Fan Ground Pounder History

[yucaipa]

Thought it would be interesting to see some of your mighty mod histories. I'm sure paths have crossed.

Mine:

Riverhead 1960 - 1962
Danbury 1962 - 1970
Oswego, Fonda 1971-1972
Wall, New Egypt, Trenton, Flemington, East Windsor, Orange Conunty, Nasereth, etc. 1973 - 1981

Moved west to work in 1981 - Every year attend at least one WMT and NSS Speedweeks races.

Thought this may make an interesting thread - would be great if we added cars and drivers with the years.

Mods Rule......:cheers:

[scott]

Plainville Stadium 63-65
Riverside Park 65-closing, 43 Billy Greco,10 Buddy Krebs, 20 Bobby Stefanik, 44 Gary Culturi (? spelling)2x Jerry Marquis
Stafford Speedway 68 - 05
Thompson 90 - now
Concord n-s shootout 03,04,05
Martinsville 05
Bristol 09
Chemung 01
Lake Erie 04
New Smyrna 90 - 06 Tommy Baldwin beating the hell out of someone after the checkers
Loudon every mod race, see Jimmy Spencer hit the wall hard and hearing what Jr. Johnson said about it next day on the tube.
Richmond
Waterford
Watkins Glen
Penn. Intl. Raceway - Nazerath - 2nd date with wife who'd never been to a race

[ModTourMan]

Life long NJ resident here.

I started at Old Bridge Stadium as a young boy...the track was only a few blocks from home.

Wall Stadium from '68 - present. I rarely missed a show from '69 through the mid '90's.

N.E.S. (pavement years) from '78 till closing.

From the mid '80's till early '90's I was pit side at both Wall and N.E.S helping friends with their Street Stocks...I even got my feet wet with my own Street Stock for a few years.

The ROC at Trenton, Pocono and Flemington was an annual event and highlight of the year for me...I really miss the 3/4 mile track at Pocono.

I have been traveling to Tour races since 1984...did my most heavy road tripping between 1986 and 1992...been almost everywhere from Martinsville to New England and all points in between. I backed off on the travelling when I started my family but have been picking up the pace a bit lately.

After all these years there is nothing I'd rather do than watch a Modified Tour race!

[kinserfan11]

Pa Resident here-saw ALL Mod tour races at Flemington Nj; Mot tour races at Old Shangri-la Speedway; Tioga; 1 at Nazareth( Stefanik wining # 26) :cheers: Roc at Mahoning; Chemung Shangri-la; Whelen Mods at Chemung Last year; also at Spencer last year; both won by Matt Hirshman; roc at Flemington; :cheers::cheers:

[yucaipa]

Great info - keep it up fans - good stuff

[Precision Auto]

Riverside Park Speedway - 1982 until closing - attended ALL races...

Monadnock Raceway - 1985 thru 1995 - attended all races that did not conflict with Riverside Park Speedway...

Stafford Motor Speedway - 1990 thru 2005 - attended all Friday night races and all Modified Tour races...

Thompson Speedway - 1990 thru 2005 - tried to make as many races as we could and all Modified Tour races...


In 2005, due to family commitments, we had to make a very hard decision with regards to attending races to serve our customers. And I will tell you this: it was a very difficult decision, not just on a business level, but on a personal level as well.

We made alot of friends, many we are still in touch with. Do we miss racing: yes - but it's more that we miss the people.

There is truly nothing that compares to the bond formed between racers, crews, engine builders, chassis builders, fans, photographers......we remember and we never take all that we had. :wave:

[KyleMac45]

2002 It started for me @ Wall Stadium... I was at Wall from 2002-2007 for almost every race;

I have also been to Mahoning and Mountain Speedway (Sundance Vacations Speedway) and seen Mod. Races there.

Was at Loudon a few times, saw JBIII and Civali race for a win!

I was at all but a few WMT Races last year.

Kyle

[chrome horn]

I'll give this a try

First track I ever went to was Stafford was a year and a half old.('77)
Been to Stafford on a regular basis ever since
Was a regular at Riverside from 79 until 85
Waterford from 85 until 90
Summer vacations usually consisted of the "circle of Champion" at Riverhead on a Wed in August, Thurs travel, Friday New Egypt, Saturday Wall.
Went to 4 Roc's at Pocono (the last one '91, was the first race I ever shot)
Spent every Saturday night in 93 and 94 at Flemington.
Been following the tour ever since.
Been to 40+ different tracks along the way.
I miss the Park and Flemington, Wish I got to Nazareth.

[Howie]

I was thinking it would easier to say “a lot of races, in a lot of places for a long, long time”. I’ll try to be a little more specific though.

I’m pretty sure my first race was a USAC (sprint cars or big cars) race at the Eastern States Exposition probably in the early-mid 50’s. I remember we walked right through the grandstands right into the pits early in the day. Johnny Parsons spent quite a while talking with us. I was a Johnny Parsons fan as long as he raced. Talking to kids does help build a fan base.

Shortly after that went to Stafford (probably the fair race, it was a daytime race) then Riverside, probably the following year.

In the early 60’s Stafford weekly – until they paved it.

Then - here, there and everywhere, 125+ different tracks in 23 states and Canada from the mid 60’s until now. Including Stafford, Thompson, Waterford and The Park (until 1999) regularly.

Track photographer at Stafford about 1979 to 1989 or 1990 (may have been longer), track photographer at Waterford 1985.

Photographing the modified and north tours as long as (or longer than) they’ve been tours I guess. Shot for Speedway Scene, Area Auto Racing News and various publications over the years.

Never thought I’d say it, but I sure do wish we had digital photography back then.

[Chris]

Well here's my list. I started at Riverhead about 78-79 got hooked on the mod's immediately. Started chasing the tour to other tracks about 1985.
Over the years I have made many friends across the north east. We are truly a modified family.

Riverhead
Wall Stadium
Stafford
Thompson
Waterford
Seekonk
Beech ridge
New Egypt
Tioga
Chemung
Lake Erie
Holland
Spencer
Martinsville
Concord
Riverside
Old dominion
jennerstown
Lebanon valley

[yucaipa]

The first mod rememberance I have was a coup climbing up on the back streatch guard rail and traveling all most the whole lenth at Riverhead (early 1960's). The sparks, speed and sound of it all totally hooked me as a four year old. Still remeber that - whish I could remeber who the driver was. From then on it's been Mod's all the way.

[ModTourMan]

The first mod rememberance I have was a coup climbing up on the back streatch guard rail and traveling all most the whole lenth at Riverhead (early 1960's). The sparks, speed and sound of it all totally hooked me as a four year old. Still remeber that - whish I could remeber who the driver was. From then on it's been Mod's all the way.

Cool memory! Mine is similar...sketchy memories of big coupes and sedans lumbering through the turns at Old Bridge and my grandfather bringing me down to the catch fence to see the drivers during intermission. I can't remember the details (I was a small boy) but I like to imagine I met some of the Eastern Bandits! I can also remember my first trip to Wall...the night was filled with the sight of Modifieds under the lights along with the smell of racing fuel and burning rubber. The climax of the evening came after the green flag waived for the feature event and I heard the most glorious sound I had ever heard in my young life - the sound of 22 Modifieds hitting the backstretch in full song!

[Jaws]

The first mod remembrance I have was a coup climbing up on the back stretch guard rail and traveling all most the whole length at Riverhead (early 1960's). The sparks, speed and sound of it all totally hooked me as a four year old. Still remember that - wish I could remember who the driver was. From then on it's been Mod's all the way.

You must be the same age as me as my mom told me once that my first race was at Riverhead when I was 5 (64). I don't remember it but do remember what seemed like a 20 car pile up one night that they started the Mod feature in the rain. I also remember 2 red modifieds from the Shell station in Southold. One always did well and the other one always seemed to find trouble.

That was until about 1971 when we switched to Islip and spent the better parts of the next decade plus sitting in between turns 1 & 2 with my family then on my own until they closed.

We also spent many a Friday night at Riverhead too.

I also made the trip to Freeport when I could.

When Islip closed we just moved over to Riverhead full time for a lot of years.

Took a few years off and then started traveling.Dirt mods, sprints, tour mods., drag races, cup races, races from Fla. to California, Arizona to upstate NY.

Last count (who's counting) about 100 tracks and dozens of types of race cars all across the county.

If it moves and races I am there!!

Last Races, Oswego and Cayuga County this weekend.

[ModTourMan]

I loved Islip and have been to Riverhead many times but I never got to Freeport...what was that track like?

[art11758]

Freeport was almost flat. Conventional grandstand seating in turn 1/2, minimal backstretch seating, and a large masonry construction main grandstand for the front straight. I recall concessions being directly underneath the front stands. It was constructed as a municipal stadium so it was "multi purpose". I remember seing markings for ball fields laid out on different visits. The most interesting thing I remember about the layout was coming off of turn 4 looking from the front stands, it seemed like you were looking at the backside of a reverse question mark. The lighting there was pretty good in that the light poles were waaaayy up in the air. First place I ever saw stock car races was Freeport.
Other places I've seen mods at:
Islip
Riverhead
Thompson
Stafford
Waterford
Seekonk
Jennerstown
Louden
Martinsville
New Egypt
Nazareth (for the last race there)
Mahoning
Wall
New Smyrna
There may be others, but for pavement mods that's what comes to mind.
And I just remembered. Back in the 80's I went to a place called Stateline Speedway in Washington state. They had some form of modifieds there too.

[limodmaniac]

Late 60s - Watched Junior Ambrose and Charlie Jarzombek race at Riverhead. They lived up and down the road from me. Only went on occasion.

1980- Started watching modifieds again at Islip

1981 - First Turkey Derby

1982- First Spring Sizzler and First Pocono Race of Champions

1982 or 1983 - Riverhead brings the modifieds back on Friday nights.

1985- Islip is gone and Riverhead is the Saturday night track.

1985- Started to follow racing action at Stafford

- Slowly ventured out when I could to tracks in New England, like Thompson, Seekonk, Waterford, Monadnock, Star, Riverside Park, Oxford


- Started sponsoring Eddie Brunnhoelzl Jr

late 80s, early 90s - Friday night action at Monadnock Speedway -- Reggie, Marquis, Jarvis, etc...

Early 90s - Tour races in New England area, Flemington ROC, Riverhead every Saturday.

Late 90s - cut back on travelling, only doing Riverhead on Saturdays

2001- Started getting back into it. Ventured out to first time tracks like Adirondack, Beech Ridge, Chemung

2005- True Value mods bring me back to some old familiar places. Start posting on ModSeriesScene.

Post 2005- New tracks too numerous to mention them all - but including Bristol, Caraway, Oswego, Spencer, Mansfield, Wyoming, Martinsville, etc

Sponsored Brunnhoelzl, Hirschman, Preece, laps at All Star, Riverhead, and Hossfeld.

Finally made it to ALL Whelen races in one year.

2009- Only missing a couple of True Value races, and a couple of ROC races and hopefully not missing a Whelen race again this year.

Making some great friends at the races and loving it all!

[jeep4x486]

I've taken in modified races at Stafford, Thompson, Waterford, Monadnock, Seekonk, and Loudon with the majority being at Stafford and Thompson. Also spend a lot of Saturday nights out at Lebanon Valley watching the dirt modifieds, I'm truely a dirt fan at heart. Just spent the weekend in Pennsylvania taking in the triple 20's at Williams Grove, the final 410 points race at Lincoln, and the Billy Kimmel Memorial at Williams Grove. This was all after taking in the tour race at Thompson of course. I love the modifieds but sprint car racing is tops in my book :cool:

[ModTourMan]

Freeport was almost flat. Conventional grandstand seating in turn 1/2, minimal backstretch seating, and a large masonry construction main grandstand for the front straight. I recall concessions being directly underneath the front stands. It was constructed as a municipal stadium so it was "multi purpose". I remember seing markings for ball fields laid out on different visits. The most interesting thing I remember about the layout was coming off of turn 4 looking from the front stands, it seemed like you were looking at the backside of a reverse question mark. The lighting there was pretty good in that the light poles were waaaayy up in the air. First place I ever saw stock car races was Freeport.

Thanks Art. How ya been? Long time no see!

[art11758]

Thanks Art. How ya been? Long time no see!

Its been quiet for me this year. No traveling. :(:(:*-(:(:( Next year will be better.

[NC Mudcat]

Early 70s: Franklin County Speedway most every Friday night. A few Saturdays at Bowman-Grey when there was nothing else to do. An occassional trip to Cumberland International (Fayetteville, NC), South Boston, Hickory, etc. All mod/LMS double headers at Martinsville in the 70s and 80s. Since then, Southern mods at Caraway, all North/South shootouts at Concord and special events at OCS and Bristol.

Anyone need to rent a house for Martinsville weekend? Mom has a home in the parking lot of the track; 5 minute walk to the gate. 4 bedrooms I think, and will sleep a bunch of folks. Full kitchen, laundry room, etc. Let me know if interested and I'll get more info. Thanks

[monty57mod]

Early 70s: Franklin County Speedway most every Friday night.

I heard those were some good races. A little before my time. Johnny Bryant is still my all-time favorite driver.

[NC Mudcat]

I heard those were some good races. A little before my time. Johnny Bryant is still my all-time favorite driver.

Johnny, along with Paul Radford, Satch Worley, Gerald Compton, Max Berrier, Billy Hensley and a host of others put on some great shows there. What an awesome place back in the day.