WARRENSBURGH SPEEDWAY aka ASHLAND PARK SPEEDWAY

Note: The track also has its own, separate page on the site : http://catamountstadium.com/ashland_park.htm

OLD RACING  RESULTS

          The track in Warrensburgh, NY was one of those seminal venues that, though it did not survive into the 1960's, was instrumental in establishing a lot of what racing in New York state became. Whether we know it as Ashland Park Speedway [named after Mr. Ashe who promoted for a while] or Warrensburgh Speedway, the old fairgrounds site played a key role in auto racing particularly in the 1950's.

         The site, once an active fairgrounds, was  used for a while as a horse racing oval according to Warrensburgh native Ben Gurney. He recalls the old men gathering around the paddock building and talking horses before adjourning to the Ashe Hotel, located at the fairgrounds entrance, for a few cold ones. Ben recalls the car races as well and the grandstands mysteriously burning around 1960.

         Warrensburgh began car racing with occasional open wheel races, including such greats as Hank Gritzback and Rollie Johnson. Later the tracks was in an informal circuit for roadster racing with Champlain Speedway [Ticondergoa] and Trout Lake Speedway [Bolton's Landing]. Stock cars ran there throughout most of the 1950's. The track supplied many of C.J. RIchards' earlier competitors when he first re-opened Fairmont Speedway in 1962.

        Warrensburg attracted competitors from the Saratoga/Glens Falls region [especially because of its relationship with Whites Beach Speedway. It also seems to have gotten some teams from Vermont. This page is looking at the names on the results lists and trying to put a photo with as many as possible - and explanations wherever possible.

LATE 1940's OPEN WHEEL RACING

Courtesy of Dan Ody The famed old grandstands are visible in this shot of Rollie Johnson's car on the track at Warrensburgh.	Courtesy of Dan Ody The J.R. Earl wrecker and stands are visible in this shot of Hank Gritzback's car on the track at Warrensburgh.	Courtesy of Dan Ody Shot from the grandstands, this photo is very special because almost every photo at Warrensburgh is taken looking from the infield - not at it.
The Warrensburgh News Big cars and sprint cars. I have no photo of Harry Echart, unfortunately.	The Warrensburgh News Big cars and sprint cars. I have a photo of Hank Gritzback, both above and below.	The Warrensburgh News Big cars and sprint cars. I have photos of Whitbeck and Gallione below.
Courtesy of Bob Jefferson Edward "Eddie" Gallione, Schenectady, NY.	Courtesy of Otto Graham Henry "Hank" Gritzbach, Schenectady, NY.	Courtesy of Carl Sweigert Collection via Don Radbruch Robert "Bob" WHitbeck, Canajoharie, NY.
	Courtesy of Dan Ody Kenneth "Kenny" Gallup, Albany, NY Ernie Elliott's Sprinter

1950's STOCK CAR RACING

Courtesy of Ben Gurney Results from 1952. Tom Bennett drove a number of cars; Jr. ballard, from Hoosic Falls, NY later appeared at Fairmont with a big Buick hobby class car; Wally LaBelle drove a lot but I have no good photo yet. Bob McDowell Photo via Phil Miller Leo Nadeau.	Bob McDowell Photo Courtesy of Dan Ody Ed Coon. Ed Feuz Collection via Fonda Book Earl Maille. Photo via Starin Family Ken Darling could be a misprint. This is famed driver Ken Delong.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock George Baumgardner at Warrensburgh with the exact car mentioned in the results listing. Bob McDowell Photo via C.J. Richards Spence Parkhurst with the exact car mentioned in the results listing..
Pennock Family Collection Photo via Dick Pennock Nelson Moore with the Pennock Super 38. With him is future driver Jerry Pennock.	Bob McDowell Photo via Warrensburgh Historical Society Karl Duell, Jr. Can't tell the full number. From Dan Odys's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's The blue car directly behind #13 was the KD3. Renumbered 43, it was being driven then by Dick Germaine. From Dan Odys's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's The white car closest to camera is the Whitehall - based 5&10, shown here driven by sometimes Warrensburgh driver Bob LaBarge. The listing calls it 5-10.	From Dan Odys's 8MM Old SPeedways DVD's Steve Bouplon.  Photo via Tom Stover Smokey Stover, shown here at left with the Pennock family. The car he drove in the results was the Spence Parkhurst car. From Dan Odys's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's Wally LaBelle sometimes drove the Athol, NY Hudson SUPER 6, shown here at Whites Beach as the yellow car. I have no photos of the #1.
From Dan Odys's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's Hank Schmidt, Gansevoort, NY.	Courtesy of Ron Hoffer Fred Winchell's usual car. Ladabouche Photo  Ed Baker, with the same car, renumbered from Super 6 to 6 Pack - 10 years later.	Ladabouche Photo  The Bob Lanphear 19, most likely. Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock  This is Joe Carter - most likely the Carter mentioned in the results.
	Shoemaker Family Collection  Clff LaRose, owner of the Fire Two, sits on his car with young driver Kenny Shoemaker, who drive it before Steve Phillips.  Ed Feuz Collection via the Fonda Book  Ken Delong, K9, at Fonda. Mitch T Photo  Art Pratt is said to be the last car in this lineup in California.	Bob Mackey Photo via Ken Gypson  Nelson Moore with the Loomis brothers P38 out of Granville, NY. via Rick Rudoph  Art Pratt advanced from roadster racing, to eventually sprint cars out West. [Left] Here, he tried promoting races in his hometown.
	From Dan Odys's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's Al Parry, Saratoga Springs, NY. From the Vogel Family Collection Ted Vogel, Sr, Granville, NY.
	Ladabouche Photo Kenny Guilder, Corinth, NY Warrensburgh Historical Society Photo Emmett Witherall.	Herbert Family Photo Jeep Herbert, Rotterdam, NY
	LeFrancois Family Photo via Mark LeFrancois George Rogers, Castleton, VT Ted Vogel Jr Photo This is possibly the "Yellow 1" referred to as Wally LaBelle's in many results here.	Bob Frazier Photo via Norm Vadnais A better shot of the car that originally came to Fairmont as the KD3. Here, it is driven by Skip Wilcox.
	Courtesy of Bud Brooks Dave Brooks, Manchester, VT Courtesy of Jerry King George Connors, Danby, VT	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock A car T7 at Airborne. Can't be sure if it is the same car.
	Courtesy of Warrensburgh Hist. Society The Vern Baker Super 6, at home. It had been driven first by Wally LaBelle and later by Ed Baker [no relation]. Courtesy of Warrensburgh Hist. Society Spencer Parkhurst, with his car at Warrensburgh. The car driven by him, Smokey Stover, and George Baumgardner - all Saratogians.	Courtesy of Bud Brooks Gene Teterault of Manchester Depot, VT lined up beside the F40 of Hank Schmidt. LeFrancois Family Photo via Mark LeFrancois George Pritchard, Castleton, VT

OTHER EARLY WARRENSBURGH STOCK CAR ENTRANTS RECENTLY FOUND 

Courtesy of George Hunt Joe Spellburg, West Glens Falls, NY It is possible[but less likely]  that this is the car #1 often"referred to with Wally LaBelle. They came from the same town.

Courtesy of Dick Pennock Dick Pennock, Warrensburgh, NY  Bought this family entry that had belonged to his father and another man - at the end of the track's history.

Courtesy of The Hackel Family Some outside possibity that this is the Shell 88 referred to as driven by Frank Weir. I don't see a Shell ad, however.

Courtesy of The Hackel Family A car 37 that may be a different 37 than the car shown above. If a different entry, it could also be the Wetherall car.

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