Clearview Speedway was never a track I paid much attention to. I was very active in researching tracks all over
Clearview's immediate vicinity and I was completely aware of its existence; but, I incorrectly assumed it was a rather brief flash - in
 - the - pan kind of track. This was not very accurate, as the Westerlo, NY - based venue had enjoyed a history  well before the earlier
1950's years that were all I knew anything about.
                    Westerlo is located very well, for the evelopment of interest in a race track back in the earlier years. It was south of Albany,
Schenectady, and Troy. It was also farther south of the important locations such as Fonda, Morris, and so forth - close enough to
affect and be affected by them. Coeymans Hollow, a locale for a number of earlier racing starts in New York was just to the
east.
                    The first news clippings that cover Clearview Speedway are from the middle 1930's. At that time, there were no stock cars;
the track ran open wheel racing such a "big cars" and midgets. 1935 to 1937 seem to be the main years for Clearview. The names
which appeared in the articles were largely not household names. The great Lee Wallard, an Altamont, NY native who won an
Indiannapolis 500 did race there at least once. Jerri Burke and Ted Reno seemed to be two of the more consistent runners there
in the mid '30's.
                           For reasons which almost certainly included World War II, the track seemed to fade out in the late 1930's and did not resurface
until 1950, when the roadsters, hot rods, and stock cars were beginning to burst into existence all over that region. The immediate
 region had such venues as the Altamont fairgrounds, Burden Lake Speedway, and Empire Raceway - to name a few. Particularly at
Burden Lake, the roadsters and hot rods were the preemminent form of non open wheel race car for this region and the era. Clearview
would feature all of these types, much like Burden Lake - and like tracks such as the short - lived Champlain Speedway,
Ticonderoga; McGregor Speedway, Wilton; and even as far north as the Warrensburg Speedway, Warrensburg.
                        The stock car era at Clearview Speedway had a great chance of success because of the big availability of racers in the area in
which it was located. Just in the immediate town, the large - ranging Fred Searing racing group out of Oak Hill and East Westerlo
would produce not only Searing, but also Johnny Flach, Mert Hulbert, Louie Searing, Stan Wetmore, and a long line of others.
The track started out in 1950 advertising it was running stricly stock cars. It weathered out the 1950 Sunday Blue Laws ban,
along with venues like Empire Raceway, McGregor Speedway, Carroll's Grove, and others. Soon - to - be - familiar names such as Don
Wayman, Howie Westervelt, Scooch Schoonmaker, and Chuck Irving would appear. The track continued to improve and attract more
familiar names in 1951 and 1952. Empire promoters Ruopp and Thompson became involved and the track had a number of big
names.

Historic Aerials.com
Clearview Speedway, in 1952.
1953 was a critical year for Clearview and a number of other tracks. Fonda Speedway and Lebanon Valley Speedway - both
starting in 1953 - would eventually have a deletrious effect om several; tracks, siphoning off the bigger names. After 1953, there
are no more news articles about Clearview. Most of its best runners became Lebanon Valley regulars. But, when in
operation, Clearview Speedway certainly played a key role in developing stock car racing in New York.

1930's

Albany Evening News


Albany Times Union
August 26, 1935
Seems to be the race they
ran there in '35.



Troy Times Record
August 26, 1935
Seems to be the race they
ran there in '35.


Troy Times Record
October 7, 1935
This accident got more ink
than anything else at the
track that year.
Part 1

Troy Times Record
October 7, 1935
This accident got more ink
than anything else at the
track that year.
Part 2

Troy Times Record
October 7, 1935
This accident got more ink
than anything else at the
track that year.
Part 3

Berkshire Eagle
May 14, 1936
First program in 1936 was happening earlier.





Ossining Citizen
May 15, 1936
Seems to be the race they
Ossining paper covers their
local driver.


Albany Times Union
July 12, 1936
Another race in 1936.


Knickerbocker News
July 13, 1936
Chuck Reynolds pulls one off.


Albany Times Union
July 13, 1936
A different, briefer article.

Cohoes American
July 13, 1936
Another article.

Knickerbocker Press
August 31, 1936
Another Reynolds Win.
Part 1


Knickerbocker Press
August 31, 1936
Another Reynolds Win.
Manchester, VT fairgrounds
mentioned.
Part 2

Albany Evening News
September 12, 1936
More races are planned.



Troy Times Record
September 17, 1936
The women get into the act.
Click on Photo to Enlarge


Knickerbocker News
September 26, 1936
Last reported race of that year.


Glens Falls Post Star
September 28, 1936
Driver injured.

Knickerbocker Press
April 27, 1937
Getting started earlier in '37.


Knickerbocker Press
May 17, 1937
Excitement expected at
 May program.



Knickerbocker Press
May 17, 1937
Gardner wins in May.

Albany Evening News
June 26, 1937
This suggests the track is
operating, but I can't find
any article from this time.


Cohoes American
August 31, 1937
Late August races seem to
be a thing there.


Troy Times Record
September 27, 1937
The great Lee Wallard ran
in this program.


Troy Times Record
October 8, 1937
For the track title. I didn't
find any more 1930's articles after
 this one.

1950's

From Joe Grossetti
1950

Coeymans News Herald
May 3, 1950
Plans to be race track.

Although it sounds like
a new construction, it
doesn't seem likely because the address sounds similar.



Coeymans News Herald
June 2, 1950
Sounds like the inaugural show.

Greene County Examiner Record
June 8, 1950
Westervelt, Montayne, and Gallup among the names. Also Art Spore and Jimmy Cox. Almost certainly, Cox
and Westervelt had roadsters.


Alatamont Enterprise
June 9, 1950
This accident got more ink
than anything else at the
track that year.

Greene County Examiner Recorder
June 15, 1950
Stan Bomba wins the show.
 
Coeymans News Herald
June 16, 1950
Same show, different focus.
 
Greene County Examiner Recorder
June 22, 1950
Sorry, the article cut off without mention of the winner.

 
Coeymans News Herald
June 23, 1950
Al Bleau wins as the
track plans on building
grandstands.
 
Coeymans News Herald
June 30, 1950
Dick Welsh wins.
 
Greene County Examiner Recorder
July 6, 1950
Eight big races !
 

Greene County Examiner Recorder
July 6, 1950
Checkers to local boy Alan
"Schooch" Schoonmaker.

 

Coeymans News Herald
July 7, 1950
Schoonmaker's home paper
is still more interested in
wrecks.
 

Greene County Examiner Recorder
July 20, 1950
Roberts, Garrison, Ondreak, Schoonmaker ! But Carelas wins.

 
Coeymans News Herald
July 21, 1950
As usual, wait another day to hear from the town paper closest to the track.
 

Greene County Examiner Recorder
July 26, 1950
Del Moak - usually driver of the "Deep 6" roadster - wins in a local car.
 
Coeymans News Herald
August 4, 1950
Morton Tryon, from
narby Ravena wins.
 
Coeymans News Herald
August 11, 1950
The local paper gets to brag on
their hometown boy.


Greene County Examiner Recorder
August 17, 1950
Carelas continues to be strong.



Coeymans News Herald
August 17, 1950
The local paper puts it own
slant on the same race, a day
later as usual.

Catskill Mountain News
August 25, 1950
Another local paper weighs in
on the Berman accident.

Altamont Enterprise
October 6, 1950
Laverne Irving winner.


The Saratogian
October 7, 1950
The Blue Laws racing ban
rears its ugly head.

Troy  Record
October 10, 1950
More about the racing ban attempt.

Greene County Examiner Recorder
October 12, 1950
Catskill drivers get some love.


Troy Times Record
October 21, 1950
Amidst the ban, the track goes for it.


Troy Times Record
October 21, 1950
The track had gotten an OK from the village before the races that day. That put a wrench in the works for the police.
 
Troy Times Record
October 24, 1950
Bobby Day, a neighbor of Schoonmaker, wins.
 


Albany Times Union
October 25, 1950
More discussion of the ban.
It is kind of small to read. I
couldn't help that.
 
The Saratogian
October 27, 1950
The Blue Laws racing ban
rears its ugly head. Clearview
defies the ban, along with
other tracks.
1951
 
Knickerbocker News
March  22, 1951
Track forms a "corporation"
partly due to stock car
ban concerns.

 
Altamont Enterprise
April 20, 1951
Louis Irving, another
Coeymans driver wins.
Brother to Laverne or Chuck ?
 
 
Knickerbocker News
May 4, 1951
Track opening delayed due
to fresh application of oil.
Can you imagine doing this in 2023 ?
 
Albany Times Union
May 4, 1951
Track ready to start in one week.
 


Troy Times Record
May 15, 1951
Track participates in protest
about ban inconsistencies.

 

Knickerbocker News
May 15, 1951
Troopers criticized at the
meeting.
 
Troy Times Record
May 19, 1951
Track to treat sailors to races.
 
Coeymans News Herald
May 25, 1951
After the ban begins to die down, Bobby Day wins one.
Troy Times Record
May 31, 1951
Track graduates mentioned in aarticle about a bigger league race.
 
 
Knickerbocker News
June 23, 1951
The great Huck Spaulding
performs at Clearview.

 
Coeymans News Herald
June 29, 1951
Midseason  Ad.

Knickerbocker News
July 5, 1951
 Coxsackie's Bob Salibury wins. Did they have a female running in with
the men ?

Coeymans News Herald
July 6, 1951
The local paper had much more
on the program, always a day
later.


Coeymans News Herald
July 20, 1951
Lewis {Louis ?] Irving wins.

Knickerbocker News
August 4, 1951
 Bill Muller, frequently mentioned as a  star at the track, is the winner .


Coeymans News Herald
August 10, 1951
The local paper had much more
on this program - it's Muller
again.

 
Knickerbocker News
August 28, 1951
 It's that danged  Muller feller agin !
 
Knickerbocker News
September  8, 1951
 Milt Lounsbury gets in on a rare Clearview photo op .
 
Knickerbocker News
 1951
 Chuck Irving of the racing Irvings, is the winner here - date undetermined.
 
Knickerbocker News
October 1, 1951
 Bobby Day is the winner .
 
Knickerbocker News
October 8, 1951
 Rocky Rockefeller is the winner .
Uncle Nelson must have been proud.
 
Knickerbocker News
A banquet photo. Click on
it - it's a thimbnail and will
enlarge.
 
Knickerbocker News
November 9, 1951
 The banquet article.

       
1952

Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
March 22, 1952
Clearview getting good news.
 

 
  
Newspaper Unknown
Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
April 2, 1952
 Informal practice.

 
Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
1952
Clearview ticket.
 
 
Coeymans News Herald
April, 1951
Preseason business to attend to.

 
Coeymans News Herald
April 11, 1951
The local paper says racing soon.
 
 
Knickerbocker News
April 16, 1951
 Still hopeful it will get started.
The track made a legal precedent.
 

Knickerbocker News
April 16, 1951
 Still hoping. Probably the weather was playing a part in this delay.
 
 

 
Knickerbocker News
May 5, 1952
Chuck Irving opens the season with a victory.
 
 
Knickerbocker News
May 10, 1952
A 25 lapper was apparently a
bigger deal in 1952.
 

Knickerbocker News
May 15, 1952
Chuck Irving wins what
must have been the 50 lapper.
 

Coeymans News Herald
May 16, 1952
Getting a jump on next week's program 1952.
 

Knickerbocker News
May 17, 1952
Article on next race.
 


Knickerbocker News
May 19, 1952
Lou Harmsen, a winner in 1952.
 

Coeymans News Herald
May 23, 1952
Trouble in paradise.
 
 
Coeymans News Herald
June 6, 1952
H. Westervelt the big winner.

 
 
Albany Times Union
June 10, 1952
Addition to the program in 1952.
 

Coeymans News Herald
June 13, 1952
More promo events in 1952.
This is a thumbnail,
click on it.
 
 
Altamont Enterprise
June 13, 1952
 More on the same program.
 

Coeymans News Herald
June 27, 1952
More promo events in 1952.
 
 

 
Altamont Enterprise
Juny 4, 1952
Fireworks, not surprisingly.
 
 
Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
July 13, 1952
Sonny Hamilton the winner.
 

 
Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
July 13, 1952
Al Woemuth the winner.
 
 
Altamont Enterprise
July 25, 1952
Bobby Day the winner.
 
 
Knickerbocker News
August 9, 1952
Bill Pherrin the winner. 
 
Knickerbocker News
August 11, 1952
Chuck Irving the winner. 
 
Coeymans News Herald
August 15, 1952
Local track coverage. 
 
Knickerbocker News
August 16, 1952
Points battle. 

 
Greene County Examiner Recorder
August 25, 1952
Berman injury. 
 
Knickerbocker News
August 25, 1952
Westervelt the winner
in the program in which Berman
 was hurt.
 
 
AlLtamont Enterprise
September 5, 1952
Race program planned. 
 
Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
September 13, 1952
Added features. 

 
Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
October 5, 1952
TRAC group back in charge. 
1953 

Coeymans News Herald
April 10, 1953
Another season anticipated.
  


Knickerbocker News
April 19, 1953
April opening for 1953.
 

 

Albany Times Union
April 20, 1953
Informal program.
  

Coeymans News Herald
April 24, 1953
Still hope amnong the April showers.
  

Albany Times Union
May 4, 1953
More programs delayed.
 


Albany Times Union
May 25,, 1953
Well, Howie ya finally got to race !
 

Albany Times Union
June 13, 1953
Another future Wright/Zautner driver succeeds Westervelt as winner.
 

Knickerbocker News
June 22, 1953
An apparent Sharon Raceway regular wins one.

 
Altamont Enterprise
June 26, 1953
Altamont paper touts local driver.
 
Coeymans News Herald
July 3, 1953
Ad for inevitable fireworks on the 4th.
 
Knickerbocker News
July 11, 1953
A 50 lapper was a huge, grueling test in 1953. [Especially for those cars]
 

 
Knickerbocker News
July 13, 1953
Apparently Sunny was the 1953
summer champion.
 

Altamont Enterprise
July 17, 1953
An attempt by the Altamont paper
to drum up interest.
 

 

Altamont Enterprise
July 17, 1953
A win by LaVerne Irving. This  is a
thumbnail, so click on it.
 
 
 
Altamont Enterprise
July 23, 1953
Sunny wins again.
 

 
Knickerbocker News
July 29, 1953
Murphy wins last one in July.
Apparently, racing stopped after July. I should have said that Harold Murphy won the last one - ever. 
 

SOME CLEARVIEW SPEEDWAY PHOTOS

Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
A 1953 race lineup.


Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
Huck Spaulding, with
a typical NY roadster during
the earliest days of the
1950's races.


Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
A typical NY roadster from this era. Unidentified driver.

Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
An unidentified driver
with a standard stock car
59 at Clearview, said to be
1950.

Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
An unidentified driver
with a standard stock car
09 at Clearview, said to be
1950

Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
An unidentified driver
with a standard stock car
613 at Clearview, said to be
1950. That's quite the
helmet, fella !


Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
An unidentified driver
with a sharp stock car 88
at Clearview, said to be
1950.

Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
An unidentified driver
with the ? mark stock car
at Clearview, said to be
1950.

Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
Most of the cars seen in these photos in an early lineup.

Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
An unidentified driver
with a standard stock car
30 at Clearview, said to be
1950. Well protected
radiator.


Spaulding Collection
via Tom Spaulding
An unidentified driver
with a standard stock car
77 at Clearview, said to be
1950.

via Joe Grossetti
A man who is probably an official in 1950.
.
via Joe Grossetti
Roadsters - probably in 1950.

via Joe Grossetti
Howie Westervelt [8] and
other roadsters - probably in 1950.

via Joe Grossetti
I recognize that car 88 in this lineup. It is likely later than
1950.


From Roger Ginder
via Joe Grossetti
1952 entries in an early lineup.

via Joe Dinovo
The McDermott car, with a really young driver :)

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