laughing, 'Tell them about that stump in Edmeston." Well, Dad figured I should handle the dynamite. I told them I could get that stump out of there but I didn't guarantee how..." Mike finished, "That stump went over the tennis courts and there was people playing tennis at the time..." More Laughter. What do you say, Fore! Fire in the Hole!?? Sid continued "We had a construction job and Dad gave me the demo job. I used a little too much dynamite (notice any trend here??) and a rock flew over and smashed the windshield out of the dump truck. So he goes and replaces the windshield and the next day he parks that dump truck way out of the way under a tree. Wouldn't you know another rock went all the way over there and through that tree and smashed out that windshield too. HAHAHAHA! After that Dad said he wasn't going to replace the windshield until AFTER we finished the job." It was many years ago now, a cold morning in early winter. Dad and I are heading towards Edmeston on Route 80 near Hoboken Bridge, here comes a dump truck. You can see the drivers eyes, they're blue as the sky, and watering because there is no windshield in the truck, it's Willy. And now we know the rest of the story. I was looking for Dick Hansen, I'd never met him although we had talked on the phone about nine years ago. I was setting up interviews and planned on talking with Joey Lawrence in Kingston. He suggested I call Dick and talk with Gordon Ross as well, so we set it up. Unfortunately on the day I interviewed Joe, we ran out of time and I never made it to see Gordon. My loss. I felt badly about it and have still not forgotten it, I let him down and he passed before I got back there. Dick was upset with me and rightfully so, I told him I had just bitten off more than I could chew. Joey was such a good interview I didn't feel right at cutting it short, and by the time we were done it was too late to do another decent job. I had watched Dick at Midstate in 1972, the year he won his championship at the track. He was dominate that year in the Bruce Carman owned #23 sedan. I only bought (3) pictures from that time at the track, Stan Wetmore, Butch Jelly and Dick Hansen - and I rooted for Bill Salamacca because he was driving the 88. There he is and he's approaching, big, rugged guy. I've read and talked with Lew Boyd about Dick - who related that Dick drove with 'uncommon intensity' but that he had calmed down now. A little. "I want to make amends with you." These are the first words from him as we shake hands. He relates reading my article on Joey and how much he appreciated it. "Joey is tops in my view, I can't say enough about him." We talk of Gordon and I apologize about missing the interview. "Gordon was the best." Dick is a no bullshit kind of guy, period. We're looking over the cars, and talking about what racing used to be. He relates he doesn't understand what's happened even to 'vintage' racing, I concur. I show him our cars, and relate to him that the purpose of the Midstate Antique club was to preserve the cars and honor the former drivers. Which is why you'll never see my name on one of these cars. I have made copies of the photo I have of him with the Carman 23 and give him one in exchange for an autograph. He signs one for Bruce too. AS we're talking he asks if we have an actual hall to place memorabilia. We don't at this time I relate but hope to in the future, that's been a goal of mine for a while. Then he looks at me and says "Well, I have a couple of trophies that I'd like to donate. Will you hold them and place them in that hall?" Absolutely. He takes me over to his '37 Ford coupe which is beautiful, and pulls two trophies out of the trunk. One is the 1972 Midstate Mid-Season Championship trophy, the second is a special award given to him in 1972 by Dirt. The first Schaefer Qualifying race was held at Midstate and Dick won it. "That trophy went to Bruce Carman." Dick related. "I won the second qualifier at Lebanon Valley and Tommy Correllis got that trophy, so Dirt gave me this special award. I think I found the right guy to take care of them." I'm honored and will take good care of them until we get the hall built. There's a lot of bullshitting going on I notice, and a lot of head shaking and laughter. The Hall is filling up and John Mason is firing up the microphone. I guess this is as good of a time as any to mention all the drivers that I noted at the induction - if I miss anyone then I apologize. In attendance (in no particular order): Don Beagell, Gary Beagell, Don Pierce, Marty Ackley, Earl Mewhorter, Mike Colsten (Congrats on the 5MP championship Mike!), Larry Groover, Chuck Akulis, Bob Gibbs, Don Newell, Ray Bunzy, Joe Buchek, Bruce Carman, Joe Norton, Ray Canner, Harold Humphries, Bill Roese, Roger Beagell, Bob Wing, Dick Hansen, Sid Wust, Bob Lupka, Jack Gill, Willie Wightman, Brent Cobb, Gene Cole, Bill Newell, Jon Button (Happy Birthday!) Wust Brothers, Wayne Barton, Russel Card, Tex gorden, Bud Hinman, Sonny Stickles, Phil Clement, Skip Pickwick, and Larry Smith. It's a who's who of Midstate Speedway. John starts the show off after we have an invocation and play the national anthem. He relates his discovery of the speedway, which took place during a picnic in Morris when he wandered off and let his curiosity get the best of him, and ended up in the stands. His parents were pleased to see him return when he finally got back, and it started a life long love affair with race cars for John. We can all relate to a story like that, we all have one. I'll never forget Willy picking me up and putting me on the crash guard of the 88 as he revved up that 289.... grinning at me with those blue eyes... John waxed eloquently, he's a natural at this, and then introduced Dick Hansen. Dick accepted graciously and added that in his view 'Everyone here was a big racer.' Bob Wing is next up and he isn't one that is obviously comfortable with a mike - he quickly thanked everyone and sat down before I could even snap a picture. He looked very pleased. I then got the mike and I'm not as good at the public speaking thing as John, but I got through it.. Sid Wust was next to accept and he related being a "low buck guy that really enjoyed the challenge of racing against veterans like Bill Roese and Dick Schoonover." Sid was all grins. Bob Lupka then brought up several photographs of local racers and we played a game of 'who's this?' with the winner taking home a nicely framed photo. Bob then went into detail of his father Stan's racing career, showing pictures of each car and detailing the history of each. Stan was another low buck guy that used ingenuity and hard work to win his 1964 championship, but Bob still wouldn't tell what gears he had... Richard Parry then introduced Roger Beagell, who again is a man of few words in a crowd, but he wasn't bashful on the track. Lastly Richard inducted Jack Gill who again, let his emotions show in his face when he took the award. A top notch group. All deserving, all very appreciative. It is days like these that re-affirms the fact that what you do for a hobby isn't only fun and worthwhile, it's downright righteous. Afterward we're outside and Dick Hansen approaches, "Do you think it'd be all right if I took a lap?" OK with me, bu the horse people might not like it.... He goes back to his car and I head to the track, if he's gonna take a lap I'm gonna take a picture.... As I'm standing on the track he approaches again, guess he decided it was a better idea to walk it instead. He related "I loved this place." He points to the light pole between three and four. "By that point you were wide open again. And then headed into one there, right at the apex of the corner there was always a rut up high. Everyone else would pore it on into one low, I'd head up high for that rut. Then in two they're all washing up and I'm under them. I drove this place a lot like Fonda. We found an 11" Hoosier that had a lot of forward bite and I used them here the whole year. That's why that small block could beat their big blocks. They kept going bigger on engines and bigger on tires but those smaller tires really worked. Kneisel told me he spent a lot of money trying to beat us here. You know, people used to say it was easy pickings here. That wasn't true. Bob Malzahn came up here, one time. I lapped him, he didn't come back. When I said that everyone here was a big racer I meant it. They might not have had all the money or equipment that guys had at other tracks, but they were dedicated to the sport and that makes them big racers in my book." I'm nodding with him as he's talking. The track certainly provided top notch competition - the best of 5 Mile Point met up with the locals and the best of Lebanon Valley, and a few Fonda guys would show as well. All the guys showed up for the 'easy pickings' and by the time they all showed, pickings weren't so easy. I loved this place too, still do... Credit where due department: Members who brought cars include: Mike Newell, John Mason, Mel Ogden, John Clark, Jon Button, Rick and Sharon Parry, Earl Mewhorter (thanks for the door prizes too), Chuck Jones, Skip Pickwick, Richard Ackerman and myself. The people that helped select the inductees included Sonny Stickles, Mel Ogden, Marty Ackley, Ray Bunzy, Mike Newell, John Mason, Richard Parry, Richard Ackerman and myself. There were several cruise - in cars that enhanced the show as well, Mike Chase, Ralph Humphries, Dick Hansen, Tom Ackerman come to mind. Thanks also to Barb Clark for bringing the Utica-Rome Pace car and to the 'Trophy Guy' Mike Chase for providing the awards. Thanks also to Ron Hills from the Race Report for filming the event, Ron hands out free DVD's to each inductee. Thanks to Dani for taking th photos and freeing me up to BS... Most importantly, the fellows that prepared the grounds and set up the show include the Otsego County Fair board, Pete Stafford, Brent Cobb, Russel Card, John Mason, Mike Chase, Richard and Sharon Parry, Debby Newell, but mostly - Mike Newell. Mike was the workhorse and the show wouldn't have come off without his effort, nor the effort of all these people. Thanks to all for a great time - see you next year.
Thank You for the post. Now my question what was the thinking on the Blue Number 29. That is the longest wheel base on a old modified I have ever seen. Did it ever race?? How did it do?? Great cars . your car is which ??
The 29 car was run by Don Beagle owner of Don's Automotive mall. Those style cars ran in the Southern Tier of N.Y. and Northern Penn. The way I understand the wrecked car on the left is the real car re/bodied The 53 Chevrolet in the background is mine. My father and I have talked about cloning one of his old racecars. I was born to late and never got to see any of the good racing, I am only 33.
A link to some history of Mid-State Speedway- http://www.midstateantiquestockcarclub.com/midstate_speedway.html
Good stuff Robert J Palmer. Those the actual Jalopy's right there. Always amazed me how many hot rodders don't understand the history of racing and how it relates to the hobby they participate in. Have a great time and good luck selling your goods.
My dad and I have talked about that a lot, we have never understood the lack of interest in oval track racking with some some hot rodders. The following is a link I started about the end of the mile at the N.Y.S. fair grounds
Yup I'm going. Decided to try and sell some stuff instead of trying to buy stuff with money I shouldn't spend.
Good turn out of vintage racecars, swapmeet still small "Bud" Leroy Hinmans Bug 1969 Mid state Champ The Tommy Mills 33 Ford owned by Dick & Jeff Ackermen Dick & Jeff Ackermen Owned Big Car unknown history Myself playing the big winner I will post more photographs tomorrow night.
This years Hall of Fame class- Left to right Frank Mathalia, Roger Beagel for Mike Colsten, Bruce Winton and Bucky Dew seated- A Frank Mathalia built car- Letters sent from N.A.S.C.A.R to Frank Mathalia Bruce Winton's car
Brings me back to The 50's and early 60's, Five Mile Point Speedway, outside of Binghamton, NY. Saw 'The Joey Chitwood Thrill Show there circa 1964, he was using brand new Mustangs for that show. Thanks for posting, good memories!
a few more photos- Dave Conde owned bran find- Hudson 5 window clone owned and being built by Dick and Jeff Acerman- Mert "Socks" Hulbert's 1967 Devil's Bowl (V T) Champ. car owned by Mert Hulbelt Tunner number 10 owned by John Clark- A clone of the Jimmy Mott Brook's B.B.Q. owved by Mel Ogden
The Jalopy Journal
