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Vineland Speedway heroes to reunite at NJMP
The race reunion is just one part of an exciting weekend which includes the ARCA RE/MAX Series, America’s most diverse stock car tour, which returns to road-course racing for the first time since 2001 and marks only the 10th time in ARCA/RE-MAX history since its debut in 1958. The weekend also includes SCCA Pro Racing bringing several classes including SPEED World Challenge GT, and the Volkswagen TDI Cup Series. Formula BMW will add open wheel excitement to the weekend with their FB2 racecar driver development series. VINELAND SPEEDWAY HISTORY Long before the staccato roars of high speed race cars were ever to grace NJMP’s lightning fast straightaways and sweeping bends, motor racing was very much alive and well in Southern New Jersey. Elton Hildreth, Frankie Schneider and Wally Dallenbach headline a large gathering of Garden State Vintage Stock Car Club’s beautifully crafted racecars from the 1950 through 1970s era. The brightly colored vintage racers will be on display for paddock viewing and will perform on track as well.
From 1954 through 1956, the track surface was dirt and attracted the very best dirt tracking broadsliders including nationally recognized hot shoes Frankie Schneider in his red “Deuce” coupe and local hero Al Tasnady in his red #44 coach. Starting positions for the feature race were determined by finishing positions in qualifying heat races. By feature time, night had fallen and the roar of the motors, the sweet smell of the racing oil and the alcohol fueled flames billowing from the exhaust pipes set the stage for many a memorable battle between these two arch rivals. Frankie and Al won more than their fair share of feature races before moving onto other dirt tracks at Flemington NJ and Nazareth PA when Vineland was paved for the 1957 season.
The intensity of their rivalry reflected a struggle between the old guard of racing and the challengers to their throne. Just as Schneider had, Hildreth had his roots very much in the formative years of NASCAR’s Grand National Division. Elton won many races on short tracks throughout the Northeast. He competed in fifty-one Nextel Cup Series events in his career, spanning from 1952 to 1957. Elton would go on to perhaps his greatest racing achievement with a victory over national rivals in a 250 mile race at the super fast banked Trenton Speedway in 1964. Dallenbach would continue to move up the racing ladder with great success in USAC’s open wheel Indy Car racing division. He drove in 180 Indy Car races between 1965 and 1979, winning five times. Dallenbach nearly won the 1975 Indianapolis 500, dueling with A. J. Foyt for many laps. He led for half of the race, but blew a piston on lap 162. He is the father of NASCAR driver and commentator, Wally Dallenbach, Jr. Feedback can be sent to feedback@autoracing1.com Go to our forums to discuss this article |
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