THOSE PERILOUS ROADSTERS

      Right after the second World War [and actually a bit before], guys were taking early thirties coupes, removing roofs, fenders, and other
parts, and racing these things without the benefit of any type of safety protection. Around New Hampshire, they were called "mud buggies", and in New York they were referred to as jalopies or roadsters.

     The cars were also very popular in California. The only area round here in which they prospered at all was New York. Tracks from South Seneca, to Perth, to Ticonderoga, to the greater Troy area sprang up. After the highly - publicized death of one new driver named Louis Willette, the New York State Police moved in, invoking archaic Sunday Blue Laws, and closed down tracks that ran these roadsters.

    The roadsters produced a few prominent drivers,most particularly Corinth's Art Pratt. A few men, like Ken Meahl, Bob Whitbeck, and Carl Taber, did race or build stock cars. Mostly, the roadsters faded away into history, a brief but fascinating hiccup in the whole scheme of things.

Found by Dan Ody
This is most likely an early, pre - WWII track near Scotia, NY. I wouldn't diginify these things as roadsters.

Found by Dan Ody
This is  another early, pre - WWII track near Farmington, NH. Future race track promoter extraordinaire,
Charlie Elliott, throws his mud buggy into the lead in an early race show.

Courtesy of Bob Bearer via Bob Sharp
These indescribable jalopies were said to be racing at the old Fairmont Park Motor Speedway,
In Fair Haven, VT before 1950.

CENTRAL and WESTERN NEW YORK
Early Undertermined Roadster Locations

Historic Aerials, com The Corinth, NY roadster track, in 1947.	Courtesy of Dan Ody An early ad for the Mohawk Oval in Scotia. Love the spelling.	Courtesy of Chuck Pastor An early western NY roadster action photo.	Courtesy of Dan Ody The old Fultonville cinder track said to be connected to Bob Whitbeck. These cars belonged to future Burden Lake promoter Harold Garstang.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Jerry Earl at Hemlock Speedway in the late 1940's.
Courtesy of Jay Mooney Ernie Wright	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Hemlock Speedway action, 1949.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Not sure if this is the same as Hemlock Speedway.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Jerry Earl at Hemlock	Courtesy of Jay Mooney The trouble with roadsters.
Source Unknown Unidentified roadster.	Courtesy of Jay Mooney Jerry Earl at Hemlock	Courtesy of Chuck Pastor An out of state 1940's roadster star appearing at an early western NY track.	Courtesy of Joe Grossetti Roadsters race at Clearview Speedway, South Westerlo, NY.	Courtesy of Joe Grossetti Roadsters race at Clearview Speedway, South Westerlo, NY.

Courtesy of Edward B. Brown III
Roadsters race at a rustic undetermined late 1940's track.

Seneca Falls Speedway,
Seneca Falls, NY

Courtesy of Dan Ody Dust proof ? My Foot !	| Courtesy of Jay Mooney Roaring roadsters !	Courtesy of David Delange A car serves as probably one of the few publicity mechanisms available to the track.	Courtesy of David Delange Somebody's 1940 Ford bears one of those 1950's wire - on bumper signs for the track.	Courtesy of David Delange Preparing the winning car for the big race. This may be A young Ken Meahl, from Lockport, NY.
Courtesy of David Delange Lining the field up on the front stretch.	Courtesy of David Delange This photo, taken over the starter's flag stand, shows the field getting the green.	Courtesy of David Delange A curious crowd mills around the winning roadster entry. One other shot showed a young man staring at the dust - covered winner like he had seen some sort of alien.	Courtesy of David Delange The curious spectator doesn't seem to dare get near the daring young winner, who has the word "Lockport" on his back. It is likely a young Ken Meahl.	Courtesy of Half Fast Video This is likely the site of the old Seneca Falls Speedway, as seen in the 1990's.

Burden Lake Speedway
Averill Park, NY

Courtesy of Dan Ody Albany area driver Del Moak in his Deep 6 roadster.	| Courtesy of Ken Gypson Buzz Hackel [front] and a group of mostly roadster drivers	Source Unknown A winning roadster driver celebrates early in the track's history.	Courtesy of Dan Ody A field of roadsters takes off.	Courtesy of David Delange Car 1 leads Del Moak.
Courtesy of Jay Mooney Bob Hart in Burden Lake roadster action.	Courtesy of Ken Gypson Howie Westervelt and son in his roadster.	Courtesy of Hackel Site Buzz Hackel with a roadster victory.	Courtesy of Ken Gypson Buzz Hackel [front] and Howie Westervelt left] with HW's roadster.	Courtesy of Dan Ody A field of roadsters heads to the backstretch.

The Perth Area Speedways
Perth and West Perth, NY 

Courtesy of Jay Mooney Pete Corey at West Perth Speedway with the Bob Whitbeck #7.

Courtesy of Andy Fusco West Perth roadster race in 1949.

Tom Postcards West Perth Speedway adv.

Peter Bretz  Leader Herald West Perth roadster action.

Courtesy of Starin Familyy A man works on the #4 roadster.

Champlain Speedway
Ticonderoga, NY 

Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker A big meeting around the roadster of Irv Rooker.	Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker The #9 of Leo Wells chases Del Moak's Deep 6. I think they have determined this car had ties to future car owner Cliff Wright.	Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker  Irv Rooker's car with son, Bill aboard.	Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker Leo Wells in another entry, on the frontstretch at Champlain.	Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker The other Leo Wells car.
Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker Lining up on the main straighttaway. Champlain Was well organized for a late '40's track.	Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker Roland Swinton in car #26.	Courtesy of Joan Swinton Walker The infield pit area.	Courtesy of Half Fast Video Champlain is now under water. See the circular tree arrangement in the center of the shot.	Google Earth Image A different look.

The Pine Bowl Speedway
Snyders Corners, NY 

Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller A lining up of the roadsters at Pine Bowl.	Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller Another car pursues Howie Westervelt out of turn four.	Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller A roadster heating up in the pits.	Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller As this car finishes a race, a very strange track wrecker is seen in the infield.	Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller A roadster sits, unaccompanied in the  track.
		Dan Ody Collection Courtesy of Bob Miller Great safety equipment, Howie Westervelt !

 
From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD
Leftovers from an era: A roadster races with more traditional stock cars at Fairmont Park
Motor Speedway around 1950 at Fair Haven, VT. The camera person must
have been in a tree.

FromThe Marty Harty Collection
Al Canney's wreck here at Newmarket, NH or Sanford, ME was the New England Mud Buggy type.

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