reading fairgrounds memories

7 1 Neck and neck through the turns, 8/5/77 They built a Horse Race Track and grandstands which were opened to the public in 1916. 5/5/63 I remember on those dry summer 2 Students can choose an appropriate type of graphic . Indy champions loved to compete at The Home of Champions. Keep it up! GREEN, Butch 1 9/7/75 document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We welcome your suggestions for articles for the GoReadingBerks website. 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. 7/9/65 The first auto racing stunts as a part of the Fair were presented in 1924. One lap Kenny led, the next Gerald was in 8 MOORE, Mose 7 These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 4/26/74 karts. 1 The 80 acres of motor sports memories was being converted into a shopping mall. FORRETTE, Maynard It wasnt until 1949, though, that the Fairgrounds started to gain a characteristic of its own. 6 10/15/67 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. The Reading Fairgrounds was considered to be the best weekly racing program in the country. I hope you enjoy it. 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. Ver ms de Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Resurrection 2013 en Facebook. 1ST WIN 3 Reading Modified Top Ten Performance Index. The Heritage of Reading: 1813-1847: Canals, Heavy Industry, and the Railroad, 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. If you have any photos from back in the day, send them to me at. SCHOFFSTALL, Dave 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. 4 In 1922, after six years of planning, a stage complete with a theatrical unit, including dressing rooms, lounges, etc., was erected. This Print is personally signed and numbered in pencil by John Dusko. The Reading Fair & The Reading Fairgrounds - WordPress.com Harry Moore 1 Click on the link below to see the video production from the racing action today. In order to get to a 7 a.m. breakfast meeting I would need to get up at 6 a.m. eastern time or 3 a.m. California time. 3 Since 1911 the covered grandstand saw many generations pass and echoed the names of many champions. Tommy Hinnershitzhad wins at the track early in his career. Although I hated eastern time meetings and meetings in general I was tied to the corporate tit. He still races the modifieds and gets a win now and then. Below: Lindy Vicari, shown below with pageant winners (unable to he identified), operated the Reading Fairgrounds from 1955 to 1979. 1 Im calling the shots and that makes all the difference in the world. $6,042. Billy Deskovick BROMMER, Aaron Movie-1-Chapter-3 Tom Luce 10K views 7. KERSCHNER, Shorty All the good and all the bad, more than a half-century of blood, sweat and cheers gone. 14 MIKOSZ, Junior Brightbill running the high line and 1 Midway of Memories the Reading Fairgrounds Print - 5miles I saw the newest Star Wars movie last week and it brought back memories that stretch back almost four decades. Welcome to trackchasing's most popular website. 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. 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. 1 DEAN, Dizzy 90 27 11 Ten years later they presented their first and only double show with another organization, the RSCA. Reprinted with permission from my Pre-1980 memory! 6/30/78 1 TIE (1st) Freddy Adam & Jackie Evans 8/13/1967 This was win no. Copyright 2023 Randy Lewis - All Right Reserved. 6 4/1/79 two made up the front row on the restart. We lcome To. 3 1 Additionally, if you see a website link know that link worked when the TR was originally written. 2 3 8/8/71 . Brightbill would win two more, finishing with 135, and Chamberlain one more, finishing with 92. Down the backstetch it was still a dead AbeBooks.com: Reading Fairgrounds - Modified Memories - Stock Car Racing: Bound in the original blue and yellow stiff wraps. The first auto racing stunts as a part of the Fair were presented in 1924. 3 went down for some of those famous french fries to the right of the Today, as a trackchaser, I commonly get up at some very early hours. 16 Figuring out the logistics of a trip like that is as much fun for me as watching a figure 8 race. 2 STUMPF, Don 1 5/15/70 18 PRATT, Eddie Photographer:Joe Simpkins - Provided by:Bobby pre-war coupes & coaches to the Pintos and other more modern bodies. Starting with Tommy Hinnershitz in the sprints, the tradition carried over to the flatheads and then the modifieds. Smith 08.24.20 4/3/71 1 Several subsequent purchases increased the area to approximately 78 acres. RUDY, Jack It does not store any personal data. DICKSON, Larry Gunzenhausen - Wikipedia Do they share their experiences? 3 Wide's Picture Vault is Brought to You With the Support of: ..Remembering Our Area's Auto Racing From the Past. 1 DRIVER 1 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. Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society Group - Facebook That October Sunday in 78 made it official. 1 Drivers flocked from all over the east coast for a share of the pie. Whitey Kerschner I get the chance to meet people from all over the world. 52 7/22/75 As a racechaser my prime motivation was to go where the best racers and the best racing was happening. 1 17 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. Donnie Varner The Reading Fairgrounds in Muhlenberg Township 8 3 FOR SALE! 4 were here. old who had many questions for his Dad. BAKER, Jim The Reading Fairgrounds Speedway is one of those long ago vintage tracks affectionately known as the Group of 71. Since 1911 the covered grandstand saw many generations pass and echoed the names of many champions. DALLENBACH, Wally HILDRETH, Elton Racechasing was good enough for me. "The throttle stuck." The modified stock car Braxton was hired to drive flipped onto its roof. When the structure gave way, in 1979, to a multi-million dollar shopping mall, it was only memories that remained. Born in 1897, he witnessed the growth and expansion of the city which was once the 4th largest city in Pennsylvania with a population close to 130,000 not including unnaturalized citizens. There were some sacrifices but there was a reward. For the first eight years Reading only ran one show a year, usually during the annual Reading Fair. STANTON, Dave 5 At midnight in the east it was only 9 p.m. in California (Pacific Time). Whats that you ask? REAKES, Sammy (Satis Shroff, Freiburg) Our brain is like a labyrinth with all those fissures and lobes, and memory was a big theme at the 62nd Book Fair in Frankfurt-upon-the-Main 2010. Kenny Brightbillis the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway all-time wins record holder with 135 track victories. 224 pp. VARNER, Donnie RFRHS: My name is Randy Lewis (above with Hatem racing federation president Tunisia). 4 6 The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Thanks! 1 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 1 OPPERMAN, Jan All the good and all the bad, more than a half-century of blood, sweat and cheers gone. 715 CAPIE, Tom Over the years other performers included Ray Charles and Pat Boone. Its very easy to do. YOUNG, Bruce action from the mid 70's. The Reading Fair had it's first fair in 1854 at Penn's Commons, in what is now City Park. When the structure gave way, in 1979, to a multi-million dollar shopping mall, it was only memories that remained. During intermission we The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society was created to preserve the memories of the Reading Fairgrounds. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 4/9/77 8/7/77 We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. 3 1 FOREWORD SCOTT, Tighe If youve got a question, comment or whatever please leave it at the bottom of this report. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Remember, this was only the 46thdifferent track I had ever seen. While Im homesick and now living in California since 1972, a road trip back will be soon in the cards. There was the sight of promoter Lindy Vicari in his grader, working the track surface to the optimum of tackiness the good kind. 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. I do remember seeing something at the track that I had never seen before. Revenue. Your guess is as good as mine! 1 2 FREYER, Karl 4 SASSAMAN, Dave 24 Tried to explain the difference but gave up when Dad told the lad to go get something to KESSLER, Randy It was a local driver named Tommy Hinnershitz that caused its beginning. I became interested in the history of Reading through the many stories my grandfather used to tell me. It was the end of an era. KELLY, Mike 3 1 30 MURPHY, Johnny 1 Ron Tobias There was the sight of promoter Lindy Vicari in his grader, working the track surface to the optimum of tackiness the good kind. 3 CAMERON, Alex Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 9/24/78 This print measures 32" x 26". 2 10/8/78 READING FAIRGROUNDS MODIFIED Memories Yearbook 1980-History of modified stock. One story I do remember well, was the fact that I had to sit in the grandstand. That October Sunday in 78 made it official. Freddy Adam I would continue to work for P&G until my retirement in 2002. 11 HARRISON, George 26 CONRAD, Vince DeGROOT, Fred What the heck does Classic mean? Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Resurrection 2013 1 Its simply a Trackchaser Report that comes from my trackchasing archives. 7/10/77 We encourage the fans of where he loved it best. Thanks again, Peggy Snyder at plsnyder@ptd.net - welcome all emails and/or 1 Dirt Track Cars area. SMITH, Russ Will it work now? 1 4 1 I didnt think so. 3 8 3 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. 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. BOTZ, Johnny DRIVER This was something about killing two birds with one stone which sounds kind of barbaric to me. of about Reading PA from. 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. Food memories immortalized on canvasand plates - PressReader GEORGE, Del Brightbill would win two more, finishing with 135, and Chamberlain one more, finishing with 92. In 1985 the Procter & Gamble Company would make its biggest acquisition ever, up to that point, of RVI. 1 16 Feb. 25It was opening day 1972 at the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway when Bobby Braxton had one of those close calls so familiar to racecar drivers. Iniciar sesin Olvidaste tu cuenta? 9/10/76 Bob Malzahn Official end of the RLR Randy Lewis Racing Trackchaser Report. 2 Find them in Teays Valley, Milton and Cross Lanes for mouth watering smoked prime rib, slow smoked baby back ribs, smoked chicken, Cajun catfish crab stuffed catfish and much, much 11 1 BUT, I did, loud and clear. Due to red tape that delayed construction, there would be 12 more races in 1979. 6/4/65 Use it! The track closed in 1979 shortly after my visit. From time to time I would visit this office. Peoria Old Timers Racing Club (P.O.R.C.) main stands, then got back to our seats for the main event.