POST WAR RACING

World War Two was over. 400,000 American Men and Women gave their lives to win freedom and liberty for most of the world’s population. They should never be forgotten as long as the United States of America exists. (Please visit The National World War Two Museum Website to understand what Our Nation endured from 1941-1945.) If you’re my age or a little older, you remember stories your fathers and grandfathers told. If not, I urge you to make yourself familiar with this most important part of Our Nation’s history.

With the return of peace came a renewed interest in pastimes enjoyed before 12/7/41. For race fans, Victory meant the return of auto racing! But it was different than it was prior to the war.

The American Racing Drivers Club had attempted (and, just maybe, succeeded!) to run their inaugural race on the little clay oval in the infield in ‘42. In 1946, there was nothing to prevent them from doing just that! Midget racing was all the rage. Now the 1/5-mile track was paved, and drivers from far and wide thrilled thousands of excited spectators every Wednesday night at "Victory Speedway." The Orange County Fairgrounds was not alone in this endeavor. There were dozens—DOZENS– of midget racing tracks in the tri-state area! Drivers and diehard fans could, if they had the time, attend eight races a week! More on midget racing in future installments.

Promoters at the Fairgrounds were making plans for a two-day "spectacular" in Orange County in 1947. This would be a two-track event. The "Big Cars," as they were now called, would run the Orange County Fairgrounds half-mile on Saturday and the Goshen mile on Sunday.

America had racing fever. All across the nation, midget racers were thrilling crowds. They even made it to the big screen in films such as "The Big Wheel," starring Mickey Rooney and "Buck Privates Come Home" with Abbott and Costello. The Bowery Boys starred in a movie about "Jalopy Racing." Locally, tracks were popping up all over the region. There were dirt ovals in Dover, Parsippany, and Morristown, New Jersey. There were half a dozen tracks in Orange and Rockland Counties, and beyond.

The time was right for a brand new class of race car. During the war, it was impossible to purchase a new car. Detroit was, from 1941—1945, the "Arsenal of Democracy," building tanks, planes, and every type of weapon needed to defeat our enemies. Polls were taken during the war, asking people what they wanted to buy first when the war was over. The overwhelming response was A NEW CAR. It was a wonderful time to be a car salesman! As a result of all the new cars hitting the streets, the market was awash in used cars. And they were cheap. For what was to come, they were PERFECT!!!

Auto racing in the late 1940’s was no less popular than NASCAR racing is today. The difference between the two eras is simply one of communication and participation. In the immediate postwar era, only baseball and a few football games were televised. If you wanted to see a midget race, you had to go to a midget race. And fans went. Sometimes they went to more than one race a week. For a while, spectators could see eight midget races a week. There was a race every night, and two on Sundays. All you needed was a new car, and the money to fill it with gas. And money was fairly plentiful. Postwar employment was high, salaries and wages were competitive, and people were spending the money they had saved during the war.

Building or buying a midget racer was something else, however. With the exception of the "Big Cars" (Indianapolis—type roadsters), they were the most technologically advanced, and expensive, racers around. Some cost as much as $5,000.00. That was beyond the budget of most young men who wanted to compete behind the wheel.

Somewhere in a barn or a garage, a young tinkerer stripped the fenders off his coupe, removed the glass, and souped up the engine. This was the first "Stock Car." In time, hundreds of these cars were hitting the dirt tracks. Savvy promoters saw this trend and, in time, Stock Cars had their own shows when the midgets weren’t running.

In Orange County, New York, a gentleman named Russ Carpenter, who promoted the midget races at "Victory Speedway," decided to stage a "Stock Car" race. It would be held on Saturday, September 18, 1948 in the afternoon.

Middletown Times Herald Thursday August 14, 1947

Middletown Times Herald Thursday August 14, 1947

Before there was an Eastern States, before there was Super Dirt Week, there was the two-track spectacular in 1947. The participants were Indianapolis competitors. The crowds were huge.

The Goshen Mile ceased operation many years ago. People have told me that parts of the track still exist, but I could never find where the track was located, it’s still there.

Go to Google Maps, Type in "Goshen, NY" Switch to "Satellite View." Just to the southwest of town, between Greenwich Ave. and South St., there is a triangular shape. THAT’S THE TRACK. The body of water adjacent to the track is Finan’s Pond, source of the original clay for the Harry Clay Oval. Further investigation is called for, look for photos soon

Middletown Times Herald Saturday August 16, 1947

Middletown Times Herald Saturday August 18, 1947

Walt Brown, Tony Bettenhausen
Crowd at either Middletown or Goshen (caption doesn’t say)

In 1947 there were no tire rules