"Old Bridge Speedway Memories"


To view aerial images of the site of Old Bridge Speedway from 1931 to 2006, click below:

http://www.historicaerials.com/default.aspx
Find on the left side of the page where it says "Search Imagery" and click on "By Lat / Long", and then enter the following coordinates:

Latitude: 40.4063    Longitude: -74.3257
(Coordinates provided by Mike Sienko)



Comment below from George Pavlisko

This was the last race I ever went to at Old Bridge. The Tree folks where there as always. ARDC put on a great show. That was the day that Sonny Saunders flipped on the backstretch, get ejected from the car and some how was not badly hurt, from what I remember.

My dad and I lived on the top row in turn one every Friday if my homework was done and I helped him in the shop. His passion was open wheel cars but was also into the stock cars back in the Jersey City days.

Remember Nick Deaden driving the XL-1. Richie Massing try to be an space man coming off turn two and getting as high as the lights. Joe Kelly in the XL-1 driving so smooth that nobody thought he had the fastest time but Did. Bill Slater in the V8, Eddie Flemke in the $, Pete Frazee in the 68 Tommy in the #4 the 2jr of Bill Chevalier.  That was when racing was more for pride and fun not Big bucks.  I could just see Jeff Gordon towing up to Old Bridge with a TOW BAR and red lights hooked on the roof for the tow home.

Take Care - George Pavlisko


Here's a Few Photos From a Past OLD BRIDGE SPEEDWAY EVENT at The Thomas Warnes Museum
Oct 11th and 12th, 2008

Click Here for a Few Photos

http://www.thomas-warne-museum.com/events.php

Photo (above) provided by Ron Barnsted of flag purchased by his dad and given to him during a 1961 visit to the speedway. 
Facts and Figures....

Old Bridge Speedway Memories
From the Visitors of The Vault:


Mike Carbone  01.15.23

Good evening - I'm trying to find out some more info about drag racing at Old Bridge Stadium. I purchased a 1961 Lyndwood Altered 2 years ago and along with it came some trophies. All are early some from Old Bridge Stadium, Flemington Dragway, Island Dragway, and somewhere in NY. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any old pics or videos online hopefully someone will be able to help point me in the right direction. 
Thank you,
Mike Carbone

Car (original):


Trophies

Car in 2023:



Thank you,
Mike Carbone  CarboneAuto@comcast.net


Harry Mager    11/21/20

Just stumbled into this site and it's great. Love the stories.

I used to race on the 16th mile in the early 60's. First with a '51 Olds (in primer of course) and then a green and white '55 stick Olds with a '57 engine. I remember Nate Cohen used to tech the cars coming in. He put my '55 in with '57 Chevys.

Remember many nights watching "The Farmer's" pickup truck beat a lot of cars. I remember a white '60-'61 ford that was real fast. Must have been running real steep gears. I graduated Freehold Regional in 1960. So the Circus Drive in and Asbury Park were our playgrounds. The last race I had there. I got nosed out by a '57 Chevy with the '55.

Picture of my '55 attached.


Bruce Pine    03.01.18

Just came across this memory inducing site.  I started Old Bridge 1/16 mile drag racing while I was still at Freehold HS in 1958.  My car was a '49 Olds Coupe Rocket 88.  I ran E -Stock and still have some of my Old Bridge trophies.

Came back in 1959/60 with a '38 Plymouth coupe, ’57 Olds engine, LaSalle trans.  I chopped/sectioned the body, making the height so low that the tech guy, Nate Cohen, made me run D Dragster.  I don’t remember my times and we had no lights, just a flag start.

It was a real challenge to get it slowed down before the banked turn.  I only had rear brakes.  Great memories.  My racing buddies were Frank Pinkus and George Thompson.


Thomas Falco    12.01.14

I was scanning through Old Bridge Speedway Memories.  I read an article that Jim Lamprow wrote (7/13/07) referring to the first "slant six" that raced at the track. (I don't remember any stock cars with a slant six engine).

But I (Thomas Falco) ran a slant six in a D/A at Old Bridge in 1966.  I won Competition Eliminator one Saturday night beating 5 V8 cars.  My car had a TorqueFlite automatic transmission with push button controls.  My best time was 5.2 seconds, 80 mph. Pretty fast for 1/6 of a mile in a six cylinder. I named my car "Quick Finger" because you had to have quick fingers to push the button to shift.





One of my fondest memories is racing with my friend,  Hoke Johnson,  from Matawan,  who ran a 34 Plymouth with a 327 Chevy engine.  I always had to remind him that he was running against a 6 cylinder. We are both in our 70s, but we still reminisce about our Saturday night at Old Bridge Speedway Drags.


Al Vanis    03.21.14

My first drag race competition was at Old Bridge Speedway with a '64 Galaxy convertible.  Since then I entered six NHRA National Events with Pontiacs, and won two. I've been out of NHRA racing for the past ten years.  I'm 76 and still racing locally.


Dan Sachs    06.24.13

I used to attend and watch the stock cars at both Wall Stadium and Old Bridge Stadium back in the 1960's.  Being a Buick V8 fan at the time, I loved watching Jim Hoffman just blow by everyone else with ease.  Most were running SBC's, except Parker of course, and the big 400+" injected Buick would reel them right in.

Then one night a guy showed up with a BBC, probably a 427.  Don't remember his name--might have been Leroy something.  I think it was at Wall.  Anyway, that BBC just ate that Buick like a hot fudge Sunday.  I was SO shocked!  At the time I had a street-only '52 Ford with a stock 322" Buick V8.  Some friends insisted I run it one night at Old Bridge in the short drags on the back straight.  I didn't want to, but they cobbled up a real crude sheet metal scattershield and off we went.

I was sure it wouldn't pass tech.--it would have been in B/G.  Knowing I stood no chance with crummy street tires and highway gears, I told them it was a 264" Buick from '54 and got put into D/G.  I don't think the P&G gage had been invented back then.  First run was against the record holder, "Mother-in-Law" Chevy.  Having seen my setup and tires, I doubt he needed even 1/2 throttle to easily outrun me.

Then in '71 I had a AA/FC, but that's another story!


Jim Skistimas    01.16.13

These were days definitely gone by. My father (Hike) was an Automotive Machinists, Farmer and friend to the common man/racer!  He worked on a few of the cars back then. One of the "High Tech" brake systems of the time was cutting down Buick Aluminum drums to fit the wide bolt pattern everyone ran back then...(I believe it was from a 36 Ford).

Wally Dallenbach (Sr.) was one of the soon to be famous racers he worked with.  The Dallenbach family owned a sand pit in East Brunswick, part of which turned into our municipal pool and Scout Camp ground.  I caught my biggest Bass there as a Scout!

My brother, John, would drag race there on Saturday's running an Eight mile.  He ran a 56 Thunderbird in the beginning then moved on to other vehicles which included a  '55 Ford with a 406 squeezed in it.  (That one gave me my first of many scars on my hands.) He moved along, after the track closed, to Race at Englishtown Racing a couple injected flip top cars, a retired Wayne Gapp Cougar and Larson's SOHC A/FX Mustangs which my brother campaigned as a C/A going by the "Jersey Rattler". It was kin to the Thunderbolt.

The more I think about these days, the cooler they were.  Everyone, stockers and draggers, raced with what they could make or afford. I remember the scorn felt by racers when the rich kids introduced the first tube chassis for the Stock Cars!

Between Old Bridge, Wall Stadium, Atco and Lancaster PA, our weekends were pretty much taken up.

Jim Skistimas  -  Formerly from East Brunswick, NJ


Vic Fredda    01.01.12

The stadium/track was built on property owned by my grandfather, Anthony Fredda. It was first leased and then - I believe - purchased from "Pop". There was a way to get on the track from the back woods and I would sometimes sneak on and run with my mom's '41 Ford when no one was around. Pop sold the farm around 1961.


D Rocco  09.04.12

We ran there every Saturday night 1960 to 1962. We ran under the name of Oganowski Drag Team. Bob Oganowski ran a A/GD Blown Hemi power dragster, Frank Delia and my self ran a C/D 265 ci. Chevy power. Sonny Martino ran a D/G 55 Chevy, 301 ci. Injected Chevy power. Ronnie Batz ran a B/SA Pontiac convertible 389 ci. Tri power. There were other associated cars that ran under the banner as well. I remember those days fondly. Back in the day when the driver and crew chief didn't even have to pay to enter a dragster, because the tracks were just happy to have you there.  We would run Old Bridge on Saturday night And then run Flemington, or island on Sunday.



Ed Duncan    02.17.12

I have enough memories of Old Bridge to fill a book.  http://www.coastal181.com/nlm-working-April-2005/sale_books.htm (Paved Track/Dirt Track)


Gary Fitton  08.06.11

I just came across this site and I think its great! I ran the Saturday night drags a few times in '61 with my new Ford Starliner 390/375hp S/S, 3spd OD with a Hurst floor shift. I remember you could rent a helmet for a couple of bucks, and you left your driver's license as insurance that you would return it. A few times my girlfriend drove me because I had lost my license after a run-in with the Wall Twp police on Martin Rd, behind the Belmar Circus Drive-In, I guess I would have used her license as helmet insurance on those nights. (Cruise around the Circus a couple of times and you were sure to pick up someone who wanted to run on Martin Rd.)

Anyway, I would put on my slicks, put in fresh plugs, and open up the exhaust cutouts. Invariably, one of my buddies would always leave half a bottle of beer in the trunk before I headed for the lineup. A few times I went up against my buddy Al Hoffman and his '59 Chevy - close, but he usually got me. The first time I ran there I remember how fast the turn came up after the finish line! I've attached a few time slips and a pit pass for old times sake. And they were great times!





Thanks for this site! 


Frank Lawton    12.10.11

Just a Teenager who loved cars. Lived on the other side of Rt516. Could here the cars racing all night.  My girl Judy and I loved the Dare Devil exhibitions jumping cars and driving around the track on 2 wheels.  They were great days. Was heart broken when they closed the track.

I still travel 1800 miles to race at the old Englishtown Raceway Park.

Thanks Frank Lawton - FRED Racing
PS I married that girl and she still loves racing her car "Hanky Panky"


Mark Tresch    03.08.11

Living in New Brunswick, as a boy, we went to the speedway almost every week.   My favorite driver in the fifties was Lenny Brown, and Pete Frazee, and Bob Boudinot in the #3 and then the #880.   We would get there early and go to the entrance to the pits and get to see the cars up close, and that smell of the drain oil in that Old Bridge sand, those alone, to me were great memories, just a very few among many I have of that special place

My father and I spent many a night, and afternoons there.  The great names that raced there - too many to mention - will always will stay with me.  I still have photos purchased there as a boy.  I want to cry everytime I drive past on my way to work every day.  When I drive by there today, I can almost see and hear the cars in that big parking lot, and the sounds of the cars warming up on those hot Friday nights in the summer, as we entered the track.


Gerry Fillimon    01.24.11

I will always remember the sound & flame coming from the # 659 that Parker Bohn drove!  Also, I remember the plastic crash helmets that they sold.


Kevin Seybert  10.01.10

My grand mother lived right up 516 from the track.  I never saw a race there but did drive on the race way in the late 1970s, just before they started building homes there.  Used to be a old pig farm there just behind the backstretch in the woods.  Jake brown Rd. ran along side of the track off 516.   Use to be a junk yard and a house there - Gillards were there names.   My Great Grandfather owned part of that land the track was on.  Gaub was his name.  He owned a farm not far from the track.   Gaub Rd. is named after him (little history). 

I watched many a race at Wall Stadium saw Parker Bohn race many a sat night in the #659 Skinner car.   

Well thanks for the site.  Fun to write about what I remember.


Tom Haug  09.08.09

Oh yea, we had drag racing at Old Bridge on Saturday nights. I raced there 1960-1962. I had a 59 Blue Biscayne D/G. We used to hang around at the Circus in Belmar. I beat Richie Rhiel only once in his "mother-in-law" 50 Chevy. I ran a 5.14 and that was the best night I had there even though I won many other nights . We raced on the front stretch and started in the 4th turn of the speedway. The Flag man (before the tree) was up on a perch just above the right lane. We all took turns "holding cars". Since the starting line was still on the 4th turn, our starting line was banked and this was long before linelocks. So we had "volunteers" that would hold against the A pillars of the stick cars.

It has been a while and my memory is shaky, but some of the guys that raced there were Don Raliegh (Dons Speed Shop) drove an A/D. Some others (please excuse the spelling of the names) Toddy's A/G, 32, Frankie Matthews A/G 30 Olds powered Ford pu, Augies gassers, Batistas B/G 55 Chevy, Doc San Flippo, Ritchie Rheil's D/G 50 Chevy, Bruce Kings B/GS 55 Ford, Commercial Park Esso's 60 Pontiac, Frank Carlson's B/MSP Vette, Ralph Teshon's A/SP vette, Joe McGinleys' A/S 60 Chevy, Nate Cohen's S/S (Nazy Crate). Marsha Brizinsky's Stocker ect, ect.

We raced for trophies, and when you had to make your own speed parts if you couldn't get them from Joe Barzda at the California Speed and Sport Shop or at Don's. Another little fact was the width of our slicks, 7 and 8 inches at the most!

No, it wasn't E town, but back then E-town was a farm and Island Dragstrip) at Great Meadows and Atco ran on Sundays and when we could race another day, WE DID. The hard work was changing our 5.57 gears back to 4.56 early Sunday mornings. This was our religious service.

Again, I am sorry if I have misspelled your names. But you were all hero's to me.

Tom Haug, formerly of Belmar, NJ


Mitch L  12/29/08

  • What an amazing site. My family moved to Old Bridge (Pinehaven Village) located just west of the stadium off of Route 516 in 1961 or 62. My father took me to a few races at the speedway (which is what us locals called it then.)  I don't recall much about the races, who raced or the atmosphere as I was only maybe 5 or 6 years old at the time but I seem to recall demolition derbys.  Later when the track closed, and as the signs and bleachers crumbled, many of my friends would use the track to race their dirt bikes and other motorcycles. I put many laps on the track in the early 70s with my mini bikes and dirt bikes. It was the only place to open up your bike. I also remember when the golf range took over, the senior housing and before it all scary "pig farm" which as I recall was a slaughter house located in the adjacent woods.

    Thank you for putting this site up.

CHARLIE LINDMAR  11/22/08
 

  • My dad was an early nascar member and he took me to the speedway while it was being built.  early spring thaw parking lot was a sea of mud!  the block wall was up, grandstands partially built and guard rails being built.  wow did it look huge! my dad had heard it was gonna be a nascar deal and renewed his license, as he still had his roosevelt stadium coupe in the back yard.  it wasn't and he never ran it again, but we were regulars there from the git go watching mainly for my dads cousin, jim delaney and all the other greats of the time.   I was 8 years old when it opened and grew up there.  like most of us our age {i'm 63} the sights and sounds of that great yard are etched in my memory.  iv'e drawn or built little plastic 37 ford replicas of the heroes of my youth to share with those who care.  even had the honor and privilege to talk to some of them, including pete frazee, bob malzahn and sonny strupp.  before, {as my pal george perkins had mentioned] bye bye love became the pre race sound track there.  it was patsy clines "walking after midnight" that they'd play on the pa system. when i here it on the oldies i'm in heaven!!!!

Charles Edkins  10/15/08

I am charles edkins.  In 1968, I raced on many NY&NJ tracks,  I ran junk yard parts, from EDKINS AUTO in S.I.N.Y.  I had fun - met lots of good guys there.
Thanks, Charles Edkins 43x


Richard F. Lacey   10/04/08

  • Do I remember Old Bridge? I can still smell the burning methanol, tires, tempers and those horrible sausage sandwiches sold in the pits. I was part of Wally Dallenbach's pit crew for a while - I was there the night he won in that 671 Blown Buick Stock car. Al Keller won almost every night but not that night. B&B Welding built Al's car in Gasoline Alley up Paterson way. I remember Tommy Elliot too - trying to sell a baby in the pits, the demolition derbys and the driver who won one night driving and destroying everyone in reverse! The packed stands and those massive pile-ups still exist as happy thoughts in my memory. If you lived nearby Old Bridge was the place to be on Tuesday and Friday nights. There was an atmosphere back then at that "track" that doesn't exist today at the big places to race. Back then it was all friends and family -- you could build a car for a thousand bucks -- today it's all Corporate America and you couldn't build a car for a million. After the race our gang would meet at Dietrich's Drive-in on Route 18 in East Brunswick for a cheeseburger and a milkshake, for .95 Cents. How I wish I could still brush off the the "track's" parking lot dust when I got home. I bet there's thousands out there who still wish they still could too.

Duane Smith  08/15/08

  • I can remember back in the late fifties my dad taking me and my older brother to old bridge speedway. my dad was on the old bridge volunteer first aid squad. he would set me and my brother down in the stands with a soda pop and go to the infield and do his thing.....  There at old bridge I got to meet and know some of the great local drivers and the famous Tex Enright.   To watch a man run down the center of the cars waving the green flag was amazing if not just a little crazy.  I am happy for the memories of those days gone by.  My dad Al (SMITTY) Smith also lettered a number of race cars on the side....  I can remember the days he would take me to Beetles Garage to work on and letter and number the cars.   Thanks for all the great memories!


Bob W    08/06/07 

  • I was only there once, and I hope I have the right place, but the night I attended in the early 60s, they ran a 1/16 mile drag race on the back stretch!   The fastest ET car, if I remember correctly, was a 1955 Olds, even beat out a "rail job."  I got a T-shirt someplace some kid in the dirt lot airbrushed for me, 5 bucks, outrageous.
    Bob W - New York


Jim Lamprow    7/13/07

  • I was born in Newark in 1943 and by the time I turned ten my uncle started taking me to the Old Bridge races every friday night. Oh! how I loved to go! It was better then mom's apple pie. 

    My uncle was one of the drivers and he would put me in the trunk of the tow car to sneek me into the pits, it was really funny that as a kid I wasn't allowed in the pits, but once I was in nobody ever said anything to me, even when I sat on the fence between the pit and the track. I can still smell the alcohol and picture the blue flames coming out of the gutted muffler shells that were mounted to the running boards as the drivers backed off in turns 3 & 4.

  • I remember one year my uncle and a friend built two Ford coach's that were blue and white, the numbers were 07 & 70. The first race of the season they raced they both were in an accident in the first turn of the first lap of the first race. That was the end of the #70 car, but the 07 returned again and again. The driver was Ed Schaefer who passed away in February 2006 at the age of 72.

  • There's a few cars I remember, like the XL & XL1, I remember one of the first slant six engines that came to the track and ran away with the winnings, can't remember the number though. There was also a green coupe #13 and I think the driver's name was Lenny Gould, can't be sure.

    All I can say now is, Thanks for the Memories "OLD Bridge" & My uncle Ed.

    Jim Lamprow
    Pearl River, La.
    7/13/07


Vincent Gabriel jr.     11/3/06

  • i was born in new jersey-in fact my whole family on both sides were from new jersey----my dad was a building contractor in morgan, new jersey-- just outside of south amboy and sayerville--i first met ace lane somewhere around 1960 or 61--i knew ace first as a skilled carpenter who at the time was working with my dad---i had know idea that he was a very well known race photographer--- in fact in my book he was a famous race car photographer---most of all he became a near and dear friend of my family and myself.

  • we were friends of his family and ace actually took family portraits of me --my brother and my four sisters back in 1962 or there about -which we all still have---it was ace who took me -my brother and my dad to old bridge speedway for the first time and actually introduced me to auto racing--

  • i'm a big auto racing fan to this day. ace was the guy who got us into the pits and introduced us to many race car drivers---at the time we had no idea who these drivers were and did'nt realize until years later how famous these drivers would become-

  • when i think of old bridge i think first of ace lane-- he was a wonderful-humble and talented man and most of all he was a friend of mine-my brother -my father and my family---when i found out that he passed away--i felt like i lost part of my childhood-- ace never bragged or let on how really well known he was in the racing world---but that was the kind of guy he was---

  • i will always remember him as the friend who took us to old bridge speedway and introduced me to auto racing--- ace-- we miss you'' i must close for now, it' time for my sunday nascar race to start---peace' vincent gabriel jr


Ken     07/15/05

  • Your web site brought back may fond memories of my youth.  As a young boy, my parents frequently took me to the Old Bridge Stadium to watch the races. I remenber the track and cars as if it was yesterday. Both parents are now deceaseed and I will remember the good times with them at the race track. The times I spent at the Old Bridge Stadium were memorable and I appreciate the work and effort of everyone at the track and the racers who made it possible. Thank you - Ken


Jim Murrow     03/31/05

  • I only went to Old Bridge once, I think. That was for a what is now NEXTEL CUP , was before, WINSTON CUP, and back then GRAND NATIONAL race.

    I liked the track a lot, but it was really too small for the full size sedans to get around too fast. Don't forget, back in those days they were off the showroom cars, on showroom frames, just beefed up a little.

    I was just a kid, and I don't remember too much about that night, so maybe somebody can fill in the details for us. I'm pretty sure Rex White was there, I think Ned Jarrett, and several other big names. I'm guessing it was about 1960.

    The field was very small, so they allowed a stock 1956 Mercury to run. It was a street car with mufflers still on it, and the brake lights were working. I'm sure some guy drove it to the track and drove it back home. It finished about 15 laps behind I think.

    Anybody who has more information on that race please send it to 3wide.  It seems to me Rex White won, but I really don't remember. I think Lee Petty was there too. It was my first Grand National race, and we only missed the first Daytona 500 when the big track opened, after that we went every year But...I think this may have been before that.


Russ Barsky   03/20/05

  • I just came across your outstanding web site and have spent the better part of this morning paging through its contents . I am only 43 years of age but I spent many years (since I was an infant I am told) at Old Bridge Stadium before it was closed.

    After the track closed Wall Stadium became my 'home' track. I saw some great modified racing there but I could never forget Old Bridge Stadium. In fact, it was impossible not be reminded of the place! You see, I lived in Old Bridge, NJ - literally in the development across the street! I watched the old speedway sign in the parking lot slowly decay away (I still regret not 'rescuing' and preserving that sign!)   I witnessed the weeds grow over and through the track pavement. I saw the propery used for a travelling circus, a golf driving range and many other forgettable events before permanent buildings finally erased all visible evidence of the speedway.

    I am still a fan of modified race cars and spend as much time as I can traveling to Nascar Modified Tour events in the northeast and visiting Wall Township Speedway but I will always think back fondly to the time I spent at Old Bridge Stadium. I can recall many trips down the bleachers with my grandfather to meet the drivers through the tire fence on the front stretch during intermissions in the program.

    Being so young at the time leaves me with very few detailed memories but this web site helps me connect some of them together. I have attached some files you may find interesting. They are scans of two program covers from Old Bridge Stadium. Both are older than me and were aquired a few years ago. Feel free to use them on your site if you wish.

                Oldbridge_Program_2.jpg (71621 bytes) Oldbridge_Program_1.jpg (61592 bytes)
               
Thanks for the memories,   Russ Barsky - Kendall Park, NJ


Kurt Grotyohann   01/21/05 

  • It was nice to read George Perkins memories of the Old Bridge Drags, especially about how efficient they were run.  My father Art Grotyohann, was the manager of the drag races and he invented the colored starting light system, (later to become Chrondek's "Christmas Tree").  He also built the fourth turn timing stand, and all of the photo cells and the clocks of the timing system.

  • The telewriter was another innovation that he brought to the track that allowed you to pick up your time slips at the pit gate. He always got a chuckle when racers who lost would come up to him and complain that the guy who was holding his car from rolling down the banking didn't let go in time and that's why he lost! I have some of my Dad's black & white Polaroid picture's around some where if I can find them I'll send them in to post.

    Kurt Grotyohann


George Perkins     01/10/05

First off , let me tell you I really enjoy your site. It really brings back the memories. I have lived in Tennessee for 35 years but I still remember all the good times I had at the east coast tracks. I made at least one time to the following tracks. Trenton, Langhorne, Harmony, Nazareth, Reading, Allentown, Flemington, East Windsor, Wall, Old Bridge, Vineland, New Egypt and Weisglass...probably forgot one or two.

  • Old Bridge was my first. I grew up in Avenel and used to see the XL-1 all the time. I finally talked my Uncle into taking me to a race at O.B. in 58, I was twelve, I haven't been the same since. Later in my teens we used to drag race at O.B., they called it shotgun drag racing. We'd race on Saturday nights. The starting line was in turn four , the
    banking made the cars roll forward, so they would have guys hold onto the fenders of the standard shift cars to keep them from rolling through the lights. The finish line was down by the flag stand. The most efficient drag strip ever. If you won, you picked up your time slip on the backstretch by the pit gate then lined back up in three and four. O.B had a starting lights before any of the other drag strips in the area.

    Memories of the oval track are many

  • The great fields of cars that ran on Sunday night. All the regulars like Kelly, Dallenbach, Hoffman, Frazee, Elliot, Hildreth, Stumph...the Long Island stars, Hendrickson, Harbach, DeAngelo, the New Englanders like Bergin, Slater, Gallulo, Flemke, Caruso, Zimmerman.  It wasn't til many years later did I realise the scope of that weekly field.

  • Nat Klienfields cries of "Whoa.....spinout!!!!!!"

  • "Hey Ice Cream!!!!!! you scream, I scream we ALL scream for ice
    cream" The ice cream vendor and his little hat. He also sold at Flemington and we'd get the results from him on weekends we went to Wall.

  • Ace Lane in his suit, making his way accross the infield.

  • The kids in the trees behind turn two. Seems like there were always about a dozen of them.

  • Looking over our shoulders during intermission, to see if the "Eastern Bandits" Flemke and his bunch, would make it in time from running Manassas, Va, that afternoon, to make the consi.....they always did, many times by the skin of their teeth.

  • The whine of the quick change gears. Old Bridge had long fast straightaways, the turns weren't banked much , so the cars had to back off pretty early compared to most tracks. We were first turn sitters. You could really hear the sounds of the quick changes whineing

  • The night the throttle stuck on the purple 4 and Tommie Elliot crashed through turn ones fencing and took out a light pole.

  • The night of a hundred lapper when Dallenbach led Kelly (normally the gentleman, who this night was trying to knock the rear bumper off the 14) for 99 3/4 laps til Kelly used Danny McGlaughlin as a pick and passed Dallenbach in four to take the win.

  • "Bye Bye Love" why is it racetracks seem to only have three songs to play during intermission?

  • The blue flame from the 659.... no, the sound wasn't as booming as it was at Wall but the flame sure was spectacular....I think it set the starters flag on fire one time.

  • Mike Grbac hanging his head out the window of his 55 chevy in the turns, the deck lid flapping. He went on to be one of my favorites.

  • The superior straightaway speed of the XL-1.

  • Elton Hildreth hanging the rear end out like he was on dirt.

  • The night they ran a powder puff and one gal just blistered the field, she was so far ahead she took a lap around the quarter mile and still kept the lead.  When the race ended they couldn't get this "wild woman " to stop.  They disqualified her and when they finally got her to stop the car, they presented the flag to another lady. The "wild woman" turned out to be "the wild man".....Elton Hildreth...........in a wig..............and a house dress! You had to see it to appreciate it.  To this day, I've never heard such laughter at a race track.

They say you never forget your first. Old Bridge was really nothing special, not scenic like wall, no carnival atmosphere like Flemington, but she was the first, she was our home track and for that I'll always have a fondness for here.    George Perkins  10/10/05


Ed Duncan    08/22/03

Boy was I lucky as a kid, living only a half mile from this famous Speedway. I went to my first race in 1955. The sight and sounds of those brightly colored coupes an sedans still give me thrill almost fifty years later. I was fortunate enough to see some of the greats of racing compete there such as Pete Frazee,Tommy Elliott, Parker Bohn, Lenny Brown an many more in the stock cars. Len Duncan, Dutch Schafer, Johnny Coy, Tony Bonadies and a bunch more in the
midgets. Lee & Richard Petty, Jim Reed, Ralph Moody, Bob Welborn and the rest of the great Grand National stars.

I have so many great memories of the track I could fill a book. P.S. Thanks Joe for having such a great sight. If i can help you to ID any photos feel free to contact me.


Walter Onora  08/09/03

  • I have two small checkered flags from Old Bridge. Back in the 60's our regular track was Weissglass Stadium. Old Bridge would run sunday afternoon shows in the spring. Usually combination shows with the ARDC midgets. I also have a handbill form Old Bridge (listing such drivers as, Bob Rossell, Joe Kelly, Ed Flemke, and "Wild Bill" Slater.) My Father and I were at the last races held at this track for both the stock cars and midgets. Fred Harbach won the stock feature and Bill"Wiggles" Johnston won the midget feature. Both events took place in 1968.

Joe Macfarlan  08/07/03:

  • I was only at Old Bridge once or twice and I think it was a mid week show back around 1966 or 67 so I couldn't have been more that 6 or 7 years old.   I just remembering thinking how cool it was and how the people there really seemed happy that they had their special place to come and enjoy the races at.  I'm glad I got to go when I did as unfortunately I think it closed very shortly after this.


memories_OLD_0056_1.jpg (67299 bytes)
$ Bill photo above shows what it was like to sit on the frontstretch some 45+ years ago...

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(Above poster provided by "Cos")
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