Local Stock Car Short Track Nostalgia

as your earliest memory of auto racing? Ifavorites], Bruno Brackey aka the Flying Mailman
remember watching a weekly TV show calleddue to his day job, George and Ed Brunnhoelzl,
"Jalopy Races From Hollywood". This was myGeorge Brunnhoelzl Jr. [George Jr. built the famed
earliest memory of having interest in following theBrunnhoelzl jack used by many NASCAR Winston
sport of auto racing.Cup teams today.], Axel Anderson, Richie Evans,
One of my most favorite memories whenJerry Cook, Charlie Jarzombek, Gary Winters,
growing up in the 50's and 60's was being able toFred Harbach, George Wagner, Bill Spade, Tom
hear the auto racing action [stock cars and openBaldwin, Red Raynor, Reinhardt and many more.
cockpit midget] at Freeport Speedway in FreeportFreeport Stadium had gone through a series of
New York, from two [2] towns away. They randifferent promoters over the years. This list
races during the summer on Tuesday night,included the names Kedenburg, Larry Mendelsohn,
Friday night, and Saturday night. Going to theDuke Donaldson, and Don Campi. Duke Donaldson
races as a spectator was also a rush for me.was well know as the voice of Freeport
I loved everything about it, the smell of racingSpeedway. As the track announcer, Donaldson for
fuel, burning rubber, sawdust and hot dogs frommany years opened a race event with
the food concessions. During the late 50's andannouncing, "Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to
early 60's the racing drew large crowds ofFreeport Stadium, the oldest continuously-run
spectators. I can see in my minds eye to thisracetrack in the United States" and thanking
day, all the activity, the vendors selling raceeveryone for visiting "Freeport Speedway in
collectibles, the sound and smell of the concessiontropical Freeport." His style did much to create a
stands [pop corn, hot dogs and the like. I can stillfeeling of great action and professionalism for any
hear the beer vendor as his went up and downgiven race event.
the stands yelling out the familiar phrase of "GetThe second half of the 60's began a decline in the
Ya Cold Beer Here" Of course I was too youngpopularity of stock car racing in Freeport. There
to become one of his customers. Other vendorswere still many promotions being done but paid
sold copies of Speedway News, programs, hotattendance declined.
dogs, replica racing flags and many more items.Racing at Freeport took a final curtain in 1983
Some of the great racers that ran a Freeportafter 50 years of continuous operation.
Stadium are Les Ley, Jim Lacy [One of my