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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:01:42 GMT -5
Shortly after the war in 1946 or 1947 a race track was built east of town on the east side of Clifty creek about a 1/4 mile south of state road 7, you entered the track from road 250 E. I attended many of the races at the track and took several pictures. I was a young boy at the time with a inexpensive camera, so some of the pictures are not the greatest, but you can get an idea of what the track was like. There were many local drivers and car owners. Two owners that I remember were Dan and Lowell Walls, a local driver by the name of Larry Crockett drove for Lowell Walls and went on to drive in the Indy 500. Another driver who raced at the track was Pat O'Connor who also went on to the Indy 500. The track was built and owned by a William McCoy. The two lanes going in and out of the track are still there today.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:05:34 GMT -5
Fred McClain in the Dan Walls car #110. The hill in the background served as the grandstand. Mr. McClain at the time was a Indiana state trooper and would drive while on duty, he would park his car back in the trees and have someone listen for the radio calls, a big no no but things were different back then.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:10:08 GMT -5
The back straightaway ran next to the creek and a few cars did end up in the creek.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:20:51 GMT -5
Alivn Burton gets hit in the side.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:22:01 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:31:33 GMT -5
Bob Wilson in his midget # V8. Many people in East Columbus may remember Bob.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:38:56 GMT -5
The midgets.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:40:36 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:41:54 GMT -5
Motorcycle races were also held at the track.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2006 20:47:16 GMT -5
This is the way the cars were hauled back then.
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Gregg
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Post by Gregg on Jan 18, 2006 21:25:16 GMT -5
My dad took me there around 1952 for the first race I ever saw. From that day forward, I pestered him to take me to the races every Sunday morning during racing season, and he actually did take me there a few more times. The drivers I remember from that era are Bobby Baker, Red Carmichael, Jim Quillen, "Crowbar" Taylor, "Bearcat" Chapman, and "Barber-Boy" Hurley. A few years ago I was home over the holidays, and a friend and I drove out to the site of the old track. At that time, you could stand at the top of the "bleachers" and still make out where the track had been. In amongst the trees, there were still a few speaker poles standing.
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Post by David Sechrest on Jan 23, 2006 11:23:15 GMT -5
George, thanks for posting these great old pictures!
There used to be a midget racer stored next to my grandma's house. I think one of my uncles drove it. I remember sitting inside and pretending I was driving it.
Any idea when they did away with the speedway?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2006 20:21:57 GMT -5
David, I really don't know when the last race was held, I went in service in early 1952 and did not return until the great year of 1957. I don't recall going to any races there after my return, maybe one of our members can add to this. The first couple of years after the track opened I rode my bike from 12th and Lafayette Ave to the track, after I had saved enough money from my paper route I bought my first Cushman and that made the trip more enjoyable. I have several more pictures of the track, also some of the old 25th street fairground track taken right after the war, 1946-1947, I'll post a few of those pictures. Would anyone know when the track was built in the infield in front of the old grandstand at the fairgrounds?,it was a short track and egg shaped.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2006 21:42:30 GMT -5
The midgets at the old 25th St. Fairgrounds track, the old grandstand is in the back ground. This picture is about 1946 or 1947.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2006 21:49:21 GMT -5
This car is about to enter turn #1, the location would be about were K-MART is today.
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jimbo700
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Post by jimbo700 on Jan 29, 2006 13:06:06 GMT -5
I remember watching the stock cars race there (25th St. Fairgrounds) on Friday nights in the mid-late 60's. Francis Overstreet would be selling hot dogs and Oertel's 92 beer. As the above picture shows, the light poles were on the inside of the track and were not protected. Nearly every Friday night a car would tag one of the poles, knock the lights out and the races were delayed while it was fixed. These long delays caused the races to go well past midnight, and the neighbors would call the police to complain. There were many near-riots as fans (who had consumed large amounts of Oertel's 92) got upset when the cops showed up and shut the races down. I grew up just south of Donner park and I could easily hear the roar of the cars from my bedroom on a warm summer Friday night. -Jim-
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2006 21:28:49 GMT -5
The crew stops to have breakfast at a restaurant on Washington St. just North of 3rd. St. be for heading out to the 25th. St. fairgrounds for the races. The year was about 1947.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2006 21:35:19 GMT -5
Another car at the same location on Washington St.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2006 22:09:51 GMT -5
This picture is at the old 25th St. fairgrounds about 1953. Local rider Jim Clark getting ready for the cycle races.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2006 22:14:36 GMT -5
Another picture of Jim Clark.
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