I hail from the sleepy little village by the sea, San Clemente, California. 5/10/70 I currently live in Virginia where I work for the US Army performing stress analysis, vibration and structural tests on Army Aviation platforms and structures. I didnt begin producing my YouTube videos until 2009 (YouTube channel: RANLAY). 6/30/78 2 16 2 3 Bill Williams 2 COLLINS, Kevin 10 He was one of several drivers killed at the Fairgrounds over the years. READINGER, Dan MOYER, Gene The racetrack was replaced by the Fairgrounds Square Mall, which opened in . The town of Gunzenhausen is nearby and it has numerous shops, cafe's, bars and a semi permanent fun fair. any interesting pieces caught my attention while walking around the Art Fair. 6/30/74 Copyright 2021 GoReadingBerks | All Rights Reserved |. 1 8/6/71 1 1 I didnt begin writing a complete Trackchaser Report until I had seen about 425 tracks. FOR SALE! My earliest memories related to reading I can scarcely remember not being able to read. TILLEY, Ray We lcome To. 6 I also remember falling asleep as I watched the racing. 1 18 Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 1 So many local drivers made the competition tough and exciting. Description This video is compiled of segments from Eastern Seedway Classics, Open Cockpit Classics, Stock Car Classics, Sprint & Champ Car Classics, Dirt Track Memories & 70's Review will take you back the 30's with the big cars, AAA & USAC sprint action of the 50's & 60's, finishing up during . 8 front. An amazing life's work. DRIVER 11 Kenny Brightbill This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 3 Frankie Schneider This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Mike has been involved in the establishment of the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society, founded on February 4, 2004. Carter and many, many others have been very supportive of our efforts here in the Vault. I hope you enjoy it. ALLEN, Bobby To Vault Index Page VON DOHREN, Barry chief mechanic on the race car, came to the fence and motioned for me to bring him the TRAUTMAN, Bob Billy Deskovick Thanks again, Peggy Snyder at plsnyder@ptd.net - welcome all emails and/or 14 The beloved flatheads grew in popularity and stature. That car has been restored. o. Crear cuenta nueva. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Throughout the 20s and 30s Reading fans saw the likes of all the top Indianapolis 500 sprint car racing stars compete on their hometown half-mile dirt speedway. If you have any photos from back in the day, send them to me atRanlay@yahoo.com. Thanks for the memories. Thanks for the memories. 1 2 Joel Wessner BOTZ, Johnny There was the sight of promoter Lindy Vicari in his grader, working the track surface to the optimum of tackiness the good kind. In any given year I will travel well over 200,000 miles, rent more than 50 cars, and stay in more than 150 hotel rooms. live the memories!!!! EMERICH, Bob TOBIAS, Ron 4 VARNER, Donnie In 1957, when the opportunity presented itself, Vicari moved his program to Fridays and from that day on, Reading was a Friday night raceway. A great book on Stock Car Racing in Reading, PA. . 3 18 There was the aroma of french fries and the roar of the modifieds mingling with the dust in the night air and the deep-throated howl from the stands. After having gotten a terrible nights sleep getting up at 3 a.m. my time was terrible. 1 http://www.goreadingberks.com/. When the gates opened in 1916, there was not only a track, but a card of races extending over three days. 7/14/75 715 5/27/77 It was from 1949 to 1957 though, that Hinnershsitz put the character into Reading. 10 My best guess on the timing would have been 1976-1978. 1 4 In 1985 the Procter & Gamble Company would make its biggest acquisition ever, up to that point, of RVI. It was the memory of it that inspired his Art . I do that kind of thing all the time. Automobile racing at the fairgrounds was introduced on September 20, 1924 at the annual Reading Fair, dating back to the middle of the 19th century. 1 LAPE, Dave Today, as a trackchaser, I commonly get up at some very early hours. Indy champions loved to compete at The Home of Champions. 1 HULBERT, Mert 3 When I got to my hotel it was difficult to get to sleep with the three hour time zone change. 17 The beloved flatheads grew in popularity and stature. LESHER, Red Thanks! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 1 Ample parking spaces were also provided for motorists. Could not help overhearing him, did not 1 3 Once you begin researching my trip itineraries from my website, yes you will want to do that, you will be surprised. 7 SMITH, Russ 2 1 Works Cited. DECKER, Charlie From September 20, 1924 to June 29,1979, dirt-track racing fans crowded the 80 acre site of the Reading Fairgrounds located in Muhlenburg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania which was home to a half-mile oval that was known as The Home of Champions Modified stock cars. The ultimate irony, of course, is that it wasnt the last race. 1 EPPOLITE, Frank WIMBLE, Bill 2 Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society and members Mike Shaub, Ken Johnson, Alan RAFTER, Bill 1 KANTORSKY, Pete The Reading Fair. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 13 Click here for more information on: 9 Al Tasnady 1 After that we would relocate to first Connecticut and then Chicago. For whatever reason (usually not enough time) this trackchasing adventure didnt get posted to my website when I first made the track visit. Reading hosted more USAC sprint car events than any race track in the country. 8 7 11 Love I was able to retire at the age of 52 and never work for money another day in my life. HOLLAND, Eddie Kim Remember, this was only the 46, Reading Fairgrounds Speedway, the Home of Champions, Below: Reading Fairgrounds located in Muhlenburg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Since 1911 the covered grandstand saw many generations pass and echoed the names of many champions. Walt Olsen 1 Jim Baker Drivers such as A. J. Foyt, Roger McCluskey, Jim Hurtubise, Jud Larson, Johnny Rutherford, and Bobby Unser took over after Tommy retired in 1960. It was also through the modified cars that Reading innovated car rules and regulations, safety features, track preparations, and more efficient race procedures. 7 . 6/17/66 14 6/4/65 Back Being a regular at Nazareth Speedway the most exposure I had to the I hope you enjoy it. 1 9 1 QUALIO, Dick DONAHUE, Joe Legends who used to race at the Reading Fairgrounds will be on site Saturday to meet folks and sign autographs. 4 and got through the heats and consolations. 1 KERSCHNER, Shorty Membership is open to all who are interested in keeping the tradition and memory of the races and fair alive for the future. Food memories immortalized on canvasand plates 2023-03-02 - REGGIE ASPIRAS MDaryl Feril was trying to recall a dish his grandmother cooked for himit was the memory of it that inspired his Art Fair piece. FOR SALE! Gunzenhausen (German pronunciation: [ntsnhazn] (); Bavarian: Gunzenhausn) is a town in the Weienburg-Gunzenhausen district, in Bavaria, Germany.It is situated on the river Altmhl, 19 kilometres (12 mi) northwest of Weienburg in Bayern, and 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Nuremberg.Gunzenhausen is a nationally recognized recreation area. 1 CRONCE, Howie HILDRETH, Elton In 1979 a limited racing series was held at the Fairgrounds as legal entanglements delayed development of the mall. Hall of Fame Member, Thats all folks! Thanks for reading about my trackchasing, 1 1 Brightbill, Bobby Gerhart, among many others. not miss a race. I am indebted to several of these folks for their help and friendship. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 3 Racechasing was good enough for me. The last full season of racing was held at the fairgrounds in 1978. 2 5/15/64 Tommy Hinnershitzhad wins at the track early in his career. MATTA, Tony FRENCH, Ralph Dick Tobias Held at Pioneer Pole Buildings on Route 183 in Schuylkill Haven, Reading Fairgrounds Historical Society hosted a three-day event to honor and remember the drivers and cars that ran at the. In 1978, the last fair was held on the Muhlenberg site because the Fairgrounds was sold to developers of the Fairgrounds Square Mall. Tommy Long Dave Kelly won six of those 12 races, including what became known as Grand Finale II on June 29, 1979. The flag For whatever reason (usually not enough time) this trackchasing adventure didnt get posted to my website when I first made the track visit. 2 4/10/71 Ted's Bio; Fact Sheet; Hoja Informativa Del Ted Fund; Ted Fund Board 2021-22; 2021 Ted Fund Donors; Ted Fund Donors Over the Years. 14 1 $0. Chevy in there - not an Offy like the others ran. 29 But my job doesnt stop me from sharing my love of the history of the city where I was born and raised and love so very much. They dont. 21 POTTS, Lauden 2 The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society was created to preserve the. Bob Siedel There you have it. 4 his famous #19 Pinto. Wikipedia provided this review of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway. KREITZ JR, Don Dirt Track Cars 16 SOLOMON, Larry main stands, then got back to our seats for the main event. Lindy V. Vicariwas a stock-car racing promoter and operator of the Reading Fairgrounds from 1955 until 1979. Did you know David was at the Reading Fairgrounds with his dad ? 1 Do others trackchase? REUTIMANN, Wayne They built a Horse Race Track and grandstands which were opened to the public in 1916. 5 letter words for wordle beginning with s. reading fairgrounds memories. 11/20/77 2 6 1 18 Keep up the good job with these memory pages. Whenever I could I would try to time my business visits from all over the country into a racing visit as well. Tommy won his first race in 1938. 4 1 2 Click on the link below to see the video production from the racing action today. 1 2 It was the end of an era. READING FAIRGROUNDS MODIFIED Memories Yearbook 1980-History of modified stock. 3 The lad Russ Delp Enter your email address to subscribe to GoReadingBerks and receive notifications of new posts by email. FITZCHARLES, Paul Dave Marburger This Print is personally signed and numbered in pencil by John Dusko. 5 2 3 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Fairgrounds Memories - Click Most of the racetracks in the U.S. are located well over 1,000 miles from where I live. I developed goreadingberks.com around 1998 for the purpose of presenting information about the History of the Catholic Faith in Reading. 52 10 HEIN, Jim 5 Here or email us at 3wide@optonline.net and "Mr. Outside" Brightbill, # 5 "Mr. Carb Bobby Gerhart, and my 1 SADLER, Blaine 13 The modified cars hosted the tracks biggest success story when, in 1967, Reading went to two nights a week racing, running only a single show, paying up to $15,000 per week by 1970. 1 Due to the volume of suggestions we receive, we will not be able to fulfill every request, but we will give each submission serious consideration. 1 frenzy already. Im thinking there were a few strings of these lights around the track. Up against the fence was Thats trackchasingthe way I do it. 7/22/77 Today where the racetrack once stood is theFairgrounds Square Mall, which opened in 1980 and closed in 2018. There were some sacrifices but there was a reward. From September 20, 1924 to June 29,1979, dirt-track racing fans crowded the 80 acre site of the Reading Fairgrounds located in Muhlenburg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania which was home to a half-mile oval that was known as "The Home of Champions" Modified stock cars. Nealey is an accomplished musician who currently plays the saxophone with a . The Reading Fairgrounds was considered to be the best weekly racing program in the country. With the mall becoming too crowded, the Fair moved to Kutztown while Fair organizers searched for a new site. 20 Whenever I could I would try to time my business visits from all over the country into a racing visit as well. 13 Reading is a culture, the moment a youngster is exposed to someone reading in the family they are fine tuned and the concept of books and readings would be in the back of their minds. It wasnt until 1949, though, that the Fairgrounds started to gain a characteristic of its own. DeGROOT, Fred There were those USAC sprint shows with Andretti and Unser, Foyt and Pamelli and before them, Tommy Hinnershitz, the kid from Oley, taking on all comers on his home turf. 6 DRIVER 1 2 So imagine being at the 27th Muscat International Book Fair - it is a haven for students. Got it? McLAUGHLIN, Jackie Photographer:Joe Simpkins - Provided by:Bobby In 1965, the United States Auto Club (USAC) ran its first night race and also began scheduling five shows a year. I would continue to work for P&G until my retirement in 2002. In 1932, three shows were held. Photo albums were sort of hit or miss during the early years of my trackchasing. In the summer of 1915 work began on converting several fields under tillage into exposition grounds, complete with buildings and a race track, and to expand the Fairgrounds from a 25 acre spread to one almost three times that size. KIRK, Jimmy 4 2 It was a local driver named Tommy Hinnershitz that caused its beginning. 1 WOLFORD, Gary 1 Your guess is as good as mine! 6 Below: Car # 54 races # 76, Freddy Adam, the Kutztown Comet, who competed in more seasons than any other racer. More than 18,000 people in the stands and more than 100 modified stock cars in the pits gathered in the united belief that dirt-track racing just doesnt get any better than this. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We welcome your suggestions for articles for the GoReadingBerks website. WISMER SR, Kenny PAULSON, Ronnie 3 This was win no. It will run through Feb. 27. The Fair included imported amusements of a carnival nature, including rides of various kinds, as well as those especially gifted in or trained for some, extraordinary activity, and animals. 1 27 8 WELLER, Curt We had the privilege of Ask Admins if you aren't sure if you may post something. KELLY, Joe Please join the RFRHS to help preserve the great memories. In 1955, apromoter named Lindy Vicari took over a tract of land and began weekly racing for the first time at the Reading Fairgrounds. ERB, Mike KEPPLEY, Jim crowd in the pit area. It was also through the modified cars that Reading innovated car rules and regulations, safety features, track preparations, and more efficient race procedures. 90 8/21/64 When I got to my hotel it was difficult to get to sleep with the three hour time zone change. HORTON JR, Jimmy Buzzie Reutimann This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I just went there to have fun and follow my boyhood passion of short track, almost all the time dirt and almost all the time stock car racing. 30 On Oct. 29, 1978, the last race was held on the half-mile oval. Pittman. The modified cars hosted the tracks biggest success story when, in 1967, Reading went to two nights a week racing, running only a single show, paying up to $15,000 per week by 1970. 2 8 4/15/77 The Heritage of Reading: 1813-1847: Canals, Heavy Industry, and the Railroad, The Seventh and Penn Street Railroad Crossing, Mount Laurel Furnace and Temple Iron Company, History of Holy Guardian Angels, Hyde Park, Independence Island along the Schuylkill River, Reading, PA Outlet Capital of the World, History of the former Bachman Pretzel Company, Organized Crimes Infiltration of The Pizza and Cheese Industry in Pennsylvania, Lancaster Avenue Covered Bridge and Bingaman Street Bridge, Beautiful photographs of Reading's Catholic churches with their altar rails and sanctuaries, Very awesome in history. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. MEALS, Mike 1 Date of experience: September 2012. I am a trackchaser. STRUPP, Sonny And there were those who paid the ultimate price, such as Jud Larson and Red Riegel, Jackie Evans and Mike Grbac, the young New Jersey driver who died a month after the final 78 race from injuries suffered in a cartwheeling accident down the main straight halfway through that event.