"Arney's Mt. Speedway Memories"
Also Known as "Mount Holly Speedway"
Years of Operation: 1946 (?) through (?)
Provided by: John Cameron
Based on the location on the advertisement above, it looks likes Arney's Mt. Speedway was also called "Mt. Holly Speedway."
Arney's Mt. Speedway Extras: A Visit To Arney's Mt Speedway 1952 Arney's Mt. Program more on the way...
Arney's Mt Photos
Welcome!
Go Karting' in 1963more on the way... more on the way... more on the way... more on the way...
Your Arney's Mt. Speedway Memories...
Here's yet another speedway that many of us weren't quite old enough to get to, but fortunately some of you did and it is our hope that you'll share your memories with the other visitors of the Vault. Please click below to add your memories of Arney's Mount Speedway!
(Memories most recently received appear at the top of the list)
Vicky 01.15.23
I believe my uncle John (Bud-Buddy) Hayes n Francis( Franny) Stienmetz n one other man, started the original building of this track so they would have a place to race. My uncle Bud later moved to West Creek NJ, n built many a race cars in his years. He himself raced then his son n son in law. Uncle Bud built all the cars they raced, n later in life built many more for others. He was a close friend to today’s nascar driver Martin Truex Jr. dad Martin Sr. My dad Charles (Sonny) Collins raced Go-carts there as well later. As a child growing up I heard many a story from these men with much laughter n beer! Lol I was young then n so wish I could talk to them now to document those stories.
John Maher 05.26.14
I worked on the cars Pappy built and Franny drove in the early 60's. It was such a great time back then. I was there when Pappy switched from flatheads to 327 chevys. I was stationed at McGuire at the time and Pappy worked at the motor pool. Thanks for the great memories!
John Maher Cape Cod, MA
3Wide 01.30.14
I asked Al Michalchuk if he remembered anything about Arney's Mt Speedway and he said when he was in his mid teens, he had a '55 Chevy that he put a real good engine engine in (an engine that he later put in the very first stock car he ever built) and he and a friend took the car to the Arney's Mount Drag Strip sometime around 1965. Al was too young to drive (figures he was around 15 or so) so he had somebody named "Lenhart" drive the car. Thinking back now, he was pretty sure that the dragstrip was still in operation (with stands & lights and stuff...) but if the date on Go Kart pics in the table above are correct, then I'm thinking it had to be even earlier than that???
Carl Blue 01.29.14
While perusing the Arney's Mt. "memories" page I saw your questions on the comments page, so I'll offer the answers as I remember them.
#1. The last time I recall races on the oval was in 1959 & that was on a limited basis
#2. Not sure of the last time drag races were held there, but I don't think very many sanctioned events ever took place.
#3. The oval & the drag strip were definitely not operational simultaneously.
Also F.Y.I.: Looking at the "Go Karting" pictures (click on thumbnail in picture table above) the point at which the widest part of the front straightaway asphalt ends in photo #1, is where the outer arc began for turn #1 and continued to the area shown in photo #2 where the asphalt was cut . That entire section of the banking was removed to provide a flatter area to resurface for the drag strip and was never reconnected to the oval.
Ray Verner 01.29.13
Regarding the comments below about Ray Neary and the car he purchased, my notes say Allen Reed (lived near Arney's Mt.) built #107--Franny drove for him 2 yrs (per son)? when he sold the car they took the #7 off and ran it as #10. Maybe his #10? Pappy Smith had a #107 which Franny Steinmetz drove up thru 60's till family wanted Auggie Mochera to drive it. Then Franny went to Joe Vaughns pink #6 built by Buddy Hayes (Hayes Special) and lastly Ed Bagely's #88. Hard to piece all this stuff together...like a big Jig Saw puzzle...then it still may be wrong! Wish the old timers were here to set it straight.
3Wide 01.15.13
I spoke to Ray Neary today (60's & 70's racer at Flemington, East Windsor, Harmony, Reading, Nazareth, etc) and he said that while he never raced at Arney's Mt., the first car he ever bought was purchased at a farm across the street from Arney's Mount. He said it was a white Ford slantback sedan with just a simple #10 in black paint on it. He thinks that he purchased the car around 1958 or 1959 and doesn't know for sure if Arney's Mt. was still operational at that point. He thinks that if it was, he probably would have ran there but instead, ran the car once at Wall and also at the Hightstown asphalt oval.
Ray also said that he attended only one race at Arney's Mt (with his father) in 1956 and that it was won by Charlie Cregar driving the #Z1 that was possibly owned by someone named "Stienart."
Carl Blue 01.09.13
Having lived near Arney's Mount for many years I can provide a little insight. I am sure a few races were run there in 1959 as well as a thrill show produced by the owners. Sometimes races were called off at the last minute due to a shortage of cars and/or crowd. At that time it was known as Mt. Holly Speedway and was owned by the DiNatale brothers. (Chic & Rocky).
In 1960 or 1961 turn 1 was dug out and the front straight was to be extended toward Juliustown road to create a 1/8 mile dragstrip with plans to resurface and re open the oval as well. To the best of my knowledge it was never completed or ever again used.
Don Stives 01.06.04
I went to Arney"s Mt. twice with my #3 flathead Ford in late 50s. The first night I cleaned house and left with $175, wow, never made that $ before. Next night me and another driver were the victims of some trickery with the caution lights in the feature. I left early. After I told Rocky what I thought about the whole deal.
Ed Duncan 01.05.14 (reposted from 02.12.11)
I found this ad in a AARN paper dated Oct.11,1967:
Auction Mt. Holly Speedway -15 acres - Juliustown Rd. off Route 206 (Springfield Township) Mt. Holly, N.J.
Mt. Holly stock car & drag strip-well established & well recognized in racing circles everywhere.
Tremendous central location near McGuire Air Force Base, Ft. Dix Army Base, Bordentown & Trenton.
Zoned & operating until this year. Originally built at the cost of $85,000. Purchase now at your own price-clean it up-and its ready to go !
1/3 mile stock car oval-1/8 mile drag strip-fully black-topped & fenced-Grandstand & concession stands-huge electric fluorescent sign-ample area for expansion w/two 40-foot entrances.
Sale on premises 2 P.M. Thursday October 19th.
Nick Cottone 01.05.14
Funny how racers can link things together. Around 1973, I began a friendship with a Mt. Holly plumber named Joe Vaughn. Joe's sister married a McColough, hence his nephew, Bob McColough who raced at East Windsor. Joe also raced his #6 Sportsman there. Joe often mentioned Arneys Mt. as well as the fairgrounds in Mt. Holly. In a prior post, Mr. Trimble mentioned a fellow named Steinmetz. That would be Franny Steinmetz whom Joe often referred to.
Joe Vaughn and I often laughed saying we met ten years too late. I had suffered a back injury causing me to sell the last modified I was building and Joe had lost interest in racing.
Another link in this chain is that when Don Stives built his new garage, I asked Joe to do some work for him and the three of us became hunting buddies, sharing some great seasons at Joe's hunting cabin in NY.
Sadly, my friend Joe passed too early.
Uncle Nick Cottone
Benny Trimble Sr. 12/22/13
My name is Benny Trimble Sr. I am 86 yo & my memory is kind of dim, but I drove Arney's Mount the 1st race ever run there, I drove a car for a guy by the name of Stienmentz. I cant remember his 1st name, but he had a brother named Levi who later gave me my start in the auto repair business. I wish I could remember more, but I sure remember racing at Arney's Mount. I also ran the 1st races at new Egypt Speedway back in the 1940s after the war. I wish I could hook up with some of the guys I used to Race with back then before I make my last laps. bennytee@comcast.net
Steve Cameron 12/18/12
Unfortunately, my only memory of Arney's Mount was from long after the track was closed, probably around '67 or '68 when my Dad and uncle (Bob McCullough) took their car there for a shake down run. As I remember, the track itself was still intact, but the fence around the track and the grandstands were long gone. Thanks to Bob Drayton for posting his photo, it's the first I've ever seen of the track.
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