WHITES BEACH SPEEDWAY

From 8 mm Home Movies on Dan Ody DVD
Ashland Park and Whites Beach veteran Johnny Jones takes green in his Studebaker.

Ballston Lake is located off New York Route 50, to the South of Saratoga Springs, NY. A portion of the western shore of the lake was known as Whites Beach, and some land in that neighborhood was fashioned into a race oval. After running very informal local jalopies on a track without much safety or spectator facilities, some interested parties from the region began to develop the facility a little more, putting in bleachers, a judges' stand, a ticket booth, and some safety barriers.

Heat winner Lew Martin poses in front of the judges / announcers' stand built
on the grounds of Whites Beach Speedway.

The track soon developed its own cadre of drivers and teams, almost totally independent of some of the more established tracks around it, like Fonda and Empire. This may have been because of local indentity; but, more likely, it was because you could run a much more low-dollar operation and still compete at Whites Beach. According to Bruce Keith, whose mother was an established scorer at several New York tracks, some of the same promoters who ran Ashland Park in Warrensburg, ran Whites Beach.

Ernie Martin, a name synonymous with Whites Beach, poses with checkers on the front stretch.

Ernie Martin sits and listens to Ron Hedger at the April 15, 2007 conference on lost race
tracks at the Saratoga Automobile Museum. Martin spoke to the conference about Whites Beach.

Mrs. Keith scored at Whites Beach, and she may be in the photo above - up in the Judges' Stand. Warrensburg Promoter Wilbur Baker took a turn at running Whites Beach, as did Rick Patterson and Ward Tower - according to Keith. In information supplied by the Saratoga Automobile Museum, Bob Ruckdeschel was definitely someone who ran Whites Beach. Irv Conron and Les King were, most probably among the photographers who plied their trade at Whites Beach; and, MacDowell and John Grady may have joined them. Someone said Pappy Delong may have promoted the track, too.
Between the recent book on the history of Fonda Speedway, and the even - more - recent display about Whites Beach at the Saratoga Automobile Museum, Whites Beach has suddenly burst into the consciousness of the region's followers of vintage stock car racing. I have decided to give it a page on a web site devoted to Vermont racing history because several of its participants also tried their luck at Fairmont Speedway, in Fair Haven, Vermont.

Dale Horton [aka Rebel Ross], from Broadalbin and Chuck Dwyer were two drivers featured in
the Fonda history book. I remember Horton appearing briefly at Fonda.

Today, there is virtually no trace of the race track. The land is owned by someone who raised deer on the very part of their property that once housed the track. That area is surrounded by a high wire fence. From the Whites Beach Road, you can look through the fence and see a portion of their deer compound that nearly comes right up to the road. There is a clearly - discernable curved banking that a neighbor tells me was turns one and two. You can still make out the track layout from satellite photos - both Terraserver, from the 1990's and Google Earth, which is more recent. There is also a little, ramshackle building on their yard that was once the ticket booth. A faded sign on the east side of the booth says "Thank You Come Again".

A contingent of Whites Beach drivers [and a few others mixed in] pose
during the memorable George Welch Benefit Night held at Fonda: From left - front -
Stan Burroughs, Dale Horton [Rebel Ross], Ron Quackenbush, Bunny Dicenzi, and
Paul Dwyer. Rear - Earl Madison, Doc Blanchard, Chuck Dwyer, Jack Roode, Herb
Dunleavey, Louie Luft, Earl Spellburgh, Ed Rykowski, and Joe Wunderlich.

Bill Ladabouche Photos Orlando Papa, Clifton Park, NY	Bill Ladabouche Photo Joe Spellburg, Glens Falls, NY	Bill Ladabouche Photo Ray Sutliffe, Glens Falls, NY	Courtesy of Dan Gowie George Gowie, Defreestville, NY
Courtesy of Ed Fabian The Baker Family Me2, Warrensburg, NY	Steve Judd Photo Rebel Ross, Broadalbin, NY	Courtesy of Mike Russo George Baumgardner, Saratoga Sprgs, NY	Cavalcade of Auto Racing Lou Hacker, Nassau, NY
Bill Ladabouche Collection Joe Wunderlich, West Sand Lake, NY	Norm Vadnais Photo Beryl Fitzgerald, Gansevoort, NY	Dan Ody Photo Ron Quakenbush, Fultonville, NY	Courtesy of Starin Family Jack Harris, Saratoga Sprgs, NY
From Dan Ody 8MM DVD Wally LaBelle, Glens Falls, NY The Vern Baker Super 6	From Dan Ody 8MM DVD Wally LaBelle, Another view	From Dan Ody 8MM DVD An unusually clear shot from the Ody DVD. I don't know the cars.	Courtesy of Starin Family Stan Burroughs [rt], Sonny Starin, [Ctr] with Ed Abel and Bill Mosconi
Bill Ladabouche Photo Same car, 10 yrs. later [with Vern] Ed Baker was then the driver.	Courtesy of Starin Family Starin team, at work. They sometimes had two cars at Whites Beach at once.	Courtesy of Starin Family Mimeographed passes to the "New Whites Beach" from F.C. Paterson, the latest promoter.	Courtesy of Starin Family A regular ticket to the Whites Beach Speedway from the late 1950's
Courtesy of Bruce Brockett Clinton Brockett awards to an unidentified winner - in front of the judges' stand.	Courtesy of Dan Ody Unknown Car 19	Courtesy of Dan Ody Unknown Car 138 rolls. It's possbile that this is related either to the Warrensburgh Pennock family or the Super 38 team of Maltbie, Chevrolet.	Courtesy of Jamie Grignon A victorious Nels Grignon is awarded by Art Shafer [rt] and Bunny Bunnell.
Bill Ladabouche Photo The ticket booth Bill Ladabouche Photo The ticket booth	Bill Ladabouche Photo Surviving posts on the grounds.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Turns 1 and 2 from the West from the East	Courtesy of Jamie Grignon A victorious Nels Grignon taking a victory lap at Whites Beach.
	Courtesy of Ken Gypson A surviving Whites Beach trophy.	Courtesy of Andy Fusco Before we lost Andy, he reported that this was a Whites Beach car that someone was restoring.

TOM FISH PHOTOS
Contributed by Tom on behalf of his father, former Whites Beach participant Bob Fish.

From Dan Ody's Collection A 1955 race start. That, very likely, is starter Chet Hames.	From Dan Ody's Collection Ernie Martin wins another, ahead of what appears to be D.C. Coville [father of CD]	Dan Ody Collection A look at what could be John Grady, on turn 4	Dan Ody Collection A Whites Beach feature win in 1955 [Below] Another view.
From Dan Ody's Collection Korky Fillo spills the #100 sedan off a turn.	From Dan Ody's Collection A 1955 race . Action in turns one and two. Visible are: 18 Lynn Delong and 550, which might by Chuck Stevenson but is likely a Starin car.	From Dan Ody's Collection A look across the infield.	From Dan Ody's Collection Another heat start.
From Dan Ody's Collection Action in turns one and two as seen across the infield.	From Dan Ody's Collection Pretty self-explanatory. Know anyone there ?	From Dan Ody's Collection So much for spectator safety.	From Dan Ody's Collection A feature start with Lew Martin out front.

From 8 mm Home Movies on Dan Ody DVD
An unidentified car 46 plies the front stretch.

From 8 mm Home Movies on Dan Ody DVD
Jack Roode heads down the front stretch.

From Dan Ody's Collection Car 34 decided to take a header in front of the oncoming field in turn 1.	From Dan Ody's Collection The thrill for the driver begins.	From Dan Ody's Collection Off he goes on his nose, as car 1/5 and others take evasive action.	Dan Ody Collection 34 continues to tumble as he is joined by several others.
Dan Ody Collection Cars pile in as 34 settles in the dust. The rest of the cars go on by.	From Dan Ody's Collection Team 550 cars avoid each other as another car spins in between them.	From Dan Ody's Collection One driver hops up on his roof to inspect the mess.	From Dan Ody's Collection Post-wreck inspection. Dan Ody believes the man with the glasses and hat is D.C. Coville. 550 driver Stan Burroughs is also seen, arm gesturing, to a guy who could be Ralph Palmer.

Courtesy of Joe Grossetti
A new name [meaning "white beach"] for the 1959 season. Never heard much about it.

From Dan Ody's 8MM
Old Speedways DVD's
via Bob Miller
A busy pits in 1955.

From Dan Ody's 8MM
Old Speedways DVD's
via Bob Miller
More busy pits in 1955.

From Dan Ody's 8MM
Old Speedways DVD's
via Bob Miller
A 1955 race start.

From Dan Ody's 8MM
Old Speedways DVD's
via Bob Miller
Lining up to race in 1955.

Courtesy of Dan Ody
This is a small article on the track when it was called Raceway Park [perhaps after
the track of the same name near Chicago]. There are familiar names in the text.
For a better look at the whole thing, CLICK HERE for its own page. Yogi Bear was
obviously a Fonda driver hiding from discovery by NASCAR.

From Dan Ody 8MM DVD
According to Andy Fusco, this car belonged to Herb Root, and - with Doc Blanchard driving _
It had some moments when it dominated Whites Beach competition. This shot is at Stateline.

From Dan Ody 8MM DVD
Great shot of a field under caution. I recognize Ken Delong [middle, blue and white car] and Bob Hoffer
[X9 looks like 19]. 73 might be Fred Searing.

Schenectady Gazette Archives
It was treated all right. Dan Ody says you could probably strike oil if you could find the racing surface.

Courtesy of the Starin Family
Whites Beach action. The car 1F, a Warrensburgh regular, leads Jack Roode [outside], Stan Burroughs in the
Starin 550, and a car 201 that is often seen in Whites Beach photos.

FBob Mackey Photo via Julian Spring Barry Spring - actually taken at Airborne Park Speedway, where he ran with a brothers or cousins named Roland and Howard Spring.	Via Julian Spring No idea of location here.	Via Julian Spring Some fun photos of the Barry Spring bunch at Whites Beach around 1955.	Via Julian Spring Some fun photos of the Barry Spring bunch at Whites Beach around 1955.	Via Julian Spring Some fun photos of the Barry Spring bunch at Whites Beach around 1955.
Via Julian Spring Some fun photos of the Barry Spring bunch at Whites Beach around 1955.	Via Julian Spring Heading out onto the track at Whites Beach around 1955.	Via Otto Graham Roland Spring, somewhere in NY in he 1950's.	Bob Mackey Photo Via John Rock Howard Spring

WHITES BEACH NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
The track did not get as much press support as some of the others in its area. This was likely
due to shortcomings in the track's publicity efforts.

Troy Times Record July, 1954.	Troy Times Record August, 1954.	Troy Times Record August, 1954.	Troy Times Record August 1954.	Troy Times Record August 1954.
Troy Times Record September 1954.	Troy Times Record September 1954.	Troy Times Record June 1955.	Troy Times Record August 1955.	Troy Times Record 1956.
Troy Times Record 1956.	Troy Times Record 1956.	Troy Times Record 1956.	Troy Times Record 1957.	Troy Times Record 1958.
Troy Times Record May 1958.	Troy Times Record May 1958.	Troy Times Record June 1958.	Troy Times Record Adv. from 1958.	Troy Times Record July 1958.
Troy Times Record July 1958.	Troy Times Record Only mention all year- 1959.

Irv Conron Photo via Bruce Brockett
Edward Brockett. He may be the same one who raced at Malta years later.

Irv Conron Photo via Bruce Brockett
Clinton Brockett awarding a young Steve Luse in 1955.

Via Robt Yerkes
Robert Yerkes stands by his car,
112 at home before heading to
Whites Beach. The career was short; he went into the service
soon.

Via Robt Yerkes
This might be Robert, ready to
flat tow to the track in the car.

Via Robt Yerkes
Looks like the Yerkes 112, front
and center in the Whites Beach pits.

Via Robt Yerkes
An early field lines up on the track at at Whites Beach around the mid '50's. One of those cars
must be the Yerkes 112.