IT'S A WONDER ANYBODY LIVED THROUGH IT !!!

      We tend to think of the earliest stock cars as masterpieces of unsafe technology; but, compared the to mayhem that came before them, early stock cars were like the last word in safety. The roadster stock car of the late '40's and early '50's was, indeed, not a race car for the faint of heart; but the jalopies that came before them - often even in pre - WWII times - were much worse.

      At tracks like New York's Canajoharie cinder track, Rudd's Beach in Colonie, and at some of the other tracks that operated before more conventional stock car tracks began - the cars they raced scarcely deserved to be called cars. Most of the time, these jalopies in New York, mud buggies from the area around Portsmouth, NH., and what were called "doodlebugs" in other areas were often nothing more than a Model A Ford with almost the entire body removed, save a seat of sorts, maybe a bit of the dashboard, and something like a barn silo hoop welded on above the damned fool driving thing mostly to look good.

    Drivers of these early deathtraps seldom wore a helmet, and might not have even had a seat belt. They simply had to ear eye protection or they couldn't see to drive at all. Even later, when the roadsters became a little more sophisticated at venues like Burden Lake Speedway near West Sand Lake, NY - you might see a driver like Del Moak driving his car "Deep 6" wearing no helmet and only sun glasses.

    Below is most of what I have on the pre - roadster "cars" and then some of the roadsters as have been shown on some of my other pages on the site. Look at them and marvel at how brave [or stupid] some of these guys were.

A FEW NEW ENGLAND MUD BUGGIES

Courtesy of Lew Boyd via Scott Haskell
The Dover, NH track - well into its development after the mud buggy era.

Courtesy of Joe Batal via Tim Drake Mud buggy driver Albert "Bye Bye" Mcglone - probably at Dover, NH's Granite State Speedway.	Courtesy of Joe Batal via Tim Drake The helmet of mud buggy driver Albert "Bye Bye" Mcglone .	Courtesy of Lew Boyd via Scott Haskell Future race promoter extraordinaire Charlie Elliott wrestles this New England mud buggy around a track like maybe Portsmouth. NH around 1940.	Courtesy of Joe Baril 1940's mid buggy action said to be at Dover, NH.
	Courtesy of Marty Harty via  Lew Boyd Al Canney mud buggy wreck at either Newmarket, NH or Sanford, ME.

SIMILAR CARS AND TIME PERIOD AT SATAN'S BOWL O' DEATH
Jamestown, NY

Courtesy of Speedway and Road Race History.com
Aerial view of Satan's Bowl O' Death

Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture - Source Unknown These very similar cars to a mud buggy trying to hurt themselves at the aptly named Satan's Bowl O' Death near Jamestown, NY around 1940.	Source Unknown This appears to be either a ticket or a free pass .	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society Cars fly by some spectators who could probably stand to be farther away.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society I have this photo labeled as "Dumbasses cross the track".
Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society This one identifies the time as 1939.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society Hold on for dear life and punch the gas.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society In hot pursuit.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society According to my caption, this is the flagger.
Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society More action.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society And away they go - back up the hill.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society Some spectators are definitely too close here.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society Cars get the green.
Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society Cars start up one of the hills on the very offbeat course .	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society A pit area of sorts.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society It looks like they are runnning out to a wreck on the "track: ".	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society Some sort of an amusement car.
Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society This one takes to the air.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society More action.	Courtesy of Fenton, NY Hist. Society More action in the lower portion of the course.	Source Unknown More color footage.
Source Unknown Spectators close to the action.	Source Unknown More color footage; here the action is close.	Source Unknown More close color action.	Source Unknown Caption says it all.
Source Unknown Here comes the thundering herd !	Source Unknown Looks like a pit pass.	Source Unknown Caption says it all.	Source Unknown Heading for the gold
Source Unknown Some sort of old graphic.	Courtesy of Lloyd Moore Caption says it all.	Courtesy of Speedway and Road Race History Aerial view.	Source Unknown Girl posing in a roadster - like car.

SIMILAR CARS AND TIME PERIOD SAID TO BE AT THE WILLETTS SPEEDWAY
Perth, NY

Courtesy of Dirt Track Digest
One of the tracks in that series that centered around Perth, NY. Not sure which. Said to be Willetts.

If you entertain printing any of these 8MM captures, they do best at 256 pixels width or less.

Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Willetts Speedway near Perth, NY around 1946. This is thought to be well - known early driver Bill Blair.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 approaches the turn setting up a broadslide.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 corrects, as he hits the turn.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp A very minimal Car approaches the turn.
Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 inside of the orange car 2.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 has burst out of the second row after the green was displayed.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp A boy leans out in the foreground as the flagger gets ready to throw the green.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Most of these cars had almost no body.
Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Three cars under a blanket.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Bill Blair, at speed.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 jumps the birm.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 at speed.
Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp They obviously did not go overboard with water or calcium chloride.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Drag race down the front chute.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 on the inside was the fastest here.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp This shows how little protection the drivers had.
	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Car 11 again.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of Brendon Gibbons via Scott Belknnp Orange car 2 in the foreground.

SIMILAR CARS AND TIME PERIOD FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Historic Aerials.com
The Fairmont Raceway / Fairmont Speedway site - a few years after closing.

Source Unknown - Maybe Dan Ody Early jalopy cars at a track said to be Rudd's Beach, Colonie, NY.	Getty Images 1940's type jalopies on what looks to be a fairly sophisticated track.	Courtesy of Bob Bearer  via Bob Sharp This is said to be Fairmont Raceway, Fair Haven, VT. I am guessing it was a sort of trial show put on there around 1940 by owner Hugh Young.	Reg Houghwot Photo The very little - known track at Leon, NY. These are more like roadsters - more advanced than the crates to the left.
Courtesy of Bob Miller In the same general region as Satan's Bowl O' Death.	Courtesy of The Bullfather These jalopies are on a hilly course similar to Satan's Bowl O' Death or Ups and Downs Speedway.	Courtesy of Bob Miller The term jalopies  seems to be a 1940's thing, but newspapers of the time disagreed on the spelling.	Courtesy of Dan Ody NY location; can't tell you more.

STARTING TO EVOLVE INTO SOMEWHAT MORE SOPHISTICATED ROADSTER CARS

Seneca Falls Speedway / Hemlock Speedway

Courtesy of Half Fast Video
A possible aerial of the Seneca Falls location.

Source Unknown New Seneca Falls Speedway near the town of Seneca Falls [apparently] had roadster - looking cars.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of David Delange A 1940 Ford sporting a bumper sign publicizing the track. Not exacting flooding social media.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of David Delange A 1940's car sporting a paper sign publicizing the track. Not exacting flooding social media.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of David Delange A crowd stands around the winning roadster said to be driven by famed NY driver Ken Meahl.
Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of David Delange A field approaches the flagger's position.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of David Delange Roadsters line up on the track.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of David Delange A roadster thought to be that of Ken Meahl is prepared for action.	Old 8 MM Movie  Frame Capture -Courtesy of David Delange A shot of winner Ken Meahl with fans in Victory Lane. Note the Lockport, NY shirt.
Courtesy of Jay Mooney Bill Chick at Hemlock Speedway in New York.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Jerry Earl at speed at Hemlock Speedway in New York.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Action at Hemlock Speedway in Seneca Falls, New York.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Jerry Earl at Hemlock Speedway in New York.
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 1952 Article on Hemlock Speedway in New York. Not sure if roadsters had been replaced by then.	Courtesy of NYMRN  Hemlock  Speedway adv.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Adv. for Hemlock Speedway in New York. Obviously roadsters here.	Source Unknown  Early Hemlock Speedway, Seneca Falls, NY

Burden Lake Speedway
West Sand Lake, NY

Historic Aerials.com
A 1952 aerial view, while the track would be still operating.

Courtesy of Hackel Family Buzz Hackel flies checkers. He began a racing career when a guy who had hired him to build the car never showed up to claim it.	Courtesy of Ken Gypson The great NY driver Howie Westervelt in what might have been his first car.	Courtesy of Dan Ody Noted NY roadster driver Del Moak, with his early car, the Deep 6. Nice safety equipment, Del !	Courtesy of Ken Gypson Possibly Burden Lake's two most accomplished roadster drivers - Howie Westervelt and Buzz Hackel.
Courtesy of Dan Ody Roadsters on the Burden Lake backstretch.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Bob Hart, at speed.	Courtesy of Sam Barlow Del  Moak, with a later car. - the Cliff Wright/Zautner brothers entry [their first].	Courtesy of Dan Ody Roadster action at Burden Lake.
	Courtesy of Dan Ody A lineup ready to roll.	Source Unknown Winning roadster driver Irv Sewell.

Courtesy of Ken Gypson
Some of the Burden Lake roadster drivers. Hackel, Izzo, and Gowie are labeled.

McGregor Speedway
WIlton, NY

Historic Aerials.com
A 1964 aerial view, well after closure.

Courtesy of Tom Stover Someone's roadster at McGregor Speedway in Wilton, NY.

Courtesy of Gail Moses Remington Al Moses with a roadster the track at McGregor.

Courtesy of Gail Moses Remington Al Moses with a tipover in his roadster the track at McGregor.

Glens Falls Post Star McGregor ad at the time that roadsters may have run there.

Pine Bowl Speedway
Snyder's Corners, NY

Historic Aerials.com
A 2000 aerial view, with the track still quite visible but hard to access on the ground.

Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller A roadster lineup on the track at Pine Bowl. The first car looks like Howie Westervelt.

Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller A roadster overheats.

Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller A good lead for Howie Westervelt.

Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller Men rush to deal with a roadster as it overheats.

 
Dan Ody Collection
Courtesy of Bob Miller
A roadster finishes the race.

Champlain Speedway
Ticonderoga, NY

Courtesy of Half Fast Video
Amazing you can see its circular shape at all - it's been under water for decades.

Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker Pit parking.

Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker Leo Wells in Irv Rooker's 19.

Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker Lining up. Note there are some stock cars in the mix.

Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker Cars lining up. One of these is said to be Roland Swinton, brother of the track owner.

 
Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker
Owner/Promoter Elwin Swinton.

BOLTON'S LANDING, NY TRACKS
Tick Ridge Race Course [1947] / Trout Lake Raceway [1948]

Google.com
A view that shows the lake as all black. Very early track.

Glens Falls Post Star July 26 1947. Races planned. Ted Bruno was also a name at CHamplain Speedway; Hoopes was the biggest name mentioned.	Glens Falls Post Star August 4, 1947. Race result. Track just called Bolton.	Glens Falls Post Star August 9, 1947. 2nd race advertised. This has to be one of the earliest tracks of this type in NY.	Glens Falls Post Star August 12, 1947. Race result. Track called Tick Ridge this time.
Glens Falls Post Star August 22, 1947. Race advertisement. Track called Tick Ridge this time.	Glens Falls Post Star September 26, 1947. Race adv.	Glens Falls Post Star September, 1947. Driver hurt.	Glens Falls Post Star that A commerical adv. that brought in the track.
Glens Falls Post Star July 2, 1948. Now called Trout Lake Raceway. Track is improved.	Glens Falls Post Star July 10, 1948. Now called Trout Lake Raceway. Racing scheduled.	Glens Falls Post Star July, 1948. Now called Trout Lake Raceway. Adv.	Glens Falls Post Star July 26, 1948. Now called Trout Lake Raceway. Grand opening advertisement.
Glens Falls Post Star Aug. 14, 1948. Note the Warrensburg article as well. The tracks often shared cars.	Glens Falls Post Star July, 1948. Hoopes still dominant driver.	Glens Falls Post Star Oct, 1948 Hoopes wins last race [probably that the track ever had]. Part 1 Hoopes was probably Sam, and Pratt might have been the noted Art Pratt from Corinth.	Glens Falls Post Star Oct, 1948 Hoopes wins last race [probably that the track ever had]. Part 2. Bolton did not continue, but Champlain Spdwy opened up in 1949 in Ticonderoga.

The Speedways Related to Perth, NY and Nearby

Courtesy of Dirt Track Digest
One of the tracks in that series that centered around Perth, NY. Not sure which. Said to be Willetts. There were at least
three venues, including Hernigle's Farm, Fulton and Montgomery, and Perth. I don't know enought to tell which is which.

Courtesy of Sam Barlow Carl Walsh's roadster on the track at Perth.	Courtesy of The Starin Family Work goes on at what is likely to be the Bill Blair car.	Courtesy of Andy Fusco Roadsters on one of the Perth tracks in 1949.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney The future legend, Pete Corey [left] in Bob Whitbeck's roadster at Perth.
The Leader - Herald 1940's roadster action on the track at Perth.	Glens Falls Post Star  August 1950. This accident eventually spelled doom for NY roadster racing as the State invoked Sunday Blue Laws and shut down mostly roadster tracks.   Track then called Fulton - Montgomery.	Courtesy of The Starin Family A roadster is seen on the track around 1950.	Source Unknown Jeep Herbert and Pete Corey clown around in a roadster at the track. Both raced there, although Herbert only in a regular stock car coupe.

OTHER ASSORTED ROADSTER VENUES

Historic Aerials.com
Clearview Speedway, 2006 remains.

Courtesy of Joe Grossetti Action gets pretty tight in the fourth turn.	Courtesy of Joe Grossetti Roadsters fly along at Clearview in this nice early color shot. 8 is likely Howie Westervelt.	Courtesy of Edward B. Brown III  A roadster lineup thought to be a track in New York.	Courtesy of Chuck Pastor  Said to be a western NY track.
Courtesy of Jay Mooney Roadster driver Ernie Wright.	Source Unknown Roadsters belonging to Harold Garstang at the old cinder track in Fultonville, NY.	Adam Carter Collection Courtesy of Lew Boyd The great NJ/PA modified legend Rags Carter, in a roadster when still in Florida.	Adam Carter Collection Courtesy of Dan Ody The great NJ/PA modified legend Rags Carter, in a roadster when still in Florida. He is casting a wary eye on his pursuers.

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