Abandoned Tracks: Flemington Speedway
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- From the mid-nineteenth century to the new millennium Flemington Speedway had a rich history of racing. What happened to the former 5/8's of a mile dirt/pavement track?
Flemington Speedway Historical Society: www.flemington...
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As someone who's lived in the NY/NJ region my entire life, Flemington Speedway was a very popular destination for the diehard race fan. Fortunately, the track's legacy is still alive thanks to local car shows and other events through the Flemington Speedway Historical Society.
My job is literally walking distance from where the track used to be.
Why were people complaining about the track? What a shame. Dirt track racing is my favorite.
@@georgeshannon7603 It’s happened all over New Jersey unfortunately. These areas become overdeveloped, new people move in and don’t think to look around the corner from where they’re living, then complain about things like noise and/or dirt. Unfortunately they usually win. Happened to East Windsor and Raceway Park too. What a shame. 😔
Being from orange county NY, It's why I'm glad I'm in the south now. The governing bodies actually care about racing, rather then shove it out. That's the problem with the northern states.....
@@mattbadessa and bad management doesn't help. They really air mailed it in the last few years of Flemington running dirt. One of the best races I ever saw was the 1989 Syracuse Qualifer and the only reason I was able to see it was due to the pending thunderstorm blowing the dust off the track. New Egypt is looking at a similar fate if they keep screwing the drivers and fans over. They called 2 races last year with the threat (operative word) of rain when there was nothing within 300 miles of New Jersey on the radar.
What sits now at Flemington Speedway is a Lowe’s and some stores with the track gone. Wish it was still around.
The entire former site is now Raritan Town Square.
I've driven this track in NR2003, but had no idea about how much history was there. Also, I love how relaxed the announcers are with every flip! "Another driver goes end over end here..." You can tell it must've happened all the time. Sad to see tracks like this disappear. Thanks for the video!
Flemington was part of my childhood. There was nothing quite like it anywhere. I was glad I got to experience it firsthand
That number is my number
I would always go to The Square when the URC rolled into town. The WoO too. The sprinters on the dirt at Flemington were breathtaking.
I just realized BFM is approaching his 5th anniversary of his first video. Happy early anniversary man.
Grew up going to Flemington and I have fond memories of playing with toy cars in the dirt and watching the super trucks there. This video brought a lot of that back for me. Thank you for helping preserve the history of this great track! Such a shame that it is gone.
This was literally my hometown track. Saw the truck series there. Met Richard Petty there.
In fact my father raced there
The track hosted the World of Outlaws a few times when it was dirt. Was able to be in an area where not many were allowed to be in since my father's side was responsible for sweeping the track before the races and when there was accident.
Spent many childhood Saturday nights at Flemington Speedway in the sixties and early seventies. So from the 30s-40s coupes and sedans era, to the 60s Falcons and Mustangs, then to the Pinto, Vega, Gremlin tube frame cars, and mini stocks from English Ford Anglias, VW Beetles, and one memorable Opel GT. The Greatest Show on Dirt. Amazing to watch the skill and speed of the cars tying turns 1 and 2 together in one long, arcing oversteer counter-steered turn, then the same in 3 and 4. Dirt, Dust, Bellowing V-8s, Rubber, Raw Fuel, it was a totally immersive experience, every Saturday night it wasn't raining, during racing season. Friend and I would buy the 'Little Plastic Stock Cars' (do a Google search, someone bought the molds and started to make them again) and he and I would modify and paint them to look, as best as kids could make, like the cars of our hero's on the track, and we raced them on the oval rug my Mom had made for our living room. A lot of the good nostalgia for the track.
I have such fond memories of this track I knew a few of the drivers in the 808 Les Farley Sportsman class Then there was the Al Tasnady Super modified class with a Big block 505 Ford engine I think his car number was 37 I could be wrong on that his sponsor was Wolf Oil that quick change rear end made a killer noise as he poured the power to it awesome car big time Thank you for posting this video for us all to enjoy.
In addition to this track, there is also the street circuit in the Meadowlands Sports Complex that hosted CART races from 1984-1991. CART marketed the race as the closest race to NYC even though the track was in New Jersey. However unlike this track, the street circuit in the Meadowlands Sports Complex was widely considered one of the worst on the CART schedule even though it drew large crowds each year. In addition to CART, IMSA, Trans Am & Indy Lights all raced here. One suggestion for an Abandoned Tracks episode is the Burke Lakefront Airport circuit in Cleveland which hosted CART/Champ Car races from 1982-2007.
I can tell you from experience As a fan that Flemington was a special place...their Was an energy in the air like something big was going down .it was not unusual to get a crowed of over 10,000 people on a regular Saturday night. they always had a full field of cars and it was a hard place to qualify .crazy wrecks were an every Saturday night event. in my opinion back in the late 60s through the early 80s Flemington was the proving ground for this sport known as ( eastern dirt modified's ) from this time period came many new racing parts company's and design changes. any time in life you find a special place savior it like a fine wine . everything will change one day. only your memory's remain.
My buddy, Crazy John and I, made a trip there in the summer of 1999. We were regulars at Wall Stadium, but we decided to check out Flemington. The International Super Modified Association was running there the night we went, and they set a record lap speed of 154 mph! The Super Modfieds ran their event, and then a single ISMA car ran to set the record.
I remember one night how, after work, I visited the then closed Flemington Speedway. This would've been in 2004 or 2005. I was able to get into the track area, and I walked a lap around it. During my walk, I thought of the racing I'd seen there a few short years ago with my buddy, Crazy John. When I got to the back stretch, I reminisced about John Blewett III's wreck that happened there. While walking my lap, there was a high performance motorcycle or car that passed by on Rt. 31. The way the sound echoed off the vacant, declining grandstand was eerie; it sounded as if someone were making a hot lap around the track! It was as if the ghosts of racing's past were calling to me...
A few years later, I moved up to the Clinton, NJ area for work. I was let go by my old employer, but I soon got a new job in Flemington. My new commute took me by the old race track every day. During the spring and summer of 2007, I saw the slow, inexorable, and heartbreaking site of the track being dismantled and demolished. Now, thanks to that abomination, that mall called "Raritan Town Square", no one could tell there was ever a race track there.
i was there that day!
@@raygronemann8555 cool!
I grew up less than a mile from the speedway in the 70s, I remember hearing the races every Saturday in the summer time and going to them when I was older, some of the greatest times as a kid
I remember as a kid racing on this track on NASCAR 1999 for computer. One of my favorites! Great video!
Terry Cook, what an almost forgotten name. He was an idol to me as a fellow Ohioan when I was a kid
You should make a video about Cajon Speedway! The history of the track is fascinating and the story of how it closed is very tragic. I think it could make for a very interesting video!
I second this. Cajon Speedway was a profitable track shut down by the government of the area to expand an airport. To this day, I don't believe that ever happened, 18 years after closing it.
My dad tells lots of stories about flemmington. Sounds like such a cool track. And to listen to all the big names that used to there. Wish it was open when I was alive
I lived in Flemington for most of my life from 1996 (The year I was born) to 2013. I seriously wish I could have seen at least one race there.
Are you related to Geoff, Brett and Todd Bodine??? You must get that question a lot
No. You're the only one that asked so far.
When the track was on, it was amazing. One of the best races I ever saw there was the last weekend on dirt with 410 sprints and 358 modifieds. Pauch won the sprint car race in the 126, one of his last times in that ride before going to the Zemco team. He dominated in modifieds there, especially in the Chesson 76.
My dad took me there when I was around 4 years old for the modified tour and truck series.
I still remember how cool the modifieds were and my dad even got to give Ron Hornaday a chest bump a few hours after the win. He stayed long after signing autographs.
Hi Liam
Flemington was like no other track. The truth is, Raritan Township no longer wanted it there. The Hunderton County Medical Center (hospital) constantly complained about the dust and dirt getting into their air systems. We would park 1/4 mile away and at the end of the evening our car had a thick layer of dirt like it was parked in the pits. The community around it pre-1990 was much different than the community that sprang up in the track's last decade. Flemington on asphalt was good but the dirt racing years were the best. For those who did not get to experience it, it's hard to describe it and do it justice.
A kind-of home track to me that I never got to see
I got to race there for a couple seasons before it got demo’s for a Home Depot. Very cool place
One lost track that fascinates me is the smallest track to ever host a Cup Series race, Islip Speedway, Long Island, New York. At just 0.2 miles round, it was even smaller than Bowman Grey Stadium
I also would love to have someone on the longest oval tracks NASCAR has ever used if that is possible at what is left of the Ontario Speedway. That track was a 2.75 mile superspeedway that was actually more like 3 miles if racing the middle to outer lanes. I do remember seeing the old races here in the 1990's on TNT with TNR, the old deal they had before the 2000's and into 2012 one where they did host the final 10 races before the championships until the last deal with NASCAR.
@Casey smith even bigger than Talladega Superspeedway? Wow, learn something new everyday
Long Island had some popular and memorable tracks back in the day. Islip, Freeport, Vanderbilt and even Riverhead Speedway which is the only one left standing. These short tracks (exception of Vanderbilt were fun and a big part of the local communities). I wish more local short tracks here on Long Island still in existence.
I used to go to Flemington a lot. The Flemington mods were a unique version of modified cars. They were fun to watch...Ahh The smell of the rubber, the blast of white when they slammed into the foam...Now lost to memories. Thanks for the memories!
my dad raced here before i was born, absolutely excited to see it covered by your series
My uncle was photographing right by the corner that Dick Tobias died at. That always is a point my uncle brings up and I think it really affected him.
I hope one day Dale Jr. invites Darian on his Abandoned Race Track episodes if that show is still on
I think the show was canceled
Dale ended the show because Dilner left (Dilner was the main host/producer)
It got cancelled I think but appreciate the comment!
@@jZ0357 wait it got cancelled??
Dang.
I went there in 1993 for, I think, a modified race of champions. Weekend long event. Most memorable part was watching Larry Havens #43 go flying through the air once he got into the foam pieces/barrier.
Content Suggestion: Nascar by the decade. Basically a breakdown of the who/what/when/where/why's of Nascar for, lets say the 90's. What big stories, what major changes, whom was the underdogs, whom were the big teams/drivers/sponsors. so on so forth. A complete breakdown of Nascar's most important/iconic/memorable/horrible stories/accidents/racing that happen during said decade. Maybe start it with the 50's, and work through the 60's 70's, 80's so on so forth. This would be a great way for newer fans to learn about the history, while giving older fans a dose of nostalgia
My dad won at Flemmington. I raced Go-Karts at Flemmington. My family got pets at the Flemmington Fair.
Any race fan from NJ/NY misses Flemmington a lot.
I was a reporter there when it went to asphalt. Dirt fans were ticked off, but the racing was scary fast. I saw an accident that shortened Ray Evernham’s career. The atmosphere at the squared circle was amazing. That’s historian Earl Krause behind the mike in this video. Bill Singer was the main announcer in its heyday. This place was hardcore. God bless the Kuhl family who kept the place alive for so many to enjoy. RIP Toby Tobias and the others who gave their lives to this magical place.
Flemington is the track that ended Ray Evernham's driving career. One of the many injured at the track. I love uniquely shaped tracks, so it was fun to watch the Trucks race there on TV when I was little
Flemington was my Stepdad's favorite track back in the 80's-early 90's. It was also cool hearing the voice of Flemington, the late Bill Singer who was a good friend of the family up until his passing in 2004.
I am happy to say I was able to race at Flemington on the asphalt in 1995 and 96 before moving to Wisconsin to race super late models. It’s the only place I’ve ever raced where you didn’t use the brake pedal at all during a racing lap. Great facility! Tremendous history
My parents would drive down there a few times a year when it was dirt, about four hours one way. I remember being showered with little curled up bits of clay and getting in trouble for playing with them. Now I wish I'd taken home a wad of them. But I was like 6, so
Because of the Nascar Truck series the track appears in one of the Nascar video games of the era, NAPA gave out free promo versions with limited tracks but this was one of them.
This was my dad's home track. He raced here mainly and a few other venues. I remember hopping the fence in 2005 shortly before it was torn down.
The narrator erroneously states twice that “ locals” got tired of the track. Not true, local fans loved the square. It was the new people that moved in during the 1980’s housing boom that were the problem. Previous to the massive amt of new homes built, the area was farmland. Those locals faithfully supported Sat nite dirt racing. The Paul Kuhn dirt era (1972-1990) were the track’s greatest years.
My uncle used to take me to races in the 90s. Some of the best days of my childhood.
Being a NJ resident, I would’ve loved to attend a race there if it hadn’t closed.
I had known about Flemington for a while. It’s a shame Ray Evernham was hurt so bad there. I also learned that there was a road course at Flemington
It was a Go-Kart road course. I raced there when I was a kid
I grew up 5 minutes from this location on the border of Flemington and Clinton. Thanks for the video man!
Awesome Video! Thank you for making a video on one of New Jersey's best race tracks. I posted on the NJ Racing groups, those guys and girls are going to love!
Remember Dad and Mom towing a "55 210 Late model there in the early 70's. We where piled into a 1966 F2504X4, being followed by the "Pit Crew" in a old Caddy Convertible.. Thank you for the Memory of another track that is now gone.
I remember back then in the early mid 90s, the south county police departments (Delaware, readington, I think west Amwell PD) would bring there police cars to the track around 2-3 in the morning and race eachother to see who has the fastest police car.
Hands down, other than Ascot, one of the most exciting race tracks I have ever been too. It's now a Lowes, like they needed another one of those there.
The track also had a old race car ‘museum’ underneath the front stretch grandstands.
They had the museum under the front stretch grandstands and they also had a ‘souvenir’ museum behind the general merch booth. You could buy old merch that was on display in the museum
they eventually moved the museum contents to the Mahoning Valley Speedway, in PA, for display but now no one knows where everything went
Not just the greatest weekly running racetrack of all time, but the greatest racetrack of all time.
In 89 that was the the first circle track my dad would take me to. From there I was hooked on dirt racing.. the moves the guys made the dirt flying it was exciting and loved it we would go to the weekly series races when we could and loved it thank u for makeing this video and bringing back the good times spent at that track
Switching to asphalt killed this once great track. Sickening to think about what was and now it'd nothing. Sadly I think OCFS is in their last year this year with a very limited season.
Although not particularly notable, I thought I would mention that the track DID host a weekend for the TNT Monster Truck Challenge Series in the summer of 1990. USA-1 won the first night and Grave Digger won the 2nd.
I got a Abandoned track recommendation Calder Park in Australia where both it’s road course and Oval did Supercars And even 2 Nascar races in 90s and early 2000s. 1 plus side is that it is trying to be revived again
Flemington Speedway was also the sight of one of the more famous TNT Motorsports events in 1990. Monster Trucks were huge back then. Still have it on a VHS Tape here at home. The second day of the event was Dennis Anderson's last televised appearance for TNT Motorsports as he took Grave Digger number 2 to a victory in the final round.
I moved to the area in 2015, and knowing I live in the general area of the site of an old NASCAR track still gives me chills to this day.
Born and raised a mile down the rd from the speedway 1980..moved out of state in 2003. I really miss weekends at the speedway and Flemington fair every year. And I remember when rt 31 was 2 lanes lol as it ran right in front of my house.
i think all NJ has left for oval tracks is new egypt and wall. there’s been rumors for years about wall getting demolished and turned into another housing development (as if we need more houses in new jersey lmao) but as of now wall is still standing
And Bridgeport is still going
I only knew about Flemington speedway through monster trucks, but I wish it was still around.
Grew up going here. It’s department stores a lowes and Walmart back there too now. Sucks, i miss that track and all the memories. Especially the Demolition Derbies!
RIP Richard “Dicky” Polenz from R.A.P racing. He was a neighbor growing up in the borough and my best friend was his son Ryan Polenz. The cars running at night was one of the coolest things about growing up downtown.
I remember his shop on 202/31 rap automotive
For some reason I loved this track. Loved the covered grandstand. It still lives on in my Nr2003 heart
row G seat 4
I was part of that final arca race, lol tornado sirens were going off and the few people in the stands were booing us as we covered up the cars lol great times.
Got to go when I was very very young. I got 3 Nazareth races and 1 flemington events. Guess that’s pretty special
Love the smooth jazz
Spent every Saturday at Flemington from 1966 - 1978. Nothing like it. Was not a fan of the pavement.
I’m really loving this video brother 🍿🍿🍿
Modified Country USA. Great dirt track I attended many times in the mid to late 70s. Wild flips & crashes. I really loved it.
Grew up in readington went to central and went to track Saturday nights missed the dirt and loved the fair
Big oofff, hitting closing to home with this one. Sadly living in cny we’re seeing more of these Northeast Dirt Modified tracks fall by the wayside. Syracuse Mile fell in 2015, Rolling Wheels has sat idle for nearly as long and 5 mile Point Speedway has been sold .
I got my girl to Rolling Wheels (2011) and 5 Mile Point (this year). I stopped going to Syracuse like in 92, just became too dam expensive for lousy racing. I'm glad Grandview bought at least another 2-3 years with its sale falling through.
I went a few times as a kid in the 90s. Used to love going there from time to time. I wish I could’ve gone to it as a dirt track. My parents went all the time when it was dirt. Wish it didn’t close. That and East Windsor Speedway
That looks like such a fun layout!
Home track. Wasn’t the same after it was paved. You seen the numbers drop week to week. Obvious to what the future held sadly. To this day I compare races, the fair, etc to Flemington. Grew up there. There wasn’t much I didn’t get into at that place. First pull was in front of the grandstands. So much. Miss it dearly.
I remember seeing the Craftsman Truck Series there. Kurt Busch was driving the 99 Exide
A pity that these tracks with character are lost, meanwhile horror shows like Texas Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway and the Atlanta repave are left in their wake.
I love how casual the commentators are when calling crashes
Check out Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Weedsport, NY…. another great 5/8 clay (dirt) oval that sadly sits idle, becoming overgrown, with no return in sight.
Not quite the history of a place like Flemington, but the racing at Rolling Wheels when the big time big-block modified touring series showed up with names like Brett Hearn, Jimmy Horton and “Bare-Foot Bob McCreadie” (RIP) was fantastic!!!
1966 my Father RACED Here in a SPRINT Car I Have 10 Albums Full Of His Pictures...Even One Of The Cars He built...I'm in my Mid 60s I grew up in JERSEY....GOD BLESS
I remember my dad driving a 100 lap enduro race there it was an amazing experience
I loved this track in nascar 3 with the truck expansion ❤️
Being from Flemington, this was a cool watch
I went to the last Truck Series race there in 1998, it was a great time.
Lowes and Walmart have done more to kill short tracks than nascar has and that’s saying something.
And Amazon. They almost killed off Irwindale. But someone else bought it and Amazon bowed out for some reason
One of the great dirt tracks on the east coast, but man, did you get dirty!!
Memphis International Raceway is seeing a similar fate. The Motorsports park closed this year and is set to he demolished in place for warehouses. It had a short track that I know trucks and arca raced there, a short road course, and a drag strip that hosted NHRA. The last time I went was in 2020 for the ARCA Souix Chief Championship which Ty Gibbs won. The track and grandstands weren't in great shape, there was an entire grand stand and press box in turn 1 left fenced off and abandoned. Only about 300 people showed up to watch the snoozefest of a race. I think the drag racing was it's bread winner.
Unless the developer backs out. Nashville Superspeedway was facing similar pending doom. Then the developer backed out of the deal for unkown reasons and the track just sat there. Kinda what also happened to Myrtle Beach. A developer was gonna demolish the track for housing instead. Then backs out of the deal. May have been arrested for something. Now Myrtle Beach Speedway is just rotting away.
@@Maverick33 Well considering Memphis is the distribution Capitol of the world, I doubt the warehouse project will back down. All though there are plenty of empty warehouses closer to the city. Tbh MIR didn't have many exciting events. Just hate to see it die
I'm just waiting for New Egypt Speedway or Wall Stadium to get shut down because that's what NJ loves to do.....
same hear in n.y! the mother fucken politicians just want to control every aspect of our lives, that HATE freedom and personal rights, we are a socialist USSA!
I used to drive by the track and figured I’d watch a race there one day…didn’t know it was gonna close before I had the chance. SMH.
I actually shop at that Lowe’s and Walmart when I’m in town lol.
I was actually at both the last Truck race in 1998 and that ARCA race in 1999, though I don't remember much from either race as I was 5 and 6 at the time
I love these videos
I remember this in a NASCAR racing 2 or 1999 edition expansion with Busch and truck series.
I always wanted to go to a race there but never did. I actually used to show there when I was in 4-H at the fair the last few years it was there.
I always enjoy racing here in NR1999, NR2003, and rFactor. The Squared Circle!
my dad used to come here all the time, they lived right by it and there’s only a shack of it he showed me left
Videos idea: good seasons bubba, Daniel, Ross, and Chris buesher
Of Greenville-Pickens Speedway goes under this coming season, I recommend you making a video about it. There’s A LOT of history with Greenville-Pickens Speedway
loved it
There was an article in " Stock Car / Circle Track or some other mag circa 1980's / 1990's titled " The Flemington Tapes " One of the pics was 2 guys sitting at a table on the track. I don't recall the story but others might be able to find it.
I remember when Terry Cook got that 1st victory at Flemington.
Weird, I literally looked up this track this afternoon because I remembered it from NR 1999 edition.
Spent many nights there as a kid!
Would you do an abandoned speedways video about Dayton Speedway in Dayton, OH??? I heard a lot stories about it when I was a kid.
Man I miss my home track 😢