Tioga County Fair
7/7/07
A bright sunny day greeted us
this past Saturday as we
prepped for a short trip to
Owego to display our antique
racers for the fair crowd. Just
a short trip down the road
from the former Shangri-La,
the Tioga County Fairgrounds
has the typical county
horsetrack, 1/2 mile dirt,
narrow as a ribbon and paper
clipped in shape. You wonder
how anything but horses could
ever have raced there but race
there they did, in the 30's the
Southern Tier Racing club
held at least one event there
for the sprinters and member
Alan Tatich has the proof.
Even our Midstate club held
one event there in the 80's as
well, it was another hot day
just like this one but the only
driving we're doing today is
from the trailer to the display
area. That's if we can ever get
out of Campville. Alan has
parked his George Latell
sprinter in front of my house
and has some interested
lookers in former Shangri-La
promoter Dale Campfield as
well as a former friend of
George Latell. It takes us a
while to get going. Once there
member Jim Florence is all set
up and directs us to our spot -
right next to the tigers. What
beautiful animals. One of the
workers immediately comes
over, notices the quickchanges
and asks if we race them. Well,
not these, but our others we
do, and then waxes on about
his trips to Reading, PA and
what a shame it's a shopping
mall now. We have a nice
lineup on hand, Alan's Latell
Sprinter is a wonderful time
capsule and he has a beautiful
display of old sprint car
pictures from Campville, Tioga
Cty. Fairgrounds and
Shangri-La on hand. Jim
Florence's #67 Ray Kennedy
car shines in the sun. Dad has
brought along the Flying 90 of
Cliff Kotary for me, and that
$8 engine sonds pretty darn
good. I've gotten the bird doo
off of the #24 Don Elliot coupe
and Howdy and Larry Witter
have brought their GMC
powered #4 along as well.
Really a nice display that
covers sprints from the 30's,
flathead jalopies, flathead and
GMC modifieds as well. We
have many onlookers through
the day taking in the scene
and the tigers keep a close eye
on us as well. Another worker
offers to let me 'play' with
them if I let him take the 24
out for a spin, I beg off. I'd like
to pet that kitty but as to how
they like to 'play', and she
looked kinda hungry too.. We
took in the sights of tohe
county fair, Clydsedales,
Belgians, clove hoofed pigs,
bulls, fried dough, speedies
and a tractor pull. Very
relaxing day as we bench
raced and told stories of our
traveling adventures to and
from races, Alan and Richard
Tatich have as many as my
father and I as we tried to one
up each other. After the tiger
show we fired them up to head
home and cool off, that $8
motor drew as many looks as
the tigers I'll bet, great day
and looking forward to many
more like it.
7/7/07
A bright sunny day greeted us
this past Saturday as we
prepped for a short trip to
Owego to display our antique
racers for the fair crowd. Just
a short trip down the road
from the former Shangri-La,
the Tioga County Fairgrounds
has the typical county
horsetrack, 1/2 mile dirt,
narrow as a ribbon and paper
clipped in shape. You wonder
how anything but horses could
ever have raced there but race
there they did, in the 30's the
Southern Tier Racing club
held at least one event there
for the sprinters and member
Alan Tatich has the proof.
Even our Midstate club held
one event there in the 80's as
well, it was another hot day
just like this one but the only
driving we're doing today is
from the trailer to the display
area. That's if we can ever get
out of Campville. Alan has
parked his George Latell
sprinter in front of my house
and has some interested
lookers in former Shangri-La
promoter Dale Campfield as
well as a former friend of
George Latell. It takes us a
while to get going. Once there
member Jim Florence is all set
up and directs us to our spot -
right next to the tigers. What
beautiful animals. One of the
workers immediately comes
over, notices the quickchanges
and asks if we race them. Well,
not these, but our others we
do, and then waxes on about
his trips to Reading, PA and
what a shame it's a shopping
mall now. We have a nice
lineup on hand, Alan's Latell
Sprinter is a wonderful time
capsule and he has a beautiful
display of old sprint car
pictures from Campville, Tioga
Cty. Fairgrounds and
Shangri-La on hand. Jim
Florence's #67 Ray Kennedy
car shines in the sun. Dad has
brought along the Flying 90 of
Cliff Kotary for me, and that
$8 engine sonds pretty darn
good. I've gotten the bird doo
off of the #24 Don Elliot coupe
and Howdy and Larry Witter
have brought their GMC
powered #4 along as well.
Really a nice display that
covers sprints from the 30's,
flathead jalopies, flathead and
GMC modifieds as well. We
have many onlookers through
the day taking in the scene
and the tigers keep a close eye
on us as well. Another worker
offers to let me 'play' with
them if I let him take the 24
out for a spin, I beg off. I'd like
to pet that kitty but as to how
they like to 'play', and she
looked kinda hungry too.. We
took in the sights of tohe
county fair, Clydsedales,
Belgians, clove hoofed pigs,
bulls, fried dough, speedies
and a tractor pull. Very
relaxing day as we bench
raced and told stories of our
traveling adventures to and
from races, Alan and Richard
Tatich have as many as my
father and I as we tried to one
up each other. After the tiger
show we fired them up to head
home and cool off, that $8
motor drew as many looks as
the tigers I'll bet, great day
and looking forward to many
more like it.
