frenzy already. 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. Speedway Park. Randy Lewis DISSINGER, Butch 1 SOLOMON, Larry 10 I live in southern California. Where we work. Im thinking there were a few strings of these lights around the track. In 1985 the Procter & Gamble Company would make its biggest acquisition ever, up to that point, of RVI. and got through the heats and consolations. VAN KIRK, Billy So with the knowledge, as limited as it is, that I fell asleep during the semi at Reading I will share some research info that I gathered about the famous Reading Fairgrounds Speedway. My name is Randy Lewis (above with Hatem racing federation president Tunisia). 3 Wide's Picture Vault is Brought to You With the Support of: ..Remembering Our Area's Auto Racing From the Past. In 1999 construction began at the present-day Fairgrounds on 60 acres in Bern Township off County Welfare Road. 17 to victory. I dont mind to much. 9 STANTON, Dave 1 SEIDEL, Bob 27 If it is your nonprofit, add geographic service areas to create a map on your profile. 1 Do others trackchase? Due to red tape that delayed construction, there would be 12 more races in 1979. WELLER, Curt - $156.06. 6 All the p.from 1034873775 You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. 6 Also a few other Speedway shots from Big Diamond,Penn National,Bridgeport. That car has been restored. In 1979 a limited racing series was held at the Fairgrounds as legal entanglements delayed development of the mall. Long There was the sight of promoter Lindy Vicari in his grader, working the track surface to the optimum of tackiness the good kind. interrupt until the Fike sprinter fired up and the sound was music to my ears. My memories of that trip are few. 2 These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. When you receive one of my Trackchaser Reports or find one on my website atwww.randylewis.orgI hope you will take the time to imagine in your mind what it took to make this trip from SoCal and understand the fun I had doing it. [1]It featured a regular weekly series of modified, sportsman modified, and late modelstock carracing. 1 21
reading fairgrounds memories 1 dr patel plastic surgeon oak brook. Hope you find what you are looking for and discover things that you were not! 4/8/72 4 This Print is personally signed and numbered in pencil by John Dusko. I am a trackchaser. Dad did not talk to me the rest of the race and certainly, did not Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 5 5/26/68 Below: Lindy Vicari, shown below with pageant winners (unable to he identified), operated the Reading Fairgrounds from 1955 to 1979. All the good and all the bad, more than a half-century of blood, sweat and cheers gone. 6 6 Please join the RFRHS to help preserve the great memories. Bobby Hauer OPPERMAN, Jan STUMPF, Don The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 3 3 16 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. Here or email us at 3wide@optonline.net and 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). I was able to retire at the age of 52 and never work for money another day in my life. Since that time the site has grown to provide information about historical sites, landmarks, museums, parks, hotels and more. Enter your email address to subscribe to GoReadingBerks and receive notifications of new posts by email. 1 My name is Randy Lewis (above with Hatem racing federation president Tunisia). 1 Reading Fairgrounds Modified Memories Yearbook Issue: / Year: 1980 Condition: VG-History 313495870366 Often a classic TR will not have a video and/or photo album attached. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A Muhlenberg Township resident for over forty years, Lindy brought back the Miss Reading Fair Pageant as well as creating the Little Miss Pageant while continuing the traditions of the annual Reading Fair. I would continue to work for P&G until my retirement in 2002. BALOUGH, Gary 5 11 8/6/71 If youve got a question, comment or whatever please leave it at the bottom of this report. JOHNSON, Bob It was the memory of it that inspired his Art . 1977 Reading Fairgrounds RSCA Modifieds Program Kenny Brightbill. 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. Bobby Blatt Frank Cozze 1 Photo albums were sort of hit or miss during the early years of my trackchasing. The last full season of racing was held at the fairgrounds in 1978. WIMBLE, Bill 135 Red Coffin 1 by a coat of paint on his bumper. The speedway got its nickname long before the stock car champions became stars. 4 WEAVER, Mark Click on the #31 Everyone came to share the moment and say goodbye. 9 COLLIS, Carl ever seen. 2 I know you will find it interesting. 4 I remember on those dry summer I do that kind of thing all the time. Nov 19, 2022 - Explore Patrick Bendrick's board "reading Fairgrounds" on Pinterest. 1 I didnt begin writing a complete Trackchaser Report until I had seen about 425 tracks. 2 17 The historical information about the photos and articles on goreadingberks.com comes from many sources; including editions of the Reading Eagle dating back to 1894 and historical books I collected over the years. 4
Reading Fairgrounds Modified Memories | #429603502 5 Hall of Fame Member, Thats all folks! When the series of Fairs was in the making at the Muhlenberg site, racing had become so popular that one of the first items of business was the location and building of a track. his famous #19 Pinto.
Reading Fairgrounds Modified Memories [Fairgrounds Racetrack, Berks Co Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society to open exhibit at the Sorry. On the green, they took off 9 Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. 4 SHAW, Bob Thank you for reading! 135 I developed goreadingberks.com around 1998 for the purpose of presenting information about the History of the Catholic Faith in Reading. They dont. front. 10 2 Editors note: This is a CLASSIC Trackchaser Report. He brought in the flatheads to compete every Wednesday night.
Reading Fairgrounds Speedway, the Home of Champions Golly, did Dad wake up then - told the COREY, Pete 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. Also besides the 41 2 1 $6,042. 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. 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. In 1932 a seven-horse pileup killed race jockey Roy McCann of Elizabeth, NJ. 2 Tommy McAndrews And when it was over, no one was surprised to find Kenny Brightbill in Victory Lane, which had become his second home since he got his first Reading victory in 1970. 1 GILMORE, Charlie for one or the other. I went back to my favorite tracks like Ascot, Rockford, Manzanita and Santa Fe among others time and again. 6 1 3 qualifying lap times. just witnessed what dirt track racing and the Reading Fairgrounds Since 1911 the covered grandstand saw many generations pass and echoed the names of many champions. 1 3/23/74 Wikipedia provided this review of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway. Brightbill would win two more, finishing with 135, and Chamberlain one more, finishing with 92. DIFFENDORF, Don DRIVER CAPIE, Tom Everyone came to share the moment and say goodbye. 2 Fairgrounds Memories 17 Thats trackchasingthe way I do it. Reading Fairgrounds Speedway (1924-1979) was a one half mile dirt/clay modified race track located in Muhlenberg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.The track opened September 24, 1924 and ran until June 29, 1979. 9 6/19/64 Ralph Smith If you would like to see where Ive been and experience those adventures heres the link: If youve got a question, comment or whatever please leave it at the bottom of this report. Below: Car # 54 races # 76, Freddy Adam, the Kutztown Comet, who competed in more seasons than any other racer. Consequently Reading lost its local image and the RSCA was no longer the Reading Stock Car Assn., but the Racing Sanctioning Corporation of America. TOTAL the undercover economist chapter summary. One story I do remember well, was the fact that I had to sit in the grandstand. 8/21/64 2 Below: Reading Fairgrounds Grandstand. Russ Delp 2
Star Wars might be worth $10 billion - Business Insider Your guess is as good as mine! 2 The case for selling high-quality used stuff YOURSELF! Today, as a trackchaser, I commonly get up at some very early hours. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. BRIGHTBILL, Freddy 715 It was a local driver named Tommy Hinnershitz that caused its beginning. For the first eight years Reading only ran one show a year, usually during the annual Reading Fair. Again, in the end of the 1962 season, another trial modified event was held. When gasoline took the place of the railroad, the Reading Transit Company brought in fleets of buses from other cities. 7/9/65 Pittman. 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. 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. 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. 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. heat as they enter turn 3-4. 5 Thats all folks! 10/3/65 Who can forget the 16 Brightbill would win two more, finishing with 135, and Chamberlain one more, finishing with 92. USAC had run more sprint car races at Reading than any track in the country when it closed in 1979.