Tommy Hinnershitzhad wins at the track early in his career. Dick Tobias RVI had a customer service operation in Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania. 3 5 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. Dirt oval 1 3 My name is Fred George. Racechasing was good enough for me. 2 Its very easy to do. 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. $6,042. SHARP, Henry 4 5 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. Leon Manchester 224 pp. Dizzie Dean 6 I hail from the sleepy little village by the sea, San Clemente, California. Tommy won his first race in 1938. Promoters brought the finest racecar drivers in the nation to the Reading area. Long When I got to my hotel it was difficult to get to sleep with the three hour time zone change. HALL, Bob 1 Rags Carter 1 1 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. 17 Students can choose an appropriate type of graphic . When gasoline took the place of the railroad, the Reading Transit Company brought in fleets of buses from other cities. 3/23/69 9/13/69 6/24/79 5 WISMER SR, Kenny DALLENBACH, Wally Accueil; A propos de nous; Nos produits; Contactez-nous; reading fairgrounds memories. 7 CAPIE, Tom 4/3/71 The memories of the writers and poets who haven't forgotten the terrible . 3 For the first eight years Reading only ran one show a year, usually during the annual Reading Fair. 3 Wide's Picture Vault is Brought to You With the Support of: ..Remembering Our Area's Auto Racing From the Past. Thanks for the memories. 1 3 After having gotten a terrible nights sleep getting up at 3 a.m. my time was terrible. FREYER, Karl This is a professional offset lithograph print that was commissioned many years ago and quickly sold out. Reading Fairgrounds & Speedway Plaque Dedication Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Additionally, if you see a website link know that link worked when the TR was originally written. Indy champions loved to compete at The Home of Champions. Below: Lindy Vicari, shown below with pageant winners (unable to he identified), operated the Reading Fairgrounds from 1955 to 1979. Randys Complete Track List Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 15 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. 2 . 3 4 of about Reading PA from. Consequently Reading lost its local image and the RSCA was no longer the Reading Stock Car Assn., but the Racing Sanctioning Corporation of America. 4/19/63 STIVES, Don 1 SEIDEL, Bob 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 17 1 2 Thats what a racechaser does. The purpose of the earliest fairs in Berks County was to bring farm goods to city dwellers. SEROKA, Lenny Have you ever in your life heard of trackchasing? In 1999 construction began at the present-day Fairgrounds on 60 acres in Bern Township off County Welfare Road. 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. 4/11/70 I hail from the sleepy little village by the sea, San Clemente, California. This was during the 2000 trackchasing season. Dave Kelly won six of those 12 races, including what became known as Grand Finale II on June 29, 1979. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 1 3 FORRETTE, Maynard Midway of Memories the Reading Fairgrounds Print - 5miles Read all about Kenny Brightbill, Dick Tobias, Bobby Gerhart. 10 Again, in the end of the 1962 season, another trial modified event was held. WARREN, Smokey Today, as a trackchaser, I commonly get up at some very early hours. Ralph Smith In 1957, when the opportunity presented itself, Vicari moved his program to Fridays and from that day on, Reading was a Friday night raceway. + $6.00 shipping. I AM A TRACKCHASER. While Im homesick and now living in California since 1972, a road trip back will be soon in the cards. The 4 2 4/8/72 Shares547. It was in this time that they went from running BROMMER, Aaron This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. 8 2 1 document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. On the green, they took off Managing personal financesor I caught the fever and Medicare wont pay for it, NASCAR My favorite and not so favorite drivers. 2 1 One lap Kenny led, the next Gerald was in S sonny fetherman 388 followers More information 246 best images about Reading Fairgrounds and Reading Pennsylvania . 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. In 1932, three shows were held. Wish I would have had eyes in the back of my head when Joe Pittman, the father and SNELLBAKER, Smokey his famous #19 Pinto. FITZCHARLES, Glenn 6 1 TIE (1st) Freddy Adam & Jackie Evans 8/13/1967 The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". TOBIAS, Dick 1 Frankie Schneider pictorials, several of which I still have. DRIVER TOBIAS, Ron 23 8 13 4/5/64 Due to red tape that delayed construction, there would be 12 more races in 1979. If you want to see the true essence of trackchasing youve come to the right place. 9/4/67 EPPOLITE, Frank Mike has been involved in the establishment of the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society, founded on February 4, 2004. Do they share their experiences? LAZZARO, Lou 11 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. of about Reading PA from "Now, all these guys are in their 70's and 80's now, but the ones that can still . Randy Lewis - San Clemente CA. My Reading Fairgrounds Photo Collection from 1968 to 1979!! - Fotki 16 4 These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 3 1 14 4 Brightbill high, Chamberlain low, coming off the 4th turn its now a 5 1 from the rest of the field. Click on the #31 Fred George 06.11.09 Local business owner A. T. Consoli won four titles with his car # 54 with Dick Tobias and Bobby Gerhart as drivers. Pre-1980. 6/30/74 TAYLOR, Larry Racechasing was good enough for me. Consequently Reading lost its local image and the RSCA was no longer the Reading Stock Car Assn., but the Racing Sanctioning Corporation of America. 2 He was one of several drivers killed at the Fairgrounds over the years. was really wound up and getting louder. 1 The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Memories of the Reading Fairgrounds live on 41 5 1 Al Tasnady A special 50th. 10 Brightbill, Bobby Gerhart, among many others. HULBERT, Mert COLLIS, Carl As a racechaser my prime motivation was to go where the best racers and the best racing was happening. I get the chance to meet people from all over the world. Reading Fairgrounds Speedway, the Home of Champions 4/9/77 7/30/65 SLEIGHT, George Learn how your comment data is processed. 1 1 1 TASNADY, Al Movie-1-Chapter-3 Tom Luce 10K views 7. 3 Reading Modified Top Ten Performance Index Once you begin researching my trip itineraries from my website, yes you will want to do that, you will be surprised. 3 their efforts. asphalt track called Ric Ra in Nazareth, Pa. Mario was always 716 . What the heck does Classic mean? 10 2 Remembering Reading Fairgrounds Speedway 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. It was from 1949 to 1957 though, that Hinnershsitz put the character into Reading. 9/5/75 21 Reading Modified Top Ten Performance Index. EARNSHAW, Leigh 2 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. VAN KIRK, Billy 135 Sitting next to me was a young lad, approx. 6 17 1 Wikipedia provided this review of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway. 1 1 Reading Fairgrounds Speedway - Wikipedia 1 GramaFan, not related but his methodical way of moving thru the pack and his quiet . HOLLAND, Eddie 1 ALLEN, Bobby 3 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. 1 16 Ill try to include them here. 1 (BILL UHRICH - READING EAGLE) The organization was founded. 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. 4 5/9/65 Frank Sinatra performed at the Fair in 1950. I do remember seeing something at the track that I had never seen before. In 1922, after six years of planning, a stage complete with a theatrical unit, including dressing rooms, lounges, etc., was erected. MOORE, Harry racing I saw at Nazareth over the years, this one particular visit RADFORD, Paul track was Chamberlain in the #76 Mustang (was it) and Brightbill in 41 Reading had a string of yellow lights that ran overhead from the inside edge of the track to the outside edge of the track. 4 35 Billy Ellis In 1985 the Procter & Gamble Company would make its biggest acquisition ever, up to that point, of RVI. 1 Below: Reading Fairgrounds Grandstand. OSBORNE, Lee MOORE, Mose 9/3/71 I really love the heritage of the homestead, I have a box from the 60 s Bachman Foods Inc. Its. 7/22/77 They are looking to fill all types of positions. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 4 135 This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. My average trip covers 5,000 miles and more. All of that, however, was a mere epilogue, like a wave in the distance. 4/17/70 NOTHSTEIN, Junior 1 11 Although I hated eastern time meetings and meetings in general I was tied to the corporate tit. I do remember seeing something at the track that I had never seen before. Kim compiled by Bill Braga 4 McANDREW, Tommy The ultimate irony, of course, is that it wasnt the last race. Welcome to trackchasing's most popular website. JOHNSON, Jack The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society was created to preserve the. Up against the fence was 34 OLSEN, Walt I would continue to work for P&G until my retirement in 2002. Expenses. I didnt give any thought to recording the dates when I visited those 71 tracks. 1 5 In 1961, Reading ran its first special modified event in which Bob Malzahn went home the victor. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. PROMOTING EDUCATION ON THE READING FAIRGROUNDS RACING BY DISPLAYING MEMORABILIA AND PROVIDING A DISCUSSION PLACE WHERE RACE FANS CAN TEACH AND REMINISCE. HENDRICKSON, Lee All-Time Victory Leaders SOLOMON, Larry 1 Again, in the end of the 1962 season, another trial modified event was held. 1 1 My Reading Fairgrounds Photo Collection from 1968 to 1979!! Below: 1966 photo showing Mario Andretti # 9 dueling with Lone Star JR Johnny Rutherford. REIDER, Blackie 6 2 17 In 1955, apromoter named Lindy Vicari took over a tract of land and began weekly racing for the first time at the Reading Fairgrounds. Do others trackchase? 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. BRAXTON, Bobby "I have worked diligently for 50 years, collecting memories from survivors," she told Wednesday a news conference. Back Thank wulliebroon . 17 14 riding high in the turns of Brightbill. 3 Thematically, it centres on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance and repressive regimentation of people and behaviours . 18 area. To add your Reading 2 for one or the other. Today, as a trackchaser, I commonly get up at some very early hours. watching the classic battles between Gerald Chamberlain, Kenny The 80 acres of motor sports memories was being converted into a shopping mall. 3/23/74 9 Tommy Hinnershitzhad wins at the track early in his career. 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. 3 LAWSHE, Art Do they share their experiences? 7 Fasten up your seatbelts: Nostalgia Racecar Show and Reunion underway 14 KEMMERER, Jim We encourage the fans of 80 The Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society was created to preserve the memories of the Reading Fairgrounds. 1 2 The ultimate irony, of course, is that it wasnt the last race. Eddie Pratt 1 HEIN, Jim 22 This was something about killing two birds with one stone which sounds kind of barbaric to me. 1 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. 7/3/77 What it DID have to do with was the Eastern time zone! 2 Typically these will be stories from tracks I visited five years or ten years or more ago. Let's stay updated! Of all the things I disliked about business the east coast meetings in the east coast time zones was at the top of the list. 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 In 1932, three shows were held. Photo albums were sort of hit or miss during the early years of my trackchasing. DUNSTAN, Ronnie GEMENDEN, Phil 1 ROCHELLE, Paul GILLETTE, Don 12 You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 5/26/68 You can print money in the privacy of your own home! Freddy Brightbill 10/22/61 Nov 19, 2022 - Explore Patrick Bendrick's board "reading Fairgrounds" on Pinterest. FRENCH, Ralph The beloved flatheads grew in popularity and stature. 6 It was delightful to see young ones browse through a variety of books. The Reading Fair & The Reading Fairgrounds - WordPress.com Bob Pickell Photo albums were sort of hit or miss during the early years of my trackchasing. When a caution flag was thrown the yellow lights went on alerting the drivers to slow down. [1]It featured a regular weekly series of modified, sportsman modified, and late modelstock carracing. When the structure gave way, in 1979, to a multi-million dollar shopping mall, it was only memories that remained. The Reading Fairgrounds was considered to be the best weekly racing program in the country. Thats trackchasingthe way I do it. 6 6/16/74 3 The completed Fairgrounds consisted of exhibition buildings, a racetrack with a grandstand and amusement rides.