History The End Of The Moody Mile (The Mile Oval at The N.Y.S. Fair Grouds)

When going up there in summers to visit ,we go too the fair an see the races,Dad would park in the infield an we'd stand on the car in the late 40s

 

sad.....good luck we the save !

 

No, I "Stole" it from the Mid-State Stockcar Clubs web site.

This is a link to their site-


http://www.midstateantiquestockcarclub.com/odds_ends.html

Every year I say I am going to super D.I.R.T. week, this year I need to!

 

I was born in the very end of 1981.

I missed out on all the good cars, racing and music.

My dad has told me the stories of how good it was!

I was however in the pits at my first race (dirt) at three months old.

 

Is it for sure the decision has been made to bulldoze the track? Latest news seems to indicate it's still up in the air..

 

I have friends who have raced every race at this track since the early 60's and I guess it's the end of an era.
I understand time marches on but it still is hard to realize that this Great Old Track is going to be history.

Just my opinion Jimbo

 

I don't want this to become political, but I encourage any from N.Y. or who has a connection to the track
to look at this link-

https://www.change.org/p/joanie-mah...m=mob-xs-share_petition-no_msg&fb_ref=Default

 

Racing’s bummers are nothing new. How about this one. Young Eddie Russo was coming on strong in the big car race on the Syracuse mile in September of 1953. But then he crashed. The reason: A piece of newspaper flew in his face, and he spun. The car was pretty dislocated, and so, too, was Russo’s shoulder. From Damn Few Died in Bed, by Thomas F. Saal. (Tom Reel Collection)

 

A good story from the Big Cars (Indy Cars) is when (I can't remember who this story is about) a Syracuse rookie asked a Syracuse vet "Where should I lift?"

The vet said "About 100' before turn one."

After going in the turn way to hot and not wrecking the rookie came in and said "You said you lift 100' before the turn!!"

"No, I said you should lift 100' before the turn. I lift half way down the straights." the vet said

 

Just signed the petition I had no idea this was being torn down I will try and sneak over during the nationals for some pics. Jim

 

The talk among the racers (in eastern N.Y.) is it is going to be torn up.

Even if they knock down the grand stand and leave the track there will be no place to watch the race.

Also the infield is going to be turned into an R.V. park, this will leave on were to park the haulers or the pits.

The irony is the grandstand was built by New York state to get the Hambeltioan harness race.

The Hambeltioan went to the mid west leaving a grand stand and no large event until the Super D.I.R.T. week known by several names.

 

The 'Flyin' 90 @ Syracuse, 1963. Dave Allen Photo


Cliff Kotary claims the 4th of his 6 consecutive NYS Fair wins




Cliff Kotary poses with the car and trophy he won in 1963 @ the NYS Fair



Photos Jeff Acrerman Collection

 

Turn 1

Miller 55 with a Wayne head Cliff Kotary 60




Photo unknown

 

It has always been a narrow track-



Photo unkown

 

That I know of no final plan has been made.

At the risk of delving too political, one local politician basically wants to create a legacy memorial to herself - why, I've no idea, she's done nothing siginificant - by destroying the grandstand and track and replacing the concert venue with one on top of a toxic landfill outside of the Fair. This only hurts the Fair as those people will just go to their cars and leave after concerts, where they used to wander the grounds and spend a little more money on their way home.

Meanwhile, the city of Syracuse is constantly having water main breaks because parts of the water system are the original hollowed-out logs used as pipes installed over 100 years ago, so she'll have this great venue that has no water supply I guess.

I'm not sure I understand the complaints with the grandstand, given it seats as many or more as venues in other cities that attract big acts.

The Fair itself wants DIRTcar and Super Dirt Week out, because the fan base steals everything not nailed down - one year a backhoe was left on blocks with all four wheels stolen off it, entire golf carts have disappeared, etc.. They essentially priced out the 4th of July and Labor Day races. But all they seem to care about is trying to push as many people through the gates during the State Fair as possible, regardless how miserable the actual experience is. I live local and I won't go except for the demo derby or an occasional grandstand concert. They ruined the free stage by booking acts much too big for a free, general admission crowd.

So far as I know, no final plan has been made as of this date.

 

I got the history of the Hambeltioan crossed up.

It started in Goshen N.Y. (about an hour and a half north of N.Y.C.)in 1930 left in 1956, for DuQuoin Illinois until 1980.

At which point it went to the Meadowlands in N.J.

New York State put up a 3.5 million 15,000 seat grandstand to try and get it back in a quote from Governor Nelson Rockefeller " I recognize the need to provide the kind of facilities that will ensure the return the Hambeltioan to New York State."

After the Hambeltioan went to the Meadowlands there was a plan for a 50,000 sports stadium, however the Carrier Dome put a end to this plan.

Auto racing was the only thing that could fill the grandstand.

Info from Car Coming An Auto Racing History of New York State

.

 

Lee Osborne #11 John Hubbard #95 USAC Silver Crown cars



Mario Andretti #1 USAC Silver Crown Car at Syracuse NY

 

1956 Syracuse Convertible NASCAR Race (Lloyd Moore)

 

Don Diffendorf New York State Fair 1971

The Flying Cockroach S/360, with Diff at the wheel, sprouts a on its roof, on the way to winning the N.Y. State Fair championship title on the mile at Syracuse



60'-70'S VINTAGE OVAL TRACK MODIFIEDS Thread

posted by H.A.M.B. member Terry1

 

Gary Balough said he loved the mile. He changed the modified racing world at this track. His car is still talked about.

 

The Kenny Weld built "Batmobile" for the 1980 Schaefer 200

Weld told Balough not to put a lap together.

Balough easily grabbed the pole for the Schaefer 200 in Wednesday’s time trials. At three-quarter throttle and not many adjustments from the first rounds of practice, the 112 toured the track at 31.957 seconds, a speed of 112.853 mph.

From Nefrer's Corner Web site

 

Syracuse has hosted super dirt week for as long as I can remember , I spectated there 3 times and was fortunate enough to compete there as crew chief on a modified in 1994 , we set fast time in second day qualifying , broke a rocker arm in the race but it was a great experience!

 

Which team?

 

As a kid my Mom worked at the Fairgrounds main office during Labor Day Fair Week. They sent her there from her Albany office. I always had free tickets for the Labor Day Race and attended with my Dad. At one time they had an infield lake. I watched a motor boat and water ski show there from the old wood grand stands. I also remember the 10-Pins and Nolan Swift and a host of other great drivers on the dirt mile. Never did get to see the USAC Champ cars run. I remember that show got rained out.

I was there for the first Schaeffer Beer 100 as a spectator. Don't think I missed any of those October races until I left in the fall of 1970 in the US Army. I was already doing some racing before I left. When I came back I built a modified and started running in '73.

I ran/drove my second modified there in the October '76 event. Finished 6th or 7th in the non-qualifiers race and didn't make the BIG show. BUT at least I experienced the thrill of running the Moody Mile. It was a spur of the moment decision to even go there. About 125 cars show up. Think they started 50 cars in the BIG show. They took the top three outa' the non-qualifiers race. Means I missed getting in by four finishing places. Reflecting back, it was my first time driving there and I was in way over my head. NOT making the BIG show was probably a good thing.

I hate to see the joint torn down.

 

In 1970, Wesley Moody became the first to average over 100 mph for a lap on the New York Fairgrounds one mile dirt track.

The head line read The Moody Mile.

The track was called the moody mile because of it.



Saratoga Automobile Museum - Saratoga Springs, New York

 

They run Bikes at the mile still...don't they?

 

No, I never knew they ran motorcycles.

My father doesn't remember them.

Do you have any history?

 

http://www.savethemoodymile.com

Maybe this be of interest to anyone? I know the meeting is over, but maybe there is something else to se or take part in.