60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Grez

Al Hansen

 

I believe that Deer Park (NY) was both a 1/2 mile & a 1/4 mile in the infield that utilized a part of the main straight of the big track.

Speonk was a track carved out of a farm field. I don't "think" there were ever any grand stands. Ed Hawkins used to tell that they "passed the hat" there & what ever they raised was the purse they ran for.

There was also a mile at one time in Commack.

I think Marty Himes has a list of over 40 tracks that existed on Long Island at one time or another, including a 1/2 mile fairgrounds track in Riverhead, where the high school now is. Barney Oldfield and others of the era competed there. Some of the fairgrounds building are still there.

The "old" wooden grandstands (now gone) that stood on the main straight at Riverhead when I was there (gray in color when I was there) .. came from the fairgrounds track. (See picture below)

Deer Park Speedway, in 1953 also below.

 

Great shots Ken! Keepers for me. I have to look in my first or second issue of GCM, Jim Kelly got a whole list from Marty of tracks from Commack arena to a Board Track in Brooklyn. I always wanted to see the DP track but never did. Speonk was out in the woods out east, no? You had to drive through the woods to get there and then you were in a large open field if I am not mistaken. Going back a long time now.

 

From what I've learned, there was more than one board track in Brooklyn (NY) .. There was at least two. The Coney Island Velodrome that was origionally a bicycle race track that later ran midgets. I've heard that track used to sway if the cars went around in a pack!!! Velodromes were highly banked all the way around. I think the midget races there were eventually halted because of excessively high (dangerous) speeds.
There was also a mile board track in Sheepshead Bay.. the "Big Cars" (Indy cars of the day) with Barney Oldfield and the other stars of that era ran there. I understand the speeds on the Sheepshead Bay boards were also mind blowingly fast. .. Not too many years ago, Marty Himes found some of the remaining concrete supports for that track.

There was another board track in NY City for awhile .. many years later. After the Giants baseball team left NY .. both stock cars & midgets ran in the Polo Grounds baseball stadium that was vacated by the Giants. One or both utilized a board track. Some years after that a few of the seats from the Polo Grounds ended up at the Bridgehampton (NY) road course.

Marty Himes saw the Deer Park track (what was left) before the property was developed. In fact he gathered a bunch of stuff (all kinds) that he was able to find &/or kind of dig up there. It's all in his museum now. Marty also got to know the man that owned the property. He never promoted it, rather leased it others. As per Marty .. It seems that the success of that track was doomed by "FOG". It was in a place that if there was any fog at all, it settled there & the races were fogged out more times than not.

I was speaking to Harold Seaman last night. That guy has more knowledge about racing on Long Island from the late 40's - 50's on to today, than anyone I know. He started going to the races with his Dad as a young boy and has never stopped. He attended what might have been the last "almost" race at Deer Park. He also knows A LOT about Speonk (NY) as he & his Dad went often.

Harold knows exactly where Speonk was (I don't). He said a lot of what was the very effective guard remained at least up until about 10 years ago.

Harold relayed the following. People would race up & down a road in Speonk. When a halt was brought to that, they just started racing in someone's farm field (in an oval). No guard rail .. no nothing .. just farm dirt. My guess is that in time, people driving by stopped &/or heard about it and started watching. Eventually a pretty substancial wood guard rail was built. There were never any grandstands. Now this is from both Harold & the late Ed Hawkins ... It was so dusty (remember just farm dirt) that most people stayed inside there cars to watch. .... Harold also said that there were always potato vines growing in the infield. He told me that the announcer stood on the roof of a chicken coupe and that there was only one loud speaker. One day Harold decided to climb up to where the announcer was to try to get a better view. The only way up was first up on a 55 gallon drum, then climb up onto the slanted roof. There stood the announcer with an "old" microphone, mounted on a stand that incorporated a real heavy brass base. He said that even from that vantage point, when the cars were running you couldn't see much more than 50 feet of the action at a time (DUST!!!) and that the announcer was more or less just winging it !!!!!!

Now back to Riverhead.
FIRST the fairgounds track. Harold's Uncle owned the local Dodge dealership at the time and his Uncle worked all year (each year) getting a car ready to compete against the likes of Barney Oldfield (if you never heard of him .. Google him) and the others that toured the country with their "Big Cars" (Indy cars of the day) on the Riverhead fairgrounds track. Harold's Uncle had a local driver, but this old brain didn't retain his name.
SECOND that Riverhead (NY) Raceway, when it was still dirt. It seems that the starters stand was a road grader that they had "unsuccessfully attempted" to groom the track with (dragging it behind a Dodge pickup) and finally just parked. Harold can vividly remember Johnny Zeke (Zukowski) decked out in white pants and a fancy shirt standing on the road grader, flagging the races. Harold can also tell you exactly where that very same road grader can be seen today. (I THINK he said on some ones property ..some where on Kromer Avenue.)

BTW .. Johhny Zeke was both a noted stock car & midget driver, he also promoted at least a few of the races at the Deer Park Speedway. He became an airline pilot. Later in life and until his death, he lived in Thousand Oaks, Calif..

 

Richie Evans

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Roger Treichler Sanborn, NY

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Dave McCleod Buffalo, NY

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Tony Jankowiak, Tonanwanda, NY



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Bill Bitterman, Buffalo, NY

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Hi. I've been looking at this thread almost every day for the last 3 years. I love it! So I thought I'd finally sign up.

That Greenport track was upstate, just outside of Hudson, NY. Doug Garrison's hometown. He did a lot of racing there before eventually going to Lebanon Valley.

There are 2 Greenports in New York! The Village of Greenport on Long Island and the Town of Greenport near Hudson.

 

Welcome aboard Hank, 3 years later :O)
A wealth of knowledge today from Ken, thanks for yours words. I know some of the stuff you write about, but it's great to share the stories with those who don't, many stuff you write, I learn for the first time! I might have posted a few picture of the brooklyn wooden tracks, they can be found online, I've seen them before!
Marty and Harold can never be duplicated!!! That's why we need to share the stories to pass them on, never forget history! Kinda like our gov't. has....oppps wrong thread lol
Kenny Jr. thanks for the photos, hope to see more!:O)

Now time for photos!!!

Harold Montanyne

Harry Peek

Harry Rice

 

Jim Harbright

Hard wreck at Vineland, Nj

Harlow

 

Not sure if this was posted, This is from Lasheefs.com site. I know we've seen photos of the resto being done on the Chevette, but thought this shot really shows that made this car special! Charlie Jarzombek

Happy Holmes

Harbach

 

Harry Gant, I shuddred to think what this man could have done in his prime with a race team like Hendrick, Joe Gibbs or RCR! I was telling my dad during the "old timers" race on ESPN last week! I bet the man could still wheel a car around some of these tracks, he really had a handle on 1 mile and less tracks.

Hawk Fuegner

Hearne

 

Joe Messina and Steve Danish

 

Hmmmmm!!!??? A stock car driver wearing a Sam Browne belt. I never thought about that before .. but sure, why not?

I sure know midget & sprint car drivers did .. but now I see that before shoulder harnesses & seats that wrapped around & helped hold you upright in the turns, that stock car drivers certainly did too.

Sam Browne belts are currently being discussed on both the midget & sprint car threads here.

 

X2 on the comment about Harry Gant

 

Yes, I know of Barney Oldfield, anyone involved in racing that doesn't know his name and some of his achievements needs an education. As a matter of fact, in my premiere issue of GCM I did an article on The Vanderbilt Cup and motor racing on Long Island in the turn of the century. As well as speed trials on Osmond Beach.

Johnny Zeke was a legend in his own time. I admit that you have tons more knowledge then I do but I rather you do not talk down to me and insult me with comments like, the likes of Barney Oldfield (if you never heard of him .. Google him), I have been around here long enough for you to know better. I am also aware of the Board tracks and the Polo grounds.

It is such a shame that we do not have photos of these that could be shared with the other members of this thread. So much racing history here on Long Island since at least 1904.

Peace.

 

Pete, I believe that was Alan's car. I could be wrong but I don't thing so. Freddie parked on the other side of the pits at all times.

 

I can remember laying on the floor under that car in Tremonts garage basement tightening the oil pan bolts. That was shortly after "Abe" made the switch from Ford to Chevy power.

I can still remember me saying to Abe, "What size wrenches do I need?". He replied, "Why are ya' asking me, I thought you were the Chevy man??!!!".

I think in this pic it was still Ford powered because of the Cartwright Ford Sponsor.

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I know Will Cagle always ran a Sam Browne belt. He was still using it in his last racecar running those Legend 600 cars a couple of years ago. I helped strap him in.

 

Kenny Troyer

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Tommy Druar Cheektowaga, NY





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Tommy Druar



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Tommy Druar & John Julicher at Lancaste National Speedway, NY

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Tommy Druar


Dave MacCleod #32, Tommy Druar #37 John Julicher #9 at Lancaster National Speedway

 

Emil, the x90 is Freddy, the 89 was Alan.

 

i think that freddy parked in ira.s spot that nite!!!

 

That's the earliest pic I've seen of an Evans-Spencer duel - that's Jimmy Spencer's first Modified behind Richie if I remember correctly.

 

Hard to believe it's been about 20 years since Tony passed away. he was a one man party waiting to happen and a seriousy talented driver.

Kenny, that car's an OME chassis if I recall correctly, as are several of the other pics that you posted - some fine Modifieds came out of your family's garage!

 

Sorry Emil .. but no reason to take offense as I was talking to the all the good folks in general who follow this thread .. not to you as an individual.

Again .. VERY SORRY if I ruffled your feathers .. sure didn't intend to.