Midstate Speedway, Otsego County Fair 8/1/06
Baby, it's hot outside. On Tuesday
night it was some kinda warmish,
our dogs don't like these days and I
often wonder why we call them theirs.
Nikki and I headed to the Otsego
County Fairgrounds for some fun. The
ride was more comfortable than sitting
around anyways and once to Mt.Upton
we took the scenic path through
Gilbertsville en route to Morris and
Midstate Speedway. Route 51 twists
and bends through beautiful
countryside and statuesque homes as
I'm pointing out former and current
members residences. We arrive at the
Fairgrounds and reluctantly get out
into the heat of the afternoon to make
our way over to the club display. Mike
Newell and John Mason greet us with
smiles and handshakes; the display is
impressive to say the least. Mike has
spent the past week painting the
building and spiffing up the cars of
Mel Ogden as well as his own, his
effort shows and the display is just
wonderful. Included are memorabilia
from the Speedway's racing days as
well as photographs taken by long
time track photographer Don Phoenix.
Ten cars total are present including
John Mason's #5 Bud Hinman 1969
Midstate Championship car as well as
the Tc9 in which Joe Donahue
captured the 1967 track
championship in. Future CNY HOF
Chuck Akulis is well represented as
Mikes own #3 Pink Panther is present
as well as the FORD-Y in which
started his career. Also on hand is the
#197 which still acts as Peek-a-boo's
dwelling. Peek-a-boo wasn't hanging
out today though, too damned hot.
Richard Ackerman brought over the
Mouseville Monster that Moose Cary
rode to championships in 1961 &
1962 out of Willie Wust's Edmeston
garage as well as Tommy Wilson's
famed P-13 which won more than its
share at the Morris Speed plant under
the EMRC banner in the early 1950's.
Mike also hauled Mel's #65, the
Brooks Bar-B-Que Special that Jimmy
Mott drove to much success at the
track, and the late models are well
represented too with Art Kiser's #29
Chevelle and Mel's own #73, a sharp
'55 Chevy on hand.
The shade offers a little relief and I
find it along with long time Morris
fixture Pete Stafford who’s jabbering
with former Midstate driver Brett
Cobb. Brett was always there from my
memory and always running
competitively. "If it was running, we
were at the races", he recalled. And
he still is, the cars and display draws
fans that either remember the
racing days at Midstate fondly or
people just discovering the history of
the track, either way they are drawn
like magnets to the space off turn
one. It isn't the first time these horse
barns have seen a race car, I can
recall Bill Salamacha taking a ride
through one very distinctly on a hot
Friday evening some 25 years ago
now, but that's nothing. "Remember
that old barn off the backstretch?"
asks Pete. "Well, we discovered that
once you got up in it, and opened the
top doors, you had a terrific view of
them coming off of turn two. Worked
good until a car went though the
bottom half and we thought we were
dead. I don't know how that barn still
stood but we got out of there and
didn't do that again." Just off turn two
is where Vern Angel often took his
8MM film from and when he wasn't
filming some attractive young lady, he
often caught some good action
including the day when Nellie
Harrington put the #7 in the drink
which is the creek off the backstretch.
John Mason is talking about his
adventures here as a boy with the
Donahue Family, "I'd ride down to
Binghamton with Joey (Donahue Jr.)
and the crew and after a win one night
at Midstate I can recall the front seat
being full so we're in the back of Joe's
pickup. The 41 Jr. is on the single axle
trailer and it's bouncing around like a
rubber ball. Joe Jr. and I'd sneak
a peek at the speedometer every now
and then and Joe's doing 70 the whole
way, that car is dancing and Joe's got
his arm out the window relaxed as
ever. We get down to Kirkwood and get
right to sleep because at the break
of dawn we get to work on that car.
Next morning we're up and Joe tells us
to wash the car off, Joe Jr and I fish
the hose through the kitchen outside
to the driveway and get it cleaned off.
Then Joe says 'take that tire off there
and get some rerod out and we'll weld
her up.' So Joe Jr and I get that tire
off, now, we were just boys and that
was hard work for two boys. Then Joe
comes out once we have it off, takes
some re-rod and heats it up, bends it
around the wheel and welds it up
slick. "OK boys, now get that tire back
on there and paint it white, and we'll
go racin’." So we did, couldn't wait to
go racing. Once we had it back on we
got the big prize and Joe would tell us
to drive it over to the track (5 Mile
Point) which was just across the street
from where they lived. We got it over
there and then he'd come by later
with the truck and trailer to meet us in
the pits. Those were fun times.' And
obviously not forgotten. I remember
begging for a ride in Moose's 88 until I
finally got one on a milk crate, Moose
told me to keep my head low and
watch the gauges, which I did. I still
honestly don't know if we ever made it
out of the pits or not, doesn't matter. It
was a thrill for a 5 year old boy that
he's never forgotten.
And that's what this night is about;
memories. Of a track, of cars,
of characters. Of a golden age of racing
in which the cars were truly 'modified'
stock cars. There were no real trick
parts on the chassis of these cars, no
need for that if you were good with a
welder and there was some rerod
around. A ‘beadlock’ was created with
a drill and a few screws and Farm
Mechanics ruled. Got an extra shelf in
the fridge? That’ll keep the rocks out
of the radiator and maybe some porch
screen to keep the mud out as well.
The grandstand and track remain the
same @ Midstate as if in a time
capsule. The track may be a little
narrower and flatter, a few new fences
have arrived and some buildings have
been replaced but it essentially the
same. The grandstand appears
untouched and looking at it sparks
memories and smells of the times I
spent in it as a boy. The sights of
brightly colored modifieds roaring
down the front stretch in a cloud of
dust wash over me. My mom taking
me to the concession stand below the
seating area to get some popcorn while
I look over the small plastic models of
race cars. Hurry! Another heat is
about to begin and we can’t miss that!
During a break in the action running
up to the top of the grandstand to look
out the back slats that have been
opened to allow some cool air through,
peering out on the people milling
about below…
Back to the present and former
Midstater John Pegg is recalling is
days with the club to Nikki, ‘You could
hear them flatheads coming, the
sound was unmistakable..’ and shortly
afterward we fire them up for some fun
on the track. It’s only a parade and we
have to inch them along but the
feeling is one of excitement regardless.
Pete Stafford has the Mouseville
Monster of Moose Cary out front, Anna
Meyer is piloting the Jimmy Mott
Brooks Bar-B-Que Special, Paul Hulse
has the Akulis Ford-Y smoking along
like the old days, keeping the
mosiquitos at bay, John Pegg is riding
high in the saddle of the Ogden 73
late model, John Mason is making like
Joe Donahue with his white bell
helmet in place tooling around in the
Tc9, Mike Newell is cracking the
bumper of Pegg with his Akulis Pink
Panther 3 while Nikki and I take it all
in from the cockpit of the P-13.
Appropriately, a milk crate is dutifully
holding Nikki up as she clicks off
frames of the event. Around the sharp
turns three and four, the grandstand
awaits our procession and is full. The
lights are on now as are the smiles of
all present, flashes light up the night
and we roll along through them,
taking it all in – how many times to do
you get to see cars like this at
Midstate anymore? Let alone be part
of the track experience. My fantasies
run wild as I watch the Pink Panther
and Tc9 ahead, we’re suddenly
running full throttle entering turn one
sideways, that flathead is singing and
getting’ hot, I now know why Tommy
Wilson put those slats in the
door…and then, too quickly, it’s over.
What a way to spend a Tuesday
evening, it sure was fun and the group
is still all smiles, like kids that just
swiped the neighbors fresh baked pie
off the windowsill and devoured it.
We’re giddy. We bid the group farewell
and head for the cool down lap to
Endicott. Nikki is chattering the whole
way, she now thinks she can kick my
arse and wants her own car to run,
here we go.. the fantasies are gettin’
deep now and that’s ok, after all, that’s
what this night has been about and it
was no doubt successful.
Kudos and thanks to all who made
this night so enjoyable; car owners
Mel Ogden, Richard Ackerman, John
Mason and Mike Newell, the Fair
Board for letting us take the old tin on
the track, the drivers who behaved
themselves despite the obvious
temptation..and most of all to John
Mason and Mike Newell who put the
event together for us all. These two
fellows have showed unwavering
dedication to the memory of Midstate
Speedway and their efforts have been
extraordinary, thanks guys for making
this a reality.
Next weekend the club is headed to
wine country and Black Rock
Speedway for a special Saturday night
event at the Yates county oval in
Dundee. It’s Watkins Glen weekend
for the NASCAR Cup teams which
means the stands will be full to take in
some sprint car action as well as our
club event. Sure to be a good time,
come check us out if you’re in the area
and we’ll show you how it was done in
years gone by. Looking forward to
seeing you there.
Special Thanks to the Morris Fair Board
& area sponsors: Wilbur National Bank, NBT
Bank, NY Central Mutual Insurance Co, Country
Club Chevrolet, Royal Chrysler of Oneonta, Otsego
Automotive, Smith Ford of Norwich, Gates Cole
Insurance, Homestead Pet & Food, Cooperstown
Veterinary Clinic & N. Norwich Motor & Trailer sales
& area sponsors: Wilbur National Bank, NBT
Bank, NY Central Mutual Insurance Co, Country
Club Chevrolet, Royal Chrysler of Oneonta, Otsego
Automotive, Smith Ford of Norwich, Gates Cole
Insurance, Homestead Pet & Food, Cooperstown
Veterinary Clinic & N. Norwich Motor & Trailer sales
These photos courtesy of Cathy Foto
THANKS CATHY!
THANKS CATHY!
| Click here to see more photos of Midstate Speedway taken by Don Phoenix |
| We'd also like to give a big congratulations to Mike Newell - he's a new grand-dad |
CONGRATULATIONS MIKE & FAMILY!
| Next Up - we spent Saturday night at the Tri-County Microd Track checking out the racers of tomorrow.. |
Flatheads are alive and well at
Tri-County Speedway in Triangle,
NY as 5 HP Briggs rule and they're
aren't any slouches at the highly
competitive track. Only wish this
kind of racing had been available
during my youth but our go-cart
in the parking lot was a lot of fun
too as I dreamt of besting Mario
Andretti each evening. These kids
might not know who Mario is yet
but it's a good bet they know who
Dale Earnhardt was judging by
their driving style. Bumpers are
there to be used. Nikki's nephew
Ryan Jenks was alot of fun to
watch as he has made steady
progress over the past year and is
driving the #38 Microd to it's limit
at this point. Fun to watch a 12
year old throw his shoulders into
it, and I don't believe he ever
lifted. Neither did anyone else,
suffice to say that these kids have
got their collective stuff together
and are well on their way to
becoming the bull ring stars of the
future.
Tri-County Speedway in Triangle,
NY as 5 HP Briggs rule and they're
aren't any slouches at the highly
competitive track. Only wish this
kind of racing had been available
during my youth but our go-cart
in the parking lot was a lot of fun
too as I dreamt of besting Mario
Andretti each evening. These kids
might not know who Mario is yet
but it's a good bet they know who
Dale Earnhardt was judging by
their driving style. Bumpers are
there to be used. Nikki's nephew
Ryan Jenks was alot of fun to
watch as he has made steady
progress over the past year and is
driving the #38 Microd to it's limit
at this point. Fun to watch a 12
year old throw his shoulders into
it, and I don't believe he ever
lifted. Neither did anyone else,
suffice to say that these kids have
got their collective stuff together
and are well on their way to
becoming the bull ring stars of the
future.
