| Eastern Mutual Racing Club Brookfield, Morris, Vernon & Sharon, NY |
Historian Richard Parry has agreed to post pages on the
beginnings of Stock Car racing in Central New York,
including the upstart Consolidated and EMRC groups. Stay
tuned, it'll be great reading and you'll learn something.
Thanks Richard.
beginnings of Stock Car racing in Central New York,
including the upstart Consolidated and EMRC groups. Stay
tuned, it'll be great reading and you'll learn something.
Thanks Richard.
The BEGINING IN AND AROUND NEW YORK STATE - 1949
Racing in New York was just starting to take off as the war was now over
and family’s were looking for a means of entertainment. As the County
Fairs and local parades were a way of relieve stress, race tracks started
to spring up across the state mostly at the local fair grounds in Vernon, NY
was just one such case. 1949 wasn’t the real start of racing in central NY
as there had been quite a few sprint car and big car races held through out
the central NY area.
Vernon had a will established fairgrounds with a picture perfect setting
and a half mile horse track there was no better place to race stock cars.
With the aid of the newly formed sanctioning body NASCAR the promoter
would be Edward “Ed” Otto. The weekly race shows would prove to make
for good action as there were many winners to grace victory lane. But it all
came down to Oct 30th to decide the track champion and New York State
Champion.
The full afternoon of racing was highlighted by many crack ups and two
drivers taken off to Rome hospital. There was a 20 lap co-feature with
Charlie Barry the winner and Bud Larabee finishing second. The out come
of the 50 lap championship was making history as Bobby Cameron of
Kenmore won with Gene Austin from Mexico second and third went to Bud
Larabee from Camden. This put the Vernon track title into Larabee’s
hands and Bobby Cameron grabbed the New York State title.
The Vernon champion received the trophy from A&J MOTORS Yorkville, NY.
And the New York State Champ received $1,000 NASCAR point fund plus
championship trophy.
Point Standings
Vernon Championship NY State Championship
1.Bud Larabee Camden 365 1. Bobby Cameron 1460
2.Chuck Mahoney Camden 318 2. Charles Barry 1368
3.Frank Gallup Cooperstown 275 3. Bob Sund 1078
4.Jim Ingison Fulton 222 4. Bob Minet 675
5.Charlie Barry Syracuse 210 5. Chuck Mahoney 674
Vernon would only run under the NASCAR banner one more year 1950.
Then be sanctioned by various clubs until it’s closing.
Racing in New York was just starting to take off as the war was now over
and family’s were looking for a means of entertainment. As the County
Fairs and local parades were a way of relieve stress, race tracks started
to spring up across the state mostly at the local fair grounds in Vernon, NY
was just one such case. 1949 wasn’t the real start of racing in central NY
as there had been quite a few sprint car and big car races held through out
the central NY area.
Vernon had a will established fairgrounds with a picture perfect setting
and a half mile horse track there was no better place to race stock cars.
With the aid of the newly formed sanctioning body NASCAR the promoter
would be Edward “Ed” Otto. The weekly race shows would prove to make
for good action as there were many winners to grace victory lane. But it all
came down to Oct 30th to decide the track champion and New York State
Champion.
The full afternoon of racing was highlighted by many crack ups and two
drivers taken off to Rome hospital. There was a 20 lap co-feature with
Charlie Barry the winner and Bud Larabee finishing second. The out come
of the 50 lap championship was making history as Bobby Cameron of
Kenmore won with Gene Austin from Mexico second and third went to Bud
Larabee from Camden. This put the Vernon track title into Larabee’s
hands and Bobby Cameron grabbed the New York State title.
The Vernon champion received the trophy from A&J MOTORS Yorkville, NY.
And the New York State Champ received $1,000 NASCAR point fund plus
championship trophy.
Point Standings
Vernon Championship NY State Championship
1.Bud Larabee Camden 365 1. Bobby Cameron 1460
2.Chuck Mahoney Camden 318 2. Charles Barry 1368
3.Frank Gallup Cooperstown 275 3. Bob Sund 1078
4.Jim Ingison Fulton 222 4. Bob Minet 675
5.Charlie Barry Syracuse 210 5. Chuck Mahoney 674
Vernon would only run under the NASCAR banner one more year 1950.
Then be sanctioned by various clubs until it’s closing.
3/1/2009
3/15/2009
Vernon Speedway 1950
As the 1950 season rolled around there was a lot to be excited about. Ed
Otto had been busy sanctioning more tracks to compete at. Now with tracks
located in Vernon, NY -Dunkirk, NY - Rochester, NY - Sandy Creek, NY-
Wellsville, NY -W.Springfield, Mass- Avon,Conn. He was armed for a full
season of racing. As a side bar to this story there is a book out on Ed titled
Ed Otto NASCARS silent partner by Edgar Otto and Joann Brondi 1949-63
it is hardcover with 208 pages and 189 photo’s.
The New York state title and the Vernon track championship would be a
hard fought battle. Drivers who were chasing the state title would have to
travel to the various tracks to gain the points. Vernon alone had 16 dates
on their schedule, with Bill Burton in the 9B winning 6 of them and
finishing 2nd five more times. Thus earning him the 1950 Vernon Track
Championship. Don Hendenburg the new kid on the block would score three
wins in his first year of racing driving his own #64 a 41 Ford coupe.
With this kind of racing on tap a lot of newly famed drivers would go on
through the years and build quite a name for themselves. Drivers like
Korman, Keller, Wescott, Hollingsworth, Miller, Mavia, Austin, Gallup would
be the stars for 1950. But August 14 would again be the deciding factor for
the titles again. The 50 lap affair would show Burton the winner with
Pappy Hough 2nd Art Wescott 3rd Tony George 4th and Tommy
Hollingsworth rounding out the top five. This would give Burton the 1950
Vernon Track Championship.
New York State Point Standings
1. Roscoe “Pappy Hough 1773
2. Ken Warmington 1337
3. Bill Burton 1294
4.Hugh Daragh 1234
5. John Borden 1221
6. Jack White 1127
7. Mike Klapak 857
8. Burt Fleischman 791
9. Charles Mahoney 702
10. Don Henderburg 595
The season provided some real hot action as well as two Grand National
races were held June 18 and Oct 4. Bill Blair and Dick Linder were the
winners of these events. Bill Burton competed in one Grand National race
driving a 1949 Ford owned by James Canio and finished 19 due to a wheel
bearing problem.
The 1940 Ford Bill owned and drove was a hot item. All engine work was
performed by WHIT-LOCH Auto Parts of Utica, NY. The engine was known as
the ( Stalloch Special). It was a Mercury block 3 5/16, high lift cam and
special crank. Sam White and Ray Stalloch had a special talent when it
came to building race engines. They even held a clinic on Perfect Circle
Piston rings.
Mahoney on the other hand had to many irons in the fire in 50. He would
have been a real hot item at Vernon. But he chose to give the Grand
National ranks a try. Driving a brand new 1950 Mercury owned by Brooks
Motors of Lockport, NY. He set sail driving in 11 races with 3 top 5’s and 6
top 10’s finishing 7th in the National Standings and earning $2,760.00.
Not bad by todays standards.
A note on the Soap Box Derby picture the lad in the photo won the Derby in
Akron, Ohio in 1950. The Owls Club of Vernon sent him out there. Ed Otto is
presenting the presidents trophy to him on his win. We don’t have the name
of the lad and could someone please help us on this.
As the 1950 season rolled around there was a lot to be excited about. Ed
Otto had been busy sanctioning more tracks to compete at. Now with tracks
located in Vernon, NY -Dunkirk, NY - Rochester, NY - Sandy Creek, NY-
Wellsville, NY -W.Springfield, Mass- Avon,Conn. He was armed for a full
season of racing. As a side bar to this story there is a book out on Ed titled
Ed Otto NASCARS silent partner by Edgar Otto and Joann Brondi 1949-63
it is hardcover with 208 pages and 189 photo’s.
The New York state title and the Vernon track championship would be a
hard fought battle. Drivers who were chasing the state title would have to
travel to the various tracks to gain the points. Vernon alone had 16 dates
on their schedule, with Bill Burton in the 9B winning 6 of them and
finishing 2nd five more times. Thus earning him the 1950 Vernon Track
Championship. Don Hendenburg the new kid on the block would score three
wins in his first year of racing driving his own #64 a 41 Ford coupe.
With this kind of racing on tap a lot of newly famed drivers would go on
through the years and build quite a name for themselves. Drivers like
Korman, Keller, Wescott, Hollingsworth, Miller, Mavia, Austin, Gallup would
be the stars for 1950. But August 14 would again be the deciding factor for
the titles again. The 50 lap affair would show Burton the winner with
Pappy Hough 2nd Art Wescott 3rd Tony George 4th and Tommy
Hollingsworth rounding out the top five. This would give Burton the 1950
Vernon Track Championship.
New York State Point Standings
1. Roscoe “Pappy Hough 1773
2. Ken Warmington 1337
3. Bill Burton 1294
4.Hugh Daragh 1234
5. John Borden 1221
6. Jack White 1127
7. Mike Klapak 857
8. Burt Fleischman 791
9. Charles Mahoney 702
10. Don Henderburg 595
The season provided some real hot action as well as two Grand National
races were held June 18 and Oct 4. Bill Blair and Dick Linder were the
winners of these events. Bill Burton competed in one Grand National race
driving a 1949 Ford owned by James Canio and finished 19 due to a wheel
bearing problem.
The 1940 Ford Bill owned and drove was a hot item. All engine work was
performed by WHIT-LOCH Auto Parts of Utica, NY. The engine was known as
the ( Stalloch Special). It was a Mercury block 3 5/16, high lift cam and
special crank. Sam White and Ray Stalloch had a special talent when it
came to building race engines. They even held a clinic on Perfect Circle
Piston rings.
Mahoney on the other hand had to many irons in the fire in 50. He would
have been a real hot item at Vernon. But he chose to give the Grand
National ranks a try. Driving a brand new 1950 Mercury owned by Brooks
Motors of Lockport, NY. He set sail driving in 11 races with 3 top 5’s and 6
top 10’s finishing 7th in the National Standings and earning $2,760.00.
Not bad by todays standards.
A note on the Soap Box Derby picture the lad in the photo won the Derby in
Akron, Ohio in 1950. The Owls Club of Vernon sent him out there. Ed Otto is
presenting the presidents trophy to him on his win. We don’t have the name
of the lad and could someone please help us on this.
