FONDA SPEEDWAY A Premier Track in New York Whose Drivers Often Drove in Vermont

FONDA SPEEDWAY
A Premier Track in New York Whose Drivers Often Drove in Vermont

In the part of Vermont where I came from, NASCAR was not sanctioning any tracks. But, when we traveled to either the small Otter Creek Speedway in Vergennes, or if we ventured over to Fonda, I would get to see stars from Fonda Speedway, the track which was arguably the mecca for racing in our region - in the era of the 1960's. Ed Feuz and Jim Gage decided to field stock car races at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds race track.

In this promotional photo from the first year, [from left - Walt Roberts, Herb Roots, Spence Parkhurst, and Steve Danish pose with their cars to raise area interest in the new track.
By this time, Roberts, Danish, and Parkhurst had all competed at Vermont tracks like
Pico Raceway and Stateline Speedway. Roots may have, too.

Prior to the 1953 opening of Fonda, races were already being held in a number of New York locations, as well as West Brattleboro, Vermont; Pico Raceway, in Rutland, Vermont; Fairmont Motor Park, in Fair Haven, Vermont, and Mettowee Speedway, a Granville location that was very near Vermont. Pico was seeing the likes of Steve Danish [Cropseyville], Spencer Parkhurst [Saratoga Springs], Walt Roberts [Poughkeepsie ?], Howard "Jeep Herbert [Rotterdam]; Pete Corey [Crescent], "Jollie Ollie" Palmer [Westmere], and a host of other New Yorkers who were looking for places to race in their new, burgeoning sport. Stateline was hosting these runners and more - including George Baumgardner [Saratoga], Joe Wunderlich [West Sand Lake], Link Pettit, and more.

New Yorker Link Pettit slides his way through Turn Three at Pico Raceway.
Several of the New Yorkers who frequented Pico ended up at Fonda
[but not Link, who ran Lebanon Valley].

It became evident, early on, [even before races commenced] that Fonda was going to be a prima location for New York racing; and the enthusiasm was tangible. Hence, everyone in the region who wanted to be in the ground floor of the operation made a mad dash for the first gatherings at Fonda. Les King, one of the Northeast's premier racing photographers tells how he, Chet Hames [the flagger], and a local announcer named Wildy would make a circuit of local tracks, handling those necessary duties for the various managements.

Chuck Kotwicka, of Utica, Fonda's first ever feature winner, is trophied by
co-promoter Ed Fuez, left, and by Sally Whitbeck Gage, wife of co-promoter Jim Gage.

When the word of Fonda reached them , the trio was ready to jump. Hames and Wildy headed for Fonda and King, for an unknown reason, missed their departure. Desperate to get the Fonda photographer's stand gig, he began hitchhiking to Fonda. Just before Les made it to the Montgomery Fairgrounds location, Russ Bergh, a rival, sought out Gage or Feuz and got the job.

After a rough start, with small fields and some track surface issues, the track grew incredibly fast into what came to be known as "The Track of Champions", and deservedly so. And, when some of its great stars would make occasional forays into Vermont to race somewhere and go home with the locals' prize money, it was a treat [at least for the fans]. Steve Danish won one of his last features in Fair Haven; Jerry Townley won one of his only wins in the #108 in Rutland; New Yorker and future Fonda regular Jerry Cook had his car [driven then by Ken Meahl] win one of its first races at Vergennes. These are a few of the stories that furthered the Fonda mystique in Vermont. Ironically, today, Vermonters like Dave Camara and Johnny Scarborough go to Fonda and come back with the prize money - frequently.

Jerry Townley, when with the Thomas Chewins 108, took a fairly easy win at
the Vermont State Fair track in the early 1960's, beating out a field
of out-gunned locals.

Danish Family Photo Steve Danish, Cropseyville, NY Drove at Pico, Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee, Ashland Park	John Grady Photo Jeep Herbert, Rotterdam, NY Drove at Pico, Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee	John Grady Photo Pete Corey, Crescent, NY Drove at Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee	Photographer Unknown Ken Shoemaker, Schenectady, NY Drove at Fairmont, Stateline
Photo from Bob Novak George Baumgardner, Saratoga, NY Drove at Pico, Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee, Otter Creek, Ashland Park	Fonda History Bk. Photo Walt Roberts, Catskill, NY Drove at Pico,Stateline, Mettawee	Fonda History Bk. Photo Spence Parkhurst, Saratoga Spr., NY Drove at Pico, Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee, Ashland Park	McDowell Photo Jollie Ollie Palmer, Albany, NY Drove at Pico, Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee
Otto Graham Site Photo Tom Kotary, Rome, NY Drove at Stateline, Otter Creek	Courtesy of Rick Luke Jim Luke, Utica, NY	Otto Graham Site Photo Dutch Reed, Glens Falls, NY Drove at Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee, Dutch Reed, Dev.Bowl	Courtesy of Mike Russo Irv Taylor, Crescent, NY
John Grady Photo Don Hendenberg, Lee Ctr., NY 1st Dave McCready Car	Fonda History Bk Photo Don Courtney, Schenectady, NY Walt Roberts' Car	Fonda History Bk Photo Cliff Kotary, Rome, NY Mike Michaels' Car	Otto Graham Site Photo Ken DeLong, Glens Falls, NY Drove at Fairmont, Stateline, Mettawee, Ashland Park, Otter Creek
Fusco Collection Smokey Stover, Glens Falls, NY Drove at Ashland Park	Otto Graham Site Photo Joe Ciganenko, Richfield Spr., NY	Fonda History Photo Chuck Kotwicka, Utica, NY	Otto Graham Site Photo Otto Graham, Burlington, NY
John Grady Collection Larry Norgrove, Colonie, NY	Schenectady Collection Willie Chest, Canajoharie, NY	Schenectady Collection Who is this? He looks familiar	Schenectady Collection Johnny Perry, Ephrata, NY Red Knoblach's 13
John Grady Collection According to John Grady, Rollie Johnson owned the "Miss Pauline" #77 before Richard Welch. This shows Rollie and Ed Pieniazek. Need help with the others.	John Grady Collection Guy Chartrand, Montreal, Can.	John Grady Collection Ray Sitterly, Amsterdam, NY Ray always had nice cars.	John Grady Collection Paul Marshall, Schenectady, NY A huge man.

Bill Ladabouche Photo Looking from the stands toward Turn 4	Bill Ladabouche Photo The announcer's and judges' stand. The dragstrip is seen behind and the Mohawk River is in the distance.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Gigi Conover's junker cars prepare to go out and run in the track. The road to the Thruway is in the distance, and the famous Graveyard is that white line over the 2nd car from left.
Bill Ladabouche Photo The water truck would run for hours and hours, turning the track into what would appear to be an undrivable quagmire.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Looking to Turn 1. That tractor thing with multiple tires is running in the track surface. You can also see the ticket entrance.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Looking at Turn 4, and the Cow Palace behind it, as the Conover Auto Parts cars run in the track.
	Bill Ladabouche Photo Early arrivers find ways to pass the time.