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gomodsgo
05-21-2007, 08:23 PM
well, NOT so much related to Modifieds, and if anyone choses they can move it... but thought I would post this artilce that was in the local paper in Claremont.

5/17/2007
Mustaches thicker than the slicks

By David Estey
Eagle Times Sports

Given that this is the 60th year of Fleury Family racing, I had been looking into the track's past and managed to dig up some interesting tidbits.


Given that this is the 60th year of Fleury Family racing, I had been looking into the track's past and managed to dig up some interesting tidbits.

When I called Dennis Fleury and told him I was looking to write a piece on the history of the track, he was more than willing to oblige my curiosity.

That's how a box of the "Checkered Review" made its home on my desk, albeit only on a loaner status. The review was a weekly program produced by the track in the 1970's and 80's. Chock full of speedway banter, photos and results, the then $1 programs hold a wealth of information and entertainment.

And more than few memories.

Having been born in 1982, I'm not what you would call a grizzled veteran of the local racing circuits. What I lack in personal experience with the track I try to make up for with a willingness to listen and learn or sometimes just blow off a little dust and dive into some old reading material.

Without further ado, here's some Claremont racing history.

Starting in 1947, the Fleury Family Speedway began entertaining race fans with home grown competition. Owned by Arthur Fleury, father of current owner Dennis Fleury.

Arthur's track was made of dirt and dreams. Dennis's track is paved with aspirations.

As the speedway's popularity grew, Arthur realized he didn't have time to keep up with it all, at which point the Jalopy Association stepped in to keep things moving along. The association was comprised of Remy Gendron, Harold Foisy, Isador Fleury, Dave Harris and Walt Ruffle.

In the 1960's Sonny Fleury took the reins and ran the track until 1980. During this time the track was paved and the asphalt racing tradition started that still stands today. Of note during this period is Seymour the clown, a weekly installment at the speedway and the crawler races in which teams raced around the track on what amounts to a piece of plywood and four wheels.

Also of note is the facial hair of the era, which strikes me as being a fire hazard.

You certainly won't find mustaches as big as Punky Caron's or Donnie Ayer's in the pits these days.

The saga continued at that point with the Claremont Owners and Drivers Association (CODA) that ran the track for the next five years before turning it back over to Sonny.

Sonny ran the track until his death in 1993.

With Sonny's passing, his daughter Sherri Fleury and her husband James Laneau took over for the next 11 years.

In 2004 Dennis Fleury bought the track and began the renovations that have made the track what it is today.

As it stands the 1/3 mile semi-banked oval is known as a handling track. Corners one and two are quite different from three and four. The corners are banked between eight and 10 degrees and lead to 50-foot wide front and back stretches. The track is encircled by concrete walls and sits in a natural bowl that allows spectators a stadium view down on the action.

Today, the track resembles the past more than ever. The new Modifieds bring an old school feel to the speedway and are combined with six other classes, four more than the pits housed in the 1970's.

And the history is still alive at the Thrasher Road Speedplant, with antique race groups coming throughout the season. Several were on the track during the first practice day this Spring. S.T.A.R. will be coming to town July 20th, followed by N.E.A.R. on August 10th. One of my favorite memories from 2006 stems from the S.T.A.R. racers, who pulled me aside and told me story after story about the Offenhauser "Offy" four cylinder engine. I hope to track down those same racers this year as well.

History is alive and well at Twin State Speedway, even if large mustaches no longer are.

I'm sure Arthur would be proud.

WillyKJr
05-22-2007, 07:58 AM
Nice piece. Thanks for posting. With a rich modified history like that joint it is always "Mod related". Good to see some younger folks (if 25 is younger) realizing the value of these local tracks. Hope this story gets one old-goat or a young buck out to the track for whatever reason is applicable to them.