Very interesting story about Raceway Park and its demise, including a 20 minute video documentary with old film. Never went- anyone have any good stories, and was anyone at the famous Grateful Dead show there?
OT: Raceway Park Documentary
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Went to many Summer Nationals! Always had a great time! Even during a few super hot days. I would go again and again if I could.
Kenny Bernstein was one of many of my favorites. His funny car the Budweiser King won several Summer Nationals. Plus Don "Big Daddy" Garlits won several Top Fuel Dragsters as well. Great times.
Splitting hairs but Raceway Park although it was technically in Old Bridge Township was never referred that way. It was only called Raceway Park, Englishtown NJ.
Commercials were iconic too!
Kenny Bernstein was one of many of my favorites. His funny car the Budweiser King won several Summer Nationals. Plus Don "Big Daddy" Garlits won several Top Fuel Dragsters as well. Great times.
Splitting hairs but Raceway Park although it was technically in Old Bridge Township was never referred that way. It was only called Raceway Park, Englishtown NJ.
Commercials were iconic too!
Always wondered where the laugh at the beginning of the ad originated. They sped it up from a clip they heard in California.
Story mentioned there were smallest bikini contests, something that would not happen today.
Wall Stadium in Wall is still going, but a much smaller venue. Newer people moving in complain about the noise, but for those who grew up in the area, hearing the roar from Wall Stadium is music to our ears that it is racing season. Wonder how many years Wall Stadium has left. They almost sold out to developers recently.
Was not at the Dead Show - still a little young for that one, but there was this NJN report on it:
Dead at Englishtown
Dead at Englishtown
The IRS should audit the Schwartzes to ensure they reported that $800 they made on the parking!
First comment under that video......
Hankjones1
2 years agoI worked this concert backstage in the heliport and helped Jerry get onto the helicopter. He drop a bag of qualudes and returned to get them. I found then and he gave my a handful..
One thing I found fascinating about Englishtown Raceway Park was that it had a seaplane port.
I mean.. what? Linky google maps old bridge airport adjoining raceway park
I mean.. what? Linky google maps old bridge airport adjoining raceway park
i have never been but this old guy who used to work for me when I was at Merck Rahway site was an icon there, many titles. In fact he had so many of those "Wally" trophies that he gave me one to put on my desk. Apparantly he was famous for his reaction time so much that he was often accused of cheating. Great driver but horrible worker. Always out on some kind of disability or work restriction.
I got into racing through the owners of Wall Stadium while I worked Spring Meadow Golf Course. Golf was free for anyone that Tom Sr wanted to send over to play golf and I never spent a dime at Wall Stadium. Demolition Derby, a staple on Fridays night were a blast!
Tom Jr (Tucker) sold after Mrs Nicoli died. It's been somewhat of a disaster since then.
We had a 1964 Lincoln Continental that we sold cheap to the owner of the now defunct Allaire Automotive on the Allaire Circle, and he entered that into one of the demolition derbies at Wall Stadium. Those old Continentals were like tanks. It did well until it got pinned into a corner. Good times.
Spent many a day at Raceway Park when I was a drag racing nut.
My Father and a friend wanted to go to that Grateful Dead show, but couldn't get anywhere close as the roads were gridlocked for miles around. So what did they do? Head over to Manville Airport and rent a helicopter ride of course...
My Grandmother (Mom's side) lives in Spotswood - I still remember being a kid playing in the front yard (mid-90s) and hearing the distant "WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" from engines taking off at Englishtown... You knew it was the height of summer then. Oh, and of course the Alvin the Chipmunk commercials on TV/Radio...
Only went to Summer Nationals once when I was about 16 (and regret not bringing earplugs, was great fun though!)
My Grandmother (Mom's side) lives in Spotswood - I still remember being a kid playing in the front yard (mid-90s) and hearing the distant "WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" from engines taking off at Englishtown... You knew it was the height of summer then. Oh, and of course the Alvin the Chipmunk commercials on TV/Radio...
Only went to Summer Nationals once when I was about 16 (and regret not bringing earplugs, was great fun though!)
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Some great pics in the link below. Some here:
Luckiest kid at the races:
Luckiest kid at the races:
I used to go once or twice a year when I owned a Mitsubishi Eclipse and was big into the "DSM Tuners" community. DSMs vs Hondas was always a can't-miss event. We (LI and NYC locals) would meet up at the exit 11 rest stop on the Turnpike and caravan down the rest of the way, I'm talking 30-40 cars deep. Good times.
Stories? I remember walking outside the grandstand area in the general vicinity of mid-track and seeing a MK4 Supra go airborne & pinwheel as the timing board had it clocked at 128mph. That was scary. The driver walked away. There was the time a N/A automatic Lancer made it to the Semifinals in the brackets. Celicas and Colts running 9 second quartermiles. Wild stuff. Walking through the pits & car show, only to spot a Nissan Skyline R34 in the parking lot with the rest of the great unwashed and the entire club mugging to get a pic with it. Miss those guys, but I don't miss the bloody knuckles and the police attention.
Stories? I remember walking outside the grandstand area in the general vicinity of mid-track and seeing a MK4 Supra go airborne & pinwheel as the timing board had it clocked at 128mph. That was scary. The driver walked away. There was the time a N/A automatic Lancer made it to the Semifinals in the brackets. Celicas and Colts running 9 second quartermiles. Wild stuff. Walking through the pits & car show, only to spot a Nissan Skyline R34 in the parking lot with the rest of the great unwashed and the entire club mugging to get a pic with it. Miss those guys, but I don't miss the bloody knuckles and the police attention.
Used to go quite a bit in my younger days. One of my best friends in high school's older brother owned Somerville Suzuki. So, we'd go watch the motorcross races as he had a team he sponsored.