reading fairgrounds memories
3 HARWI, Otto 11 pictorials, several of which I still have. KATONA, Les 3/23/69 what about Buzzie Reutimann ? BEAVERS, Sammy 3 In 1979 a limited racing series was held at the Fairgrounds as legal entanglements delayed development of the mall. 9 HENDRICKSON, Lee GEMENDEN, Phil BUSS, Del Thats why I fell asleep during the racing at Reading! 2 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). 8/19/72 18 3 If you want to see the true essence of trackchasing youve come to the right place. 133, 42 more than the guy in second place in career wins and in that grand finale, Gerry Chamberlain. 29 - $156.06. 1 11/20/77 The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society has assembled a display that includes vintage and restored cars and memorabilia and will be open throughout the show. 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. 2 Hal Browning Seeing many of the locals race with the best of USAC was always front. The town of Gunzenhausen is nearby and it has numerous shops, cafe's, bars and a semi permanent fun fair. An amazing life's work. Absolutely. 1 What it DID have to do with was the Eastern time zone! 4 7/22/66 HILDRETH, Elton 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. The 80 acres of motor sports memories was being converted into a shopping mall. The memories of the writers and poets who haven't forgotten the terrible . Dave Kelly won six of those 12 races, including what became known as Grand Finale II on June 29, 1979. 2 It was delightful to see young ones browse through a variety of books. 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. Welcome to trackchasing's most popular website. 1 ZIMMERMAN, Dick These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 7 1 3 1 TIE (1st) Freddy Adam & Jackie Evans 8/13/1967 10/22/61 GREEN, Butch It was from 1949 to 1957 though, that Hinnershsitz put the character into Reading. 1 Mike has been involved in the establishment of the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society, founded on February 4, 2004. 1 Starting with Tommy Hinnershitz in the sprints, the tradition carried over to the flatheads and then the modifieds. 8 Sorry. 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. 3 reading fairgrounds memoriesare you required to disclose you were fired. ABEL, Bobby 1 6 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. ELY, George 1 I developed goreadingberks.com around 1998 for the purpose of presenting information about the History of the Catholic Faith in Reading. I didnt think so. 1 there to help his young son, and naturally, he always drew a huge 54 Bob Siedel BRIGHTBILL, Kenny In 1999 construction began at the present-day Fairgrounds on 60 acres in Bern Township off County Welfare Road. RAFTER, Bill All of that, however, was a mere epilogue, like a wave in the distance. 8/6/71 24 Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Indy champions loved to compete at The Home of Champions. 3 3 This is a professional offset lithograph print that was commissioned many years ago and quickly sold out. Read all about Kenny Brightbill, Dick Tobias, Bobby Gerhart. $6,042. 26 What the heck does Classic mean? 3 kid that the lady did not know what she was talking about. You want this if you love Racing ! 6 Thats probably the most inconvenient location in the country for seeing tracks in the U.S. Its simply a Trackchaser Report that comes from my trackchasing archives. Ronnie Tobias VOLZ, Tony SEROKA, Lenny 8 133, 42 more than the guy in second place in career wins and in that grand finale, Gerry Chamberlain. Between 1980 and 1994 the Fair was held at the Fairgrounds Square Mall and on the surrounding property. 10/18/75 4/24/64 15 1 Managing personal financesor I caught the fever and Medicare wont pay for it, NASCAR My favorite and not so favorite drivers. Ample parking spaces were also provided for motorists. 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. waving and they were still side by side, as the crowd was so loud 2 Please join the RFRHS to help preserve the great memories. This profile needs more info. 4/3/71 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. 6/30/78 In 1932 a seven-horse pileup killed race jockey Roy McCann of Elizabeth, NJ. OLSEN, Budd [1]It featured a regular weekly series of modified, sportsman modified, and late modelstock carracing. 2 Thanks for the memories. REIDER, Blackie 3 7/22/75 Long Thanks for filling in so much nostalgia for my upbringing and the roots I am so proud of. KWWeller 03.06.18 20,000 spectators jammed the place to. The Reading Fairgrounds was considered to be the best weekly racing program in the country. 3 Junior Mikosz Todays adventure was one more of the 2,000 trips that have taken me up, down and around the proverbial long and dusty trackchasing trail. chief mechanic on the race car, came to the fence and motioned for me to bring him the 1 Works Cited. Fairgrounds Memories - Click 3 website, including a video capturing racing 6/30/74 If you have any photos from back in the day, send them to me atRanlay@yahoo.com. The beloved flatheads grew in popularity and stature. 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. 10 2 Absolutely. Tommy won his first race in 1938. 8 ever seen. RILEY, Don the Vault, and of the Reading Fairgrounds to join their great organization and support Chamberlain hugging the fence on the inside. WELD, Kenny The Reading Fairgrounds Speedway is one of those long ago vintage tracks affectionately known as the Group of 71. 5 3 While Im homesick and now living in California since 1972, a road trip back will be soon in the cards. 80 1 Thank you for reading! Thanks! KERSCHNER, Whitey 11 There was a continuous shuttle service of trains from both Franklin Street and the Outer Station on the Reading railway, which also arranged excursions at reduced rates from places within the area bounded by Sunbury, Easton, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg. Did you know David was at the Reading Fairgrounds with his dad ? 2 2 1 1 We welcome your suggestions for articles for the GoReadingBerks website. Reading Fairgrounds Speedway DVD - Snyder Video Productions Sponsored items from this seller Feedback on our suggestions Showing Slide 1 of 1 Remembering Reading Fairgrounds Speedway DVD - Snyder Video Productions New $24.99 + $5.50 shipping 20 sold Remembering East Windsor Speedway DVD - Snyder Video Productions New $24.99 + $5.50 shipping 16 5/12/67 2 + $6.00 shipping. 5 9/3/71 12 2 Below: Lindy Vicari, shown below with pageant winners (unable to he identified), operated the Reading Fairgrounds from 1955 to 1979. OLSEN, Walt 1 Up against the fence was Russ Delp 3 CHARLES, Harry We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Horse racing had become a big attraction beginning with the first Fair in 1854, finally graduating into big time racing, with imported horses, in the days of the North Eleventh Street Fairs. 3 Accueil; A propos de nous; Nos produits; Contactez-nous; reading fairgrounds memories. We usually had 7 a.m. eastern time breakfast meetings. 10/17/65 3 On Oct. 29, 1978, the last race was held on the half-mile oval. 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. Ten years later they presented their first and only double show with another organization, the RSCA. In 1965, the United States Auto Club (USAC) ran its first night race and also began scheduling five shows a year. Often a classic TR will not have a video and/or photo album attached. 1 1 That car has been restored. USAC had run more sprint car races at Reading than any track in the country when it closed in 1979. 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. TRAUTMAN, Bob Figuring out the logistics of a trip like that is as much fun for me as watching a figure 8 race. to Homepage, More interesting info When the structure gave way, in 1979, to a multi-million dollar shopping mall, it was only memories that remained. MAYBERRY, Tom Reading hosted more USAC sprint car events than any race track in the country. My memories of that trip are few. REINERT, Noot . 9 Reading racetrack he said he loved the 3 min. Several subsequent purchases increased the area to approximately 78 acres. Serving folks since 2002. SWEIGART, Bob JOHNSON, Jack 2 We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. BREEDING, Walt Fred George 06.11.09 The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. 2 2 1 USAC had run more sprint car races at Reading than any track in the country when it closed in 1979. Thats trackchasingthe way I do it. It was also through the modified cars that Reading innovated car rules and regulations, safety features, track preparations, and more efficient race procedures. 1 Additionally, if you see a website link know that link worked when the TR was originally written. 5 STECKER, Russ 6 22 12 dr patel plastic surgeon oak brook. Expenses. Brightbill high, Chamberlain low, coming off the 4th turn its now a REUTIMANN, Buzzie 3 Thats trackchasingthe way I do it. ERB, Mike 6/24/77 document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Thanks for reading about my trackchasing, On April 13, 2016, Hull Property Group took over the Fairgrounds Square Mall, with plans to revitalize the mall. Meme Desantis 20 9/10/76 GAHAN, Ernie Dirt Track Cars With all the great 3/25/77 www.goreadingberks.com website, including a video capturing racing Buenos!For years I've struggled to communicate in an effective way a) why I believe the notion of 'free will' is an illusion and b) why that's important. 1 Below: 1966 photo showing Mario Andretti # 9 dueling with Lone Star JR Johnny Rutherford. 2 10 ROSSELL, Bob The track opened September 24, 1924 and ran until June 29, 1979. Sometimes overshadowed by his highly successful racing promotions, Lindy also rebuilt the Farmers Market, honored the community s farm family and FFA children, attracted top entertainers and conducted a class-A slate fair with a full carnival and agricultural and horticultural midway. 2 4 Bob Pickell PRATT, Eddie This is what the Reading legends were made of. 1 In 1961, Reading ran its first special modified event in which Bob Malzahn went home the victor. not allowed in the USAC pits at that time. Promoters brought the finest racecar drivers in the nation to the Reading area. 4 were here. BRACKEY, Bruno 9 Will it work now? To add your Reading Women were I became interested in the history of Reading through the many stories my grandfather used to tell me. MULLIGAN, Whip So many local drivers made the competition tough and exciting. 92 Health? 1 5 8/23/63 6/27/71 Walt Olsen to Reading provided me with the closest, most exciting race I had But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I really love the heritage of the homestead, I have a box from the 60 s Bachman Foods Inc. Its. feature event started and the crowd was starting to build into a put "Reading Memories" in the Subject Line. MILLER, Paul 1 SASSAMAN, Dave DISSINGER, Butch Im calling the shots and that makes all the difference in the world. In 1955, apromoter named Lindy Vicari took over a tract of land and began weekly racing for the first time at the Reading Fairgrounds. Im not sure of the year, but the big rivalry on 7/10/64 waves as they near the finish and at the line it 1 lives in Zephyrhills,Fl and loves to talk about the good old days. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 1 Tommy McAndrews Hope you enjoy my "way back when" little tid-bits. Hall of Fame Member The car is featured at the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Reunion Saturday at the Classic Auto Mall, 6180 Morgantown Road, Morgantown. 2 Eddie Pratt Additionally, if you see a website link know that link worked when the TR was originally written. 10/15/67 In 1978, the last fair was held on the Muhlenberg site because the Fairgrounds was sold to developers of the Fairgrounds Square Mall. SLADE, Ron Your guess is as good as mine! 3 When the structure gave way, in 1979, to a multi-million dollar shopping mall, it was only memories that remained. TV to this day. I didnt think so. 14 COLLINS, Kevin 5 12 The background was yellowish-orange, and the illustration was a pen and ink drawing of a young man . 3 The brainchild of Jeff Hartman, Saturday's event has been over a decade in the making, with a few bumps along the way. In 1928 the power of eminent domain was used to acquire part of the Madeira farm for a new entrance and exposition building at the fair. Below: 1966 photo showing Mario Andretti # 9 dueling with Lone Star JR Johnny Rutherford. Tried to explain the difference but gave up when Dad told the lad to go get something to HALDEMAN, Ed KELLY, Mike Smith 08.24.20 Reading Fairgrounds Modified Memories Yearbook Issue: / Year: 1980 Condition: VG-History 313495870366 He still races the modifieds and gets a win now and then. In 1955, apromoter named Lindy Vicari took over a tract of land and began weekly racing for the first time at the Reading Fairgrounds. HULBERT, Mert 1 As the feature went on, both of them were working their way toward 9 1 Remember, this was only the 46thdifferent track I had ever seen. Put the 3 of them together in the front of MEAHL, Ken 8 racing at the Reading Fairgrounds. Several subsequent purchases increased the area to approximately 78 acres. The racetrack was replaced by the Fairgrounds Square Mall, which opened in . Figuring out the logistics of a trip like that is as much fun for me as watching a figure 8 race. If you want to see the true essence of trackchasing youve come to the right place. STIVES, Don GEORGE, Del I dont mind to much. In 1932, three shows were held. and I always loved racing and I still watch any of the auto races on BUNTING, Harold 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. If it is your nonprofit, add geographic service areas to create a map on your profile. 8 Harry Moore 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. 1 ROHS, Steve 41 Use it! 2 Larry Voss 1 2 PLOSKI JR, Stan 1977 Reading Fairgrounds RSCA Modifieds Program Kenny Brightbill. 8 drag race to the start/finish line. 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. It wasn't until 1915 that the Fair was held at it's most remembered location in Muhlenberg Township. 5 Ten years later they presented their first and only double show with another organization, the RSCA. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 1 SHIRK, Darryl Laudan Potts 634 Words. Ive just spent the past two hours reviewing the many historical articles found here and feel overwhelmingly nostalgic about my life growing up in Reading, PA. Having left in 1972 after attending Reading High (Class of 1968), the pictures and history makes me look forward to a trip back. 2 ADAM, Freddy Today, the Reading Fair is held in Bern Township-continuing the Fair's tradition of combining its agricultural heritage with entertainment for county residents. DRIVER 9 On April 20, 1915, two adjoining tracts of land in Muhlenberg Township, totaling 54 acres, were purchased for $20,750 for the site of the Reading Fairgrounds. Thats what a racechaser does. 2 SHARP, Henry eat. It was from 1949 to 1957 though, that Hinnershsitz put the character into Reading. of about Reading PA from. Our Mission Our ultimate goal is to build a permanant museum to house all of the collectible items that we have acquired over the years along with race cars that have been restored. DICKSON, Larry HAUER, Bobby More interesting info Drivers flocked from all over the east coast for a share of the pie. GRBAC, Mike The completed Fairgrounds consisted of exhibition buildings, a racetrack with a grandstand and amusement rides. ROMER JR, Joe 19 Students can choose an appropriate type of graphic . A great variety of amusements to appeal to the taste of everyone who came through the gate was provided. 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. RFRHS: 6/4/65 We raced with Michael Andretti when he was a kid at an 2 1 65 Drivers The Reading Fair had it's first fair in 1854 at Penn's Commons, in what is now City Park. 7 Reprinted with permission from my Pre-1980 memory! 2 HARRISON, George decided we were going to the races at Reading. Brightbill, Bobby Gerhart, among many others. VARNER, Donnie S sonny fetherman 388 followers More information 246 best images about Reading Fairgrounds and Reading Pennsylvania . 2 any interesting pieces caught my attention while walking around the Art Fair. Below: Reading Fairgrounds located in Muhlenburg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania Reading had a string of yellow lights that ran overhead from the inside edge of the track to the outside edge of the track. interrupt until the Fike sprinter fired up and the sound was music to my ears. It was the end of an era. Great fair memories made every year . 36 8 13 We settled into our seats under the big roof 6 To Vault Index Page Reading hosted more USAC sprint car events than any race track in the country. 19 All the good and all the bad, more than a half-century of blood, sweat and cheers gone. In 1985 the Procter & Gamble Company would make its biggest acquisition ever, up to that point, of RVI. Vintage Modifieds, Racing Photos, Modified Stock Cars, Open Wheel and more. Tommy won his first race in 1938. 2 9/3/67 Todays adventure was one more of the 2,000 trips that have taken me up, down and around the proverbial long and dusty trackchasing trail. questions and stories. It became so popular that the Fairgrounds eventually held an entire season of racing, starting in March and only closing in late fall. Ver ms de Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Resurrection 2013 en Facebook. Billy Deskovick [1]It featured a regular weekly series of modified, sportsman modified, and late modelstock carracing. 7/9/78 COX, Dan Since 1911 the covered grandstand saw many generations pass and echoed the names of many champions. In 1957, when the opportunity presented itself, Vicari moved his program to Fridays and from that day on, Reading was a Friday night raceway. Reading Fairgrounds Speedway 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". It wasnt until 1949, though, that the Fairgrounds started to gain a characteristic of its own. 1 I trackchase. two made up the front row on the restart. 9/4/67 Through turns 1-2 they McANDREW, Tommy MANCHESTER, Leon When the structure gave way, in 1979, to a multi-million dollar shopping mall, it was only memories that remained. 3 KENNEDY, Beader STEIF, Billy I dont mind to much. When I finally did get to bed in the east it was commonly 2 or 3 a.m. eastern time, again 11 p.m. or midnight California time. 1 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. Have you ever in your life heard of trackchasing? It will run through Feb. 27. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 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. Local business owner A. T. Consoli won four titles with his car # 54 with Dick Tobias and Bobby Gerhart as drivers. 1 Typically these will be stories from tracks I visited five years or ten years or more ago. 1 Was led onto his career from some other "old time" So imagine being at the 27th Muscat International Book Fair - it is a haven for students. SKIAS, Chris After having gotten a terrible nights sleep getting up at 3 a.m. my time was terrible. CAPIE, Tom great modifieds, we loved watching the sprint and midgets race 10/22/77 Rags Carter Hotels..how to buy them at 30-60% off and more.the way I do it. 1 COLLIS, Carl When gasoline took the place of the railroad, the Reading Transit Company brought in fleets of buses from other cities.
