COZZE, Frank When you receive one of my Trackchaser Reports or find one on my website at, My memories of that trip are few. 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. 5/27/77 These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. demeanor make him a favorite. 5/15/64 The last full season of racing was held at the fairgrounds in 1978. 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. There you have it. 1 I was living in California at the time. Due to red tape that delayed construction, there would be 12 more races in 1979. was no disappointment. 4 The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society was created to preserve the. 8/6/71 715 After that we would relocate to first Connecticut and then Chicago. racing I saw at Nazareth over the years, this one particular visit 1 4 I had never given much thought to being a trackchaser. It was the end of an era. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 9/4/67 1 KREITZ SR, Don $6,042. Thanks for filling in so much nostalgia for my upbringing and the roots I am so proud of. For much longer than that, he has focused on spreading joy and peace through his music. TASNADY, Al 1977 Reading Fairgrounds RSCA Modifieds Program Kenny Brightbill. I get the chance to meet people from all over the world. 10/15/67 questions and stories. 7/30/65 Keep it up! and I always loved racing and I still watch any of the auto races on We raced on dirt and on asphalt mainly in the tri-state 1 1 3 Below: Lindy Vicari, shown below with pageant winners (unable to he identified), operated the Reading Fairgrounds from 1955 to 1979. 6 Jim Kirk A minor bit of sfuffing to extremes, but overall, a much nicer copy than usually encountered. The EventVideo Plus 1 2 and got through the heats and consolations. I developed goreadingberks.com around 1998 for the purpose of presenting information about the History of the Catholic Faith in Reading. 5/9/65 As we were reminiscing about the 6 8/19/72 1 1 heat as they enter turn 3-4. 5 90 Starting with Tommy Hinnershitz in the sprints, the tradition carried over to the flatheads and then the modifieds. 1 Reading racetrack he said he loved the 3 min. This was something about killing two birds with one stone which sounds kind of barbaric to me. 54 9/5/75 7 8 Then in 1963 the inevitable occurred and Reading switched over to running weekly modified competition paying $500 to win and posting the largest weekly modified purse around. TAYLOR, Larry 3 These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. My name is Fred George. In 1932, three shows were held. Friday nights getting out to the parking lot to find our car coated 1 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. RUDY, Jack 13 LAZZARO, Lou It was also through the modified cars that Reading innovated car rules and regulations, safety features, track preparations, and more efficient race procedures. DENGLER, Smokey you hear them all the way up in Allentown. 2 11 GEMENDEN, Phil waves as they near the finish and at the line it Ver ms de Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Resurrection 2013 en Facebook. Walt Olsen 4/3/71 Date of experience: September 2012. When the structure gave way, in 1979, to a, 1 TIE (1st) Freddy Adam & Jackie Evans 8/13/1967, You might have remembrances about this track. Figuring out the logistics of a trip like that is as much fun for me as watching a figure 8 race. 1 1 2 We welcome your suggestions for articles for the GoReadingBerks website. the undercover economist chapter summary. COVILLE, C D We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 4 3 I was amazed that the east coast folks scheduling these early meetings had ZERO empathy for their west coast visitors. 7 During this span Tommy won 11 of 26 races and soon it was known, in order to win at the Fairgrounds, you had to beat Tommy Hinnershitz. 1 1 4/24/64 7 For the first eight years Reading only ran one show a year, usually during the annual Reading Fair. S sonny fetherman 388 followers More information 246 best images about Reading Fairgrounds and Reading Pennsylvania . KEMMERER, Jim 3 LONG, Tommy 14 10 It was primarily a local division, but large purses and crowds forced Lindy to stay with the flatheads long after other area speedways were already running the powerful modified racing cars. SHARP, Henry 46 9 Reading had a string of yellow lights that ran overhead from the inside edge of the track to the outside edge of the track. 17 8/28/64 26 Great fair memories made every year . 10 3 Bob Pickell Jay Stong It will run through Feb. 27. 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. In 1965, the United States Auto Club (USAC) ran its first night race and also began scheduling five shows a year. Thanks for the memories. Thematically, it centres on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance and repressive regimentation of people and behaviours . ERB, Mike He brought in the flatheads to compete every Wednesday night. FOR SALE! 715 7/5/70 These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 4 There were some sacrifices but there was a reward. 10/8/78 23 10 Dave Kelly won six of those 12 races, including what became known as Grand Finale II on June 29, 1979. 1 the tracks that are now gone. 13 2 14 1 1 3 Kenny Brightbillis the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway all-time wins record holder with 135 track victories. Serving folks since 2002. There was the sight of promoter Lindy Vicari in his grader, working the track surface to the optimum of tackiness the good kind. Reading Fairgrounds - Modified Memories - Stock Car Racing by VICARI, Vince; Ed. 12 1 7 3 5 This profile needs more info. Dirt Track Cars I was amazed that the east coast folks scheduling these early meetings had ZERO empathy for their west coast visitors. 1 "When all four wheels are off the ground and you're upside down, there's not much you can do but . $14.99. There were some sacrifices but there was a reward. Nevertheless, this CLASSIC Trackchaser Report has finally bubbled to the surface and is now available for everyone to see at, Now you know a little bit about my trackchasing addiction. old who had many questions for his Dad. HUBBARD, Johnny asphalt track called Ric Ra in Nazareth, Pa. Mario was always The white flag was 4 If so, please feel free to share your memories in the comments section below. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 1 8/8/69 7/7/78 2 2 2 1 There were Brightbill and Chamberlain, Dick Tobias and A1 Tasnady, Bobby Gerhart and Freddy Adam, the names who made Reading what it was -and who were made what they were in many ways bj the fairgrounds. Your guess is as good as mine! Reading hosted more USAC sprint car events than any race track in the country. 2 3 The background was yellowish-orange, and the illustration was a pen and ink drawing of a young man . CAPIE, Tom Will it work now? They are looking to fill all types of positions. Thats why I fell asleep during the racing at Reading! The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society was created to preserve the memories of the Reading Fairgrounds. 1 SLEIGHT, George Copyright 2023 Randy Lewis - All Right Reserved. Everyone came to share the moment and say goodbye. Below: Car # 54 races # 76, Freddy Adam, the Kutztown Comet, who competed in more seasons than any other racer. 7/3/77 9 Do they share their experiences? When I got to my hotel it was difficult to get to sleep with the three hour time zone change. 6 Most of the racetracks in the U.S. are located well over 1,000 miles from where I live. 1 1 Hello, from the Reading Stock Car Association we have the ultimate book 115708529208 KELLY, Dave KERSCHNER, Shorty Eventually with the changing times, the racing transitioned from horse into motor vehicle racing. More interesting info The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". HORTON JR, Jimmy Often a classic TR will not have a video and/or photo album attached. ROCHELLE, Paul I got the "last 3 3 1 16 DEAN, Dizzy 7 All of that, however, was a mere epilogue, like a wave in the distance. 2 29 The winner of the Grand Finale` - when the Reading Fairgrounds held its final event, in June of 1979, Dave Kelly drove his beautiful Mustang-bodied No. Buzzie now $0. Enter your email address to subscribe to GoReadingBerks and receive notifications of new posts by email. 9/10/76 My average trip covers 5,000 miles and more. 9/9/66 I take 35-40 of those trips each season. 5 WIMBLE, Bill 6 2 . He brought in the flatheads to compete every Wednesday night. 2 Prior to 1980 I was a racechaser. 17 1 In 1965, the United States Auto Club (USAC) ran its first night race and also began scheduling five shows a year. Reading Modified Top Ten Performance Index Click on the link below to see the video production from the racing action today. MALZAHN, Bobby In 1978, the last fair was held on the Muhlenberg site because the Fairgrounds was sold to developers of the Fairgrounds Square Mall. 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. 7/22/75 Jackie McClaughlin 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. Below: Lindy Vicari, shown below with pageant winners (unable to he identified), operated the Reading Fairgrounds from 1955 to 1979. house for rent waldport oregon; is thanos a villain or anti hero Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Larry Voss 8/9/68 30 7 Kenny Brightbill Keep up the good job with these memory pages. REINERT, Noot For the first eight years Reading only ran one show a year, usually during the annual Reading Fair. 8/21/77 The ultimate irony, of course, is that it wasnt the last race. HULBERT, Mert All of it had to be done within five months calendar time (the fair was postponed to late October in order to provide an extra month for construction). Ten years later they presented their first and only double show with another organization, the RSCA. BUSS, Del It features the Reading Fairgrounds when it was a race track. WELD, Kenny Since 1911 the covered grandstand saw many generations pass and echoed the names of many champions. drag race to the start/finish line. Further reading: Increase Staff Engagement With a Personalised Event The rising importance of employee experience in the workplace and the role of internal events in facilitating the experience Building team culture in a work from anywhere world Engagement: How to personalise your employee events pre-war coupes & coaches to the Pintos and other more modern bodies. In 1965, the United States Auto Club (USAC) ran its first night race and also began scheduling five shows a year. KWWeller 03.06.18 The track opened September 24, 1924 and ran until June 29, 1979. Brightbill, Chamberlain as they near the checkered flag. 7 Movie-1-Chapter-3 Tom Luce 10K views 7. The Reading Fairgrounds was considered to be the best weekly racing program in the country. 1 Reading fairgrounds from Sept 18th 1966 where Stan Poliski won a 200 lap race Al Quellette 4.7K views 2 years ago 1956-57 California Jalopy Racing. BROMMER, Aaron For whatever reason (usually not enough time) this trackchasing adventure didnt get posted to my website when I first made the track visit. 1 Hall of Fame Member 3/12/67 Read all about Kenny Brightbill, Dick Tobias, Bobby Gerhart. He brought in the flatheads to compete every Wednesday night. 17 In 1961, Reading ran its first special modified event in which Bob Malzahn went home the victor. 29 decided we were going to the races at Reading. RILEY, Don I didnt think so. 1 2 I was living in California at the time. As a fan of the racetrack I now live in Florida and go to Volusia 20 HAUER, Bobby 2 WOLFORD, Gary Membership is open to all who are interested in keeping the tradition and memory of the races and fair alive for the future. 5 21 1956 Reading Fairgrounds Jalopy: Final Standings:1-Johnny Mackison: 1957 Reading Fairgrounds Jalopy: Final Standings:1-George Speck: 1958 Reading Fairgrounds Jalopy: Final Standings:1-Hal Reifinger: 1959 Reading Fairgrounds Jalopy: Final Standings:1-Hal Reifinger: 1960 Reading Fairgrounds Jalopy: Final Standings:1-Bobby Hersh: 1961 Reading . "I went out of the third turn upside down," he said. Got Dad more angry when I told him that we call them engines. As a racechaser my prime motivation was to go where the best racers and the best racing was happening. We raced with Michael Andretti when he was a kid at an This was during the 2000 trackchasing season. Leon Manchester 18 STRUPP, Sonny Down the backstetch it was still a dead 2 MILLER, Paul SPENCER, Ed 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.