Begun in 1951 and variously called Airport Speedway and Arlington Speedway [by 1953], the track sat on Van Wagner Road. An article in the Poughkeepsie Journal in September of 1962 speaks of an engineer securing a plot of land that "had been used as the speedway" to build a radio station. So, one must assume 1962 was its last season. Either the offer for the land was tremendous or someone's arm got twisted because the track seemed to be going along fine in 1962.

            Most descriptions of this Poughkeepsie - based race track of the past mention locating the radio tower for a local radio station and you will have the spot where this track operated. I have never had much information on the track, but it occurred to me that 1.) the track doesn't get all that much attention and 2.) I have enough for a modest page on it. So here goes ! 

           Many pieces in both the Journal and the Kingston Daily Freeman refer to an A. Masicro as running the track, but a man named Carl Sage [the airport manager] apparently began as track operator. The track seemed to be under the sanction of the Eastern Mutual Racing Club [run by Ed Ryan] for a period of time. At some point, it was  taken over by the Hudson Valley Racing Association. A 1956 article names Bob Leonarggio as a "Co-promoter". Later on, towards 1960 Carl Watters seems to have been the promoter.


Courtesy of Roger Liller


This cutesy little ad from the municipality of Poughkeepsie's website  perhaps the most familiar single artifact
from the track.


From JTRacingmuse.com
A more recent find.


From Historic Aerials.com
An aerial photos shows the track, as it sat on Van Wagner Road in Poughkeepsie.


From Chas Hertica
Another advertisement brings back the confusion on whether the track had multiple names or
whether they just used the airport term to make it easier to find.

CARS OR TEAMS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED AT ARLINGTON


From Pam Maurer
This shot of Duke Dushensky, was - longest time - the only photo I had of anything at Arlington Speedway.

 

Bob McDowell Photo
From Roger Liller

The great Chauncey "Jokko" Maggiacommo, at Arlington.

Henry Ahlfs Photo
From Roger Liller and Dave  Dykes

Well - traveled Hal Mccarty
seen at Arlington.
 
Henry Ahlfs Photo
From Chas Hertica

Bobby Green, who also
raced at many tracks.
 
Virginia Winne Decker Collection
From Chas Hertica

Ray Anderson was one of many
drivers Arlington shared with
Onteora Speedway in Olive Bridge.

 
From Chas Hertica
Maurice "Rebel" Wheatley.

Bob McDowell Photo
From Phil Miller

The great D.D. "Rebel" Harris,
a Poughkeepsie native.
 
 
Rose Lovelace Collection
From Julie Lovelace

Theodore Lovelace.

From Walt Schubert Collection
From Roger Liller and Dave Dykes

A shot of D.D. Harris in Walt
Schubert's car, which was
often run at Lebanon Valley.
 
Bob McDowell Photo
From Roger Liller & Chas Hertica

Another ride for local boy [and great star] D.D. Harris - the
Louis Murasso TCP.

Bob Wilson Collection
From  Chas Hertica

Norm Barger.

Roger Liller Collection
From  Chas Hertica

A ride in t he Givens midget for D.D. Harris. Nice fire suit
Duncan.

 
Bob McDowell Photo
From Phil Miller

Harry Roosje. Try pronouncing that one. 
 
McDowell Photo via Ken Gypson
Stan Disbrow, also famous
as a midget driver.

 
Uncle Art Stuarts' L Valley Book
From  Chas Hertica

A win in the Langhorne
qualifier for D.D. Harris.
 
From Danny Minkler
Barry Tripp wins the Duke Washburn Memorial at Rhinebeck. Both drivers did race at Arlington.


From JTRacingmuse.com via Chas Hertica
Action with B52 Ray Anderson, 18 Ben Davis, and 16 Stan Bomba.

 


McDowell Photo From Phil Miller
Ted Seabiscuit

W. Mateer Photo From Joe Grossetti
Tom Dressel



McDowell Photo From Sam Barlow
Bob Devine

McDowell Photo From Ken Gypson
Bud Marl

McDowell Photo From Phil Miller
Stan Bomba

Poughkeepsie Journal Photo
Bud Hitsman

Bob Mackey  Photo From John Rock
Steve Danish


McDowell Photo From Phil Miller
Billy Boo
 
Ginny Ross Collection via Dick Hanson
Ray "Zero" Brown, also famed
as a midget driver.
 
Ginny Ross Collection via Dick Hanson
and Chas Hertica

New England's Whitey Brainard.

 
Chas Hertica Collection
Clyde Smith.
 
McDowell Photo From Phil Miller
Doug Benjamin
 
Morgan Photo See Creds on Photo
Stretch Van Steenberg
 
McDowell Photo From Phil Miller
Les Fowler
 
McDowell Photo From Phil Miller
Fred Bilyou

Courtesy of Steve Findley
Joe Campanella


From Amy Garrison Dauski via Chas Hertica
1962 Langhorne qualifiers, at least some. Amy got the page for her dad, Doug; but D.D. Harris is seen at the bottom.
Garrison was on another page, for another track.

 
Wannamaker Photo See Creds on Photo
Larry Shurter
 
Morgan Photo From Donna K. Mateer
and Joe Grossetti

Duke Southern
 
Morgan Photo From Donna K. Mateer
and Joe Grossetti

Doug Garrison, with a car typical of the area and year in his career.

Morgan Photo From Donna K. Mateer
and Joe Grossetti

Huck Spaulding, with a car typical of the area and year in his career.

 
Flemke.com Website
Chauncey "Jokko" Maggiacommo,
with his "Calfiornia Comet" car which was mentioned in one of the Arlington article I read.

 
N. E. Vintage Modified Photo
Ed Gauvin
 
McDowell Photo From Phil Miller
Pinky Disbrow
 
Danbury Racearean Site Photo
Bob Riley, with a later car.


Poughkeepsie Joournal Photo
A poor but significant photo of three drivers who would all go on to be leading figures at Lebanon Valley later.

   
Doug Dulgarian Coll. via Chas Hertica
Jake Rassiga's former DD Harris
AAA car.

 

Poughkeepsie Journal
1951 Advertisement

Poughkeepsie Journal
1952 Advertisement 
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1953 Advertisement


Kingston Daily Freeman
1954 Advertisement
 
 
Kingston Daily Freeman
1955 Advertisement
 
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1956 Advertisement


 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1957 Advertisement
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1958 Advertisement
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1959 Advertisement
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1960 Advertisement
   
Poughkeepsie Journal
1961 Advertisement

Poughkeepsie Journal
1962 Advertisement 
   


Courtesy of Roger Liller


Courtesy of Roger Liller
This article mentions some very prominent names in early '50's stock car racing. Fred Sheppard and Steve Danish, once partners, are included although
I doubt the track was a regular stop for Danish. Ed Ryan had attracted Danish, Sheppard, Fiske, Langlois, and Roberts, all drivers he also had
at Stateline Speedway. Spaulding was a top dog at Pine Bowl and Rhinebeck. Tom Dressel became a top driver at Lebanon Valley.

SOME SIGNIFICANT CLIPPINGS FROM VARIOUS YEARS


Poughkeepsie Journal
Eastern Mutual Racing Club would end up sanctioning the track for a while. This was 1951, in the midst of NY's crackdown on racing. The track would suffer outrage from townspeople through until at east June.
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
An April article. The flap continued
through May.
 
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
 May 15, 1951. Sage would stage
the first show but have to postpone the next one.

 
Poughkeepsie Journal
A July 3 article. The track apparently weathered the
state crackdown and bitchy
townspeople.
Poughkeepsie Journal
April, 1952. Ready for another season. 

Kingston Daily Freeman
August 11, 1952. Ready for another Track turns it up a notch with Harvey Tattersall's "Grand National" division, in addition
to the regular races.


Kingston Daily Freeman
September, 1952. Certain drivers
began to establish themselves at the track; there were two of them.
D.D. Harris was another.

Poughkeepsie Journal
Part 2 of this 1953 article shows some of the big names at
Arlington that year.

Poughkeepsie Journal
Part 2 of this 1954 article shows some of the big names at
Arlington that year. Notice it's
mostly different than the
previous one.

Kingston Daily Freeman
1955 was the year that
Arlignton put a series of large
different weekly ads in the Kingston paper. This is very
similar to what Burden Lake
Speedway did one year in
their history - those being in
the Troy Times Record.
 
Kingston Daily Freeman
1955 was the year that
Arlignton put a series of large
different weekly ads in the Kingston paper. Here is another.
Poughkeepsie Journal
1955 saw some new faces in
Victory Lane. Besides Sabato,
Herron was another.
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1955 saw some new faces in Victory Lane. Bud Hitsman may
have been another.
 
 
Poughkeepsie Journal
1956 apparently was not a
high water mark. An article about the track office being burlarized was one of the few I could find.
The track did have a date with the short - lived NASCAR midget division.

Poughkeepsie Journal
By 1957, Bud Hitsman may
have been the hot item at
Arlington. Sparse coverage.
 

 
 
KIngston Daily Freeman
1957 saw the track stage a very presumptuous - named 150 Lapper. it would be won by Joe Campanella and was a disappointment. 

Poughkeepsie Journal
1958 appears to have been much like 1957. 
Poughkeepsie Journal
In 1959 it appears that the track
was sharing cars with Lebanon Valley.
 Nothing formal. 

Poughkeepsie Journal
Opening 1959 under promotion
of Carl Watters.



Poughkeepsie Journal
Going with the new go-kart
craze sweeping the Northeast.

Poughkeepsie Journal
In 1960, Rassiga, MItchell and
Turene are some new names in
VIctoy Lane.

Poughkeepsie Journal
Langhorne qualifier, like so many
other tracks ran in September.

Poughkeepsie Journal
1961 End of track can be seen.

Poughkeepsie Journal
Harris wins Langhorne qualifier, both in 1961 and 1962

Poughkeepsie Journal
Last program ever at track
was racing and a massive
demo derby [100 cars].


Courtesy of Roger Liller  Likely Poughkeepsie Journal
A very important clipping - the very first race program.

SOME VESTIGES OF ARLINGTON BY JEFF LAMBERT

 
Jeff Lambert Photo
Hard to tell much except
they did a lot of dumping
on the site after it closed.
 
Jeff Lambert Photo
Pretty much the same view,
a little over to one side.
 
Jeff Lambert Photo
One of the turns probably.
 
Jeff Lambert Photo
Hard to tell much.
 

 
Google Maps Photo
Looks like an outline of a track behind the building. This is a far more recent aerial.

Return to the Main Page
Return to the Main News Page
Return to the All Links Page