Looking southwest into turn 1 at the brand new half mile track built at the Selinsgrove Fairgrounds, 1946.
The Selinsgrove Speedway
In 1941, the Allison and Davies families sold their more than 100 acre family farm to the Dauntless Hook and Ladder Volunteer Fire Company, as a permanent home for their annual Carnival and Night Fair.
The Selinsgrove Fair was held for the first time at it's new location in 1942.
Groundbreaking for the half mile race track began in May 1946, soon after the end of World War II. Reiz & Renninger of Sunbury built the track for approximately $20,000, in just two and a half months time. Stunt man Joie Chitwood, known for his "Hell Drivers" automobile thrill show, came to Selinsgrove to choose the location for the track, and help with the design.
Advertising Banner for the Inaugural Race at Selinsgrove Speedway
"In connection with the track, the fair officials plan to have a rodeo and thrill shows, in which drivers wreck cars deliberately for the entertainment of the audience." - The Daily Item, Jan 1946
The track at Selinsgrove was designed with a wide front straightway, specifically for Chitwoods stunt drivers. Ironically, the first Chitwood thrill show was cancelled when one of the drivers crashed into a herd of cattle crossing the road halfway between Dubois and Selinsgrove.
Cars lining Route 35 to view the race on July 20, 1946
With just two and half months to complete the track, before the annual Selinsgrove Carnival and Fair Night, plans to erect a covered grandstand were put on hold. Instead, temporary bleachers, meant to seat 3,000, were installed.
A crowd of nearly 5000 showed up for the first inaugural race.
AAA spring cars in the inaugural race on the Selinsgrove Speedway new half mile dirt track, July 1946
Future Indy 500 winner Bill Holland captured the feature event at that first race.
Holland finished second in the Indianapolis 500 in 1947, 1948, and 1950, and coming in 1st in 1949.
Holland was the fast qualifier with a lap time of 26.73 seconds. He also won two six-lap qualifying races, before winning the 20-lap main event.
After the race, drivers reported to carnival management that there was a soft spot on one of the curves that slowed them down considerably. Upon investigation, a sand pocket was found. It was replaced with clay before the September race.
Red Byron came in second in the inaugural 1946 race. He went on to become one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, and is in the International Motorsports Hall Of Fame.
Panoramic view of the crowd in 1947, before the grandstand was built.
The Grandstand, under construction in 1948
Designed by Selinsgrove resident Mark Starr, the grandstand was built with 175,000 linear feet of lumber from Bogar Lumber, of Selinsgrove.
The completed grandstand, 1948.
The aisles were built extra wide, to accommodate wooden folding chairs for each spectator.
This grandstand remains today, Selinsgrove being one of the few remaining tracks using a a covered grandstand
In 1949, George "Buster" Keller, the tracks first promoter, began holding weekly races, mostly on Sunday afternoons. The tracks first lighting system was installed in 1953, and then nighttime racing began at the Speedway.
Ken Bones Marriott won the first stock car race ever held at Selinsgrove Speedway on June 20 1948
Stock car racing continued through the 1958 season, but then from 1959-1962, the track was closed, with the exception of special races during fair week.
A special kids race was held on the front stretch of the Selinsgrove Speedway, in 1951. Shown here is Teddy Ferguson, in the car built by his father, Bloomsburg stock car owner Ted Ferguson. The flagman was Al Keller.
The first powder puff derby - all female racers - was held in July of 1952. "Friday will see the first such female frolic of the season at Selinsgrove"
An afternoon feature event in 1953
Before reopening in 1963, the track was enlarged from half a mile to nearly three quarters of a mile
Rod Gaumer, driver from Berwick, 1955
With it's long straightways, and sweeping corners, Selinsgrove is considered by many drivers to be one of the fastest dirt tracks in America.
1963 Program
"This track has quite a history. Rusty Wallace has raced here. Jeff Gordon, when he was an unknown kid, 16 years old (raced at Selinsgrove). Sometimes, you are seeing tomorrow's racing stars here." Charlie Paige, Speedway Promoter
Professional Driver Jan Opperman resided in Selinsgrove for a few years, racing for local car owner Dick Bogar.
Daredevil Debbie Lawler at Selinsgrove Speedway in 1972
1974 Stunt Show. The car landed safely in a pile of junked cars.
Beginning in 1998, a multi-year renovation added new guardrails, a new pit registration building, lighting, restrooms, sky boxes and concession stands.
In 2021, general manager Steve Inch gave a brief history of the speedway, as part of the 75th anniversary of the track. According to Inch, "Tiny Lund, who had won the Daytona 500 10 years previously, won the first and only NASCAR dirt race at Selinsgrove, a 100-lapper in 1973. Other NASCAR drivers who competed at the local speedway included Kasey Kahne and a then-17-year-old sprint car driver Jeff Gordon. Two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and current win leader Kyle Larson have competed the last few years. Larson competed here last year."
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The Sunbury Daily Item
Jan 17 1946
February 7 1946
August 1951
not sure if was the first there but Chris Econamacki told me his first announcing gig was at the Selinsgrove Speedway
ReplyDeleteyes, in his book "Let em all run" he states that was the case
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