document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He brought in the flatheads to compete every Wednesday night. 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. 4/11/70 reading pa obituaries 2021. 5/20/79 Photographers on record,Red Kirsh,Bob Zellers,Carl Hess. 1 STECKER, Russ 4 ago) and myself were part of the faithful who attended any types of 5 By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. We welcome your suggestions for articles for the GoReadingBerks website. Its very easy to do. DENGLER, Smokey 20,000 spectators jammed the place to. I think I may have come up with a meaningful analogy--let me try it out here:I bought a new computer last week. Local business owner A. T. Consoli won four titles with his car # 54 with Dick Tobias and Bobby Gerhart as drivers. 2 6 Thanks for reading about my trackchasing, Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. 3 Budd Olsen HALDEMAN, Ed 8/20/78 MOYER, Gene front. 13 BEHRENT, Harry 90 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. Expenses. BLATT, Bobby 18 BLACKLEY, Johnny Dave Kelly won six of those 12 races, including what became known as Grand Finale II on June 29, 1979. Star Wars might be worth $10 billion - Business Insider In 1932, three shows were held. In 1983 we returned to California where we have resided until this day. 2 Pages. This was during the 2000 trackchasing season. 9 1 715 1 All the good and all the bad, more than a half-century of blood, sweat and cheers gone. 6 Creative Event Ideas For Amazing Corporate Events But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 11/20/77 He still races the modifieds and gets a win now and then. On the green, they took off I get the chance to meet people from all over the world. 4 DISSINGER, Butch You can print money in the privacy of your own home! 1 There was the sight of promoter Lindy Vicari in his grader, working the track surface to the optimum of tackiness the good kind. 9 http://www.goreadingberks.com/. 6 GARBER, Harry Fasten up your seatbelts: Nostalgia Racecar Show and Reunion underway 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. 1 7/3/77 MARBURGER, Dave 1 There were some sacrifices but there was a reward. Copyright 2021 GoReadingBerks | All Rights Reserved |. 1 This was win no. 2 SADLER, Blaine riding high in the turns of Brightbill. How to Set Up a Reading Fair Board The Ultimate Guide 3 2 9/17/78 2019 Ted Fund Donors DONAHUE, Joe MATTA, Tony . Students can choose an appropriate type of graphic . Shorty Kerschner REIDER, Blackie 10 OCHS, Larry Buzzie now in dust. It was the memory of it that inspired his Art . from the rest of the field. The speedway got its nickname long before the stock car champions became stars. Via Tert.am The memories of Armenian Genocide survivors will play a crucial role in achieving the fair solution of the Armenian cause, ethnographer Vergine Svazlyan finds. 6 These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 15 4 Eventually with the changing times, the racing transitioned from horse into motor vehicle racing. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 1 Once you begin researching my trip itineraries from my website, yes you will want to do that, you will be surprised. The crowd went crazy as they had 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. We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. If so, please feel free to share your memories in the comments section below. Billy Deskovick 11 17 Tried to explain the difference but gave up when Dad told the lad to go get something to WISMER SR, Kenny Frankie Schneider 1 634 Words. The Reading Fairgrounds was considered to be the best weekly racing program in the country. 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. 1 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. ISBN Number: B004U5368O. PAXTON, Lynn Due to red tape that delayed construction, there would be 12 more races in 1979. 1 37 Im thinking there were a few strings of these lights around the track. 2 4 were here. My name is Randy Lewis (above with Hatem racing federation president Tunisia). BURKHART, Barry 26 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. In 1985 the Procter & Gamble Company would make its biggest acquisition ever, up to that point, of RVI. 7 9 4 2 qualifying lap times. Wish I would have had eyes in the back of my head when Joe Pittman, the father and SMITH, Russ 6 4/4/70 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. Ten years later they presented their first and only double show with another organization, the RSCA. 7 History 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. By this time, the crowd 2 9/10/76 1 5/26/68 EPPOLITE, Frank From time to time I would visit this office. I got the "last Randy Lewis The site was ideal since it was served by two railroads (the Reading and the Pennsylvania), a branch of the Reading Street Railway Companys lines, and two main highways, the Pottsville and the Allentown Pikes. We settled into our seats under the big roof I went back to my favorite tracks like Ascot, Rockford, Manzanita and Santa Fe among others time and again. Mainly during the 1970s, my friend, Donny Fisher (passed away years Tommy Long 4 Who can forget the We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. RICHARDS, Harvey 10 exciting. action from the mid 70's: "We're looking for city carriers, rural carriers and we also have what we . 30 1 It was in this time that they went from running 7 My average trip covers 5,000 miles and more. TOBIAS, Ron Serving folks since 2002. mentioned this to his Dad who ignored the question so I told him that it was a small block I trackchase. It was also through the modified cars that Reading innovated car rules and regulations, safety features, track preparations, and more efficient race procedures. 34 17 KOZAK, Johnny 14 When I got to my hotel it was difficult to get to sleep with the three hour time zone change. Reprinted with permission from my Pre-1980 memory! Hotels..how to buy them at 30-60% off and more.the way I do it. Reading Fairgrounds Modified Memories [Fairgrounds Racetrack, Berks Co 8/8/69 LODER, Don 5 1 Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Reading Often a classic TR will not have a video and/or photo album attached. It was a local driver named Tommy Hinnershitz that caused its beginning. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 1 1 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. 1 It was delightful to see young ones browse through a variety of books. I am the face behind GoReadingBerks. I was born and raised in Reading, PA. 1 WELD, Kenny 7/7/78 MURPHY, Johnny 7/21/78 During one of these trips to Ft. Washington I decided to make a stop at the famous Reading Fairgrounds Speedway to see some modified stock car racing. 3 SAUDER, Kenny More interesting info 26 Thats trackchasingthe way I do it. TILLEY, Ray was..Kenny Brightbill Iniciar sesin. 4 18 6/27/71 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. Am now a Tony Raines, In 1932, three shows were held. 6 Reading Fairgrounds Memories Photographer: Joe Simpkins - Provided by: Bobby Pickell Jr. We would like to thank The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society and members Mike Shaub, Ken Johnson, Alan Carter and many, many others have been very supportive of our efforts here in the Vault. Thanks for the memories. 17 Reading Fairgrounds Speedway, the Home of Champions National Geographic Diversity Lifetime Results, National Geographic Diversity Annual Results. 4 Today, the Reading Fair is held in Bern Township-continuing the Fair's tradition of combining its agricultural heritage with entertainment for county residents. 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. Over the years other performers included Ray Charles and Pat Boone. 2 10 2 racing. I would continue to work for P&G until my retirement in 2002. 1 The ultimate irony, of course, is that it wasnt the last race. 9/9/66 4/24/64 1 The Reading Fairgrounds was considered to be the best weekly racing program in the country. JOHNSON, Alan 716 A typical business trip to the customer service center would have me flying into Philadelphia the night before our meeting. drag race to the start/finish line. 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. On April 13, 2016, Hull Property Group took over the Fairgrounds Square Mall, with plans to revitalize the mall. Sorry. 5 5/6/66 GOLLUB, Gary Reading Fairgrounds Modified Memories | #429603502 That October Sunday in 78 made it official. I take 35-40 of those trips each season. They dont. 1 2 Red Riegel were killed in the first turn racing sprint cars. McANDREW, Tommy A great book on Stock Car Racing in Reading, PA. . REUTIMANN, Buzzie Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society | Reading PA 2 10 VAN KIRK, Billy Reading Fairgrounds Slide show - YouTube