60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Sadly, I never got to either track. I guess I was too busy hot rodding around thinking the tracks would be around forever and there was always next year.
Well, half my butt is gone from kicking myself over and over about a lot of things.

 

This photo was taken on opening day, April 20, 1974. The winner of that 100 lap "Spring Thing" race was Connecticut's Dave Pelczar #24P, in an ex-#76 Gerald Chamberlain mount. The newest member of the "River Club" is #53 Todd King, Gloversville, NY. Todd's father, Bill, was an owner of modifieds at Fonda for many years. The gentleman walking away from the wreck is Gigi Conover, Fonda pace car pilot. Todd walked away from the incident to race another day!

 

I've raced at Fonda. My first trip there as a participant was 1991. I'd heard about cars crashing into the river, but figured it was an exageration. Then I entered the track for warmups, went down the front stretch, through turn one and turn two....and then as I came off of turn two I said to myself "holy crap, there really is nothing but a few trees to keep you from going right down the river bank and into the water!"

They've since installed a wall along the top of the bank, but back then you needed to be a bit cautious down that back stretch, LOL.

Thanks for the picture and the caption...I enjoyed both.

 

John, back in the day Riverhead had swampland just outside turn 4 and many a shoe found himself and his jalopy in the swamp. The swamp is still there but nothing like it was and there are now walls.

Welcome Troy and thanks for the info.

 

This is correct, but the #76 Chamberlin car was initially bought by Will Cagle. I think he built a copy of it and then sold the ex-#76 to Dave Pelczar. It still wore Cagle's white paint job and his #24 when Pelczar drove it.

As Cagle told me, it was good in the mud. Meaning a moist heavy track like Reading and Fonda in the spring. I'm pretty sure Dave mostly ran at Lebanon Valley.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Eddie Delmolino drove a car like that too. I'm not sure if it was the ex-#76 or the Cagle copy. I need to do some more homework, stay tuned.

 

Alot of the PHOTOBUCKET pics won't load...The pics that do are GREAT!! Thanks for this site!! I promote vintage racing in Vt./NH. thru building models of vintage heros, and photos of vintage racing in my area...Neal

 

Welcome. That is odd about the photos, they were up yesterday. My son will look into it later.

 

weird all the photos are on photobucket still maybe they're having issues, the photos were up this morning on this site.

 

The nice thing about the cars of this era if you had a set of dirt tires and a set of asphalt tires you could race any where with the same car.

 

OK, I told ya' I was going to do my homework. After a phone call to Cagle I have this sorted out. I was correct thinking Eddie Delmolino was involved with this.

Here's the story: Cagle bought the Chamberlin #76. He ran it and built a copy of that car.

The original #76 was sold to Henry Bahre(sp?) who was Delmolino's car owner. I think it was #357.

The #76 copy was sold the Dave Pelczar. He never repainted it and ran it as the #24p. It's the copy car that won at Fonda.

Cagle had Kenny Shoemaker drive the ex#76 several times. The same as Cagle, the "Shoe" didn't like it. So it was AMF for both of those cars. I'm not sure if Delmolino won at the Valley with the ex#76. There is not record of Pelczar ever having a Valley feature win, so that means the copy car had at least one win, which is at Fonda.

 

well fret no more, photos are back!!! NEW NEW YEAR!


John Creyer at Dorney Park

John Hoffman

John Kershaw

Johnny Rocco

Johnny Shell

 

I thought this was pretty sweet, Johnny Thompson 40 ford model

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

John Nuzum

John Hoffman

 

found another pic of ol' 26

 

John Hoffman

John Hoffman

John Howles

John Kerslake

John Kerslake

 

John Kumernitsky

John Kurtzman

John McCormick

Johnny Lane

Johnny Lane

 

Today their up and running!! I couldn't believe all the great pics here!!! I'm hooked up with CATAMOUNTSTADIUM.COM Check that site out too!! Neal

 

Here's a pick of Dave Pelczar in what appears to be Fonda's victory square.



That car sure looks like the ex #76, regardless of what Cagle told me!!!!!

Because here's a pic of the Delmolino Bahre car.



Now I wish I never started checking. More homework is in order.

 

Reading cars always had a distinct look. Always loved the Bullock 76. I never got there and regret it.

 

1st of 2009! even though I posted some around 12:10 am that makes up for yesterday's photo debacle. lol Also watch NHL hockey at WREGLEY FIELD Chi-town Blackhawks vs Detriot Red Wings two of the original 6 teams! History made again with the Winter Classic!

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

 

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Coy at Langhorne

Johnny Haig

 

Johnny Jenkins

Johnny Jenkins

Johnny Jenkins

Johnny Jenkins

Johnny Lane

 

Johnny Lane

Johnny Lane

Johnny Lane

Johnny Lane

 

Cagle didn't like the 76, the car's spirit was broken. The color, number, was changed, and above all, he put a chevy in it !

 

Johnny Jenkins



Now, who wouldn't have sh*t eatin' grin driving a coupe around Danbury Racarena?

 

randomrodder: Those pics you have in the link are fabulous!! That dirt track Maddog is Manadanock before it was tarred--right? And that '81 accident..where was that? That's a wicked wreck!! Thanks!! Neal

 

Neal, help me out here, it's 7 am EST and I still haven't gone to bed. Can you find that post and get the number on the upper right hand corner and the date.

I normally don't photo photos anymore, I leave that to my son, The Bullfather. He was raise at the track and is still heavily involved in it.

Thanks and Happy New year.

 

Johnny Mackinson

Johnny Peepers Yeger

Johnny Peepers Yerger

Johnny Roberts

Johnny Roberts

 

Johnny Roberts

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson

Johnny Thompson