Otsego County Fair
"Come up and take me to the
fair." OK mom, it's a date. A
sense of excitement always
accompanies me whenever I
happen to be headed to the
fairgrounds in Morris, NY,
after all, it's where Midstate
Speedway is located.
Memories of many youthful
days wash over me as I drive
along, thoughts of Moose's 88,
Willie Wust, the brightly
colored cars roaring around
the oval in the dust, the place
where I, like many, fell in love
with stock car racing. It was an
event to look forward to every
week - would Jerry Townley
show up with the 32 this
week? Would Joe Donahue
clean house? How would our
car do, hopefully well. So
many questions, can't wait to
get the answers.
The track has now been
reverted to horse use only, the
turns are less banked and
even narrower than before.
Park benches adorn turns one
and two, the backstretch has
fencing along the infield. The
lighting, which was barely
adequate in it's day, has fallen
into disrepair on the
backstretch. Yet, it's still the
same track, the grandstand,
one of the prettiest in the
state, still stands proudly. The
ghosts of modified coupes and
sedans still roar into turn one,
pitching sideways with a
roostertail of dust trailing
them..
There is a romanticism about
the place for me. It wasn't the
best track, long
straights, sharp, flat corners.
Typical fairgrounds track set
up for horses and converted
for stocks yet some of the best
racers in the state came to try
their luck on a Sunday
afternoon. Fonda standouts
Ken Shoemaker, Harry Peek,
Jack Johnson, Don Wayman,
Mert 'Socks' Hulbert and Irv
Taylor all raced there. From
Lebanon Valley Tommy
Corellis, Butch Jelly, and
Harold Montayne made usual
trips. Five Mile Point was
always well represented with
Chuck Akulis, Don Beagell,
Pete Cordes, Carl Nagel, Joe
Donahue and Dave Kneisal all
making regular stops. Along
with the locals such as Bill
Salamacha, Moose Cary, Larry
Nye ect. - it was a melting pot
of stock car racing and you got
a real sense of the difference
in the cars a styles from across
the state. Simply put it was
wonderful stuff for a young
boy who was crazy about the
speed and roar of a V8 engine,
ask anyone who was there and
they'll tell you the same.
The Otsego County Fair is one
of the nicest you'll find in the
state. A true 'County Fair' with
craft and quilt displays, a nice
midway with plenty of rides
and games, livestock, pigs, old
farm tractors, pretty much
everything on display from
country living. My mother is
talking with people she knows
from Edmeston, admission is
free on this Tuesday and she
relates to one father "I think
all of Edmeston is here." "They
are" he responds. "Well, it's
free night." He's quick on that
one, "It hasn't been free for
me, I've spent a small fortune."
Off we go to turn one and the
Midstate Antique Stock Car
Club display. John Mason is
in charge this year but has
had a lot of help from Mike
Newell once again and the
display is nicely arranged. JIm
Florence's #67, an original
Ray Kennedy mount that won
more than it's share at the
track is first up. Mel Ogden's
#65 Brooks-Bar-B-Que Spl.
driven by Jimmy Mott is on
display. Dad's Mouseville
Monster is mainstay at this
show. Inside the barn John
has a tribute to Joe and Grace
Donahue set up with the Tc9,
both Donahues have recently
departed us and he felt it
would be right to feature the
car Joe won his last track
championship with 40 years
ago - he's right and it was a
fitting tribute to the man.
Across the aisle is Bun
Hinman's #5 bug, the 1970
championship car that was a
bit controversial. Jim Chase
has his Larry Nye 150 on
display. MIke Newell's Pink
Panther and 40, both driven
by Chuck Akulis, have also
made the show. Dad's P-13 is
on line for the parade,
probably never made a slower
lap, especially with Tommy
Wilson at the wheel. John
Clark has the Al Turner #10
Latemodel, a '56 Ford on
display and running nicely.
Lastly, Mike Newell's #197
Chevy is on hand too, still
with the baling twine for the
fan belt, tough stuff. Really a
nice display that covers the
early 50's through the
flathead era and on into the
sportsman and late models
that adorned the track. The
parade is on now and my flash
can barely keep up, the crowd
actually cheered for the stock
cars more than any others and
it was great just to see them
on the track again. They even
looked fast at points. With the
show over it's off to get some
fried dough and head for the
hills again.
Thanks Mom, it was a great
date. And now I'll let the
pictures do the talking. Next
date at Midstate is September
8th for the CNY HOF event -
I'll work up a press release in
the next week or so, a good
time is a certainty at this
event so make plans to attend
now.
"Come up and take me to the
fair." OK mom, it's a date. A
sense of excitement always
accompanies me whenever I
happen to be headed to the
fairgrounds in Morris, NY,
after all, it's where Midstate
Speedway is located.
Memories of many youthful
days wash over me as I drive
along, thoughts of Moose's 88,
Willie Wust, the brightly
colored cars roaring around
the oval in the dust, the place
where I, like many, fell in love
with stock car racing. It was an
event to look forward to every
week - would Jerry Townley
show up with the 32 this
week? Would Joe Donahue
clean house? How would our
car do, hopefully well. So
many questions, can't wait to
get the answers.
The track has now been
reverted to horse use only, the
turns are less banked and
even narrower than before.
Park benches adorn turns one
and two, the backstretch has
fencing along the infield. The
lighting, which was barely
adequate in it's day, has fallen
into disrepair on the
backstretch. Yet, it's still the
same track, the grandstand,
one of the prettiest in the
state, still stands proudly. The
ghosts of modified coupes and
sedans still roar into turn one,
pitching sideways with a
roostertail of dust trailing
them..
There is a romanticism about
the place for me. It wasn't the
best track, long
straights, sharp, flat corners.
Typical fairgrounds track set
up for horses and converted
for stocks yet some of the best
racers in the state came to try
their luck on a Sunday
afternoon. Fonda standouts
Ken Shoemaker, Harry Peek,
Jack Johnson, Don Wayman,
Mert 'Socks' Hulbert and Irv
Taylor all raced there. From
Lebanon Valley Tommy
Corellis, Butch Jelly, and
Harold Montayne made usual
trips. Five Mile Point was
always well represented with
Chuck Akulis, Don Beagell,
Pete Cordes, Carl Nagel, Joe
Donahue and Dave Kneisal all
making regular stops. Along
with the locals such as Bill
Salamacha, Moose Cary, Larry
Nye ect. - it was a melting pot
of stock car racing and you got
a real sense of the difference
in the cars a styles from across
the state. Simply put it was
wonderful stuff for a young
boy who was crazy about the
speed and roar of a V8 engine,
ask anyone who was there and
they'll tell you the same.
The Otsego County Fair is one
of the nicest you'll find in the
state. A true 'County Fair' with
craft and quilt displays, a nice
midway with plenty of rides
and games, livestock, pigs, old
farm tractors, pretty much
everything on display from
country living. My mother is
talking with people she knows
from Edmeston, admission is
free on this Tuesday and she
relates to one father "I think
all of Edmeston is here." "They
are" he responds. "Well, it's
free night." He's quick on that
one, "It hasn't been free for
me, I've spent a small fortune."
Off we go to turn one and the
Midstate Antique Stock Car
Club display. John Mason is
in charge this year but has
had a lot of help from Mike
Newell once again and the
display is nicely arranged. JIm
Florence's #67, an original
Ray Kennedy mount that won
more than it's share at the
track is first up. Mel Ogden's
#65 Brooks-Bar-B-Que Spl.
driven by Jimmy Mott is on
display. Dad's Mouseville
Monster is mainstay at this
show. Inside the barn John
has a tribute to Joe and Grace
Donahue set up with the Tc9,
both Donahues have recently
departed us and he felt it
would be right to feature the
car Joe won his last track
championship with 40 years
ago - he's right and it was a
fitting tribute to the man.
Across the aisle is Bun
Hinman's #5 bug, the 1970
championship car that was a
bit controversial. Jim Chase
has his Larry Nye 150 on
display. MIke Newell's Pink
Panther and 40, both driven
by Chuck Akulis, have also
made the show. Dad's P-13 is
on line for the parade,
probably never made a slower
lap, especially with Tommy
Wilson at the wheel. John
Clark has the Al Turner #10
Latemodel, a '56 Ford on
display and running nicely.
Lastly, Mike Newell's #197
Chevy is on hand too, still
with the baling twine for the
fan belt, tough stuff. Really a
nice display that covers the
early 50's through the
flathead era and on into the
sportsman and late models
that adorned the track. The
parade is on now and my flash
can barely keep up, the crowd
actually cheered for the stock
cars more than any others and
it was great just to see them
on the track again. They even
looked fast at points. With the
show over it's off to get some
fried dough and head for the
hills again.
Thanks Mom, it was a great
date. And now I'll let the
pictures do the talking. Next
date at Midstate is September
8th for the CNY HOF event -
I'll work up a press release in
the next week or so, a good
time is a certainty at this
event so make plans to attend
now.
