Utica Rome Speedway

[Stockerstang]

I was wondering if anyone out there remembers racing at Utica Rome Dragstrip. It was an 1/8 mile track that also had a paved oval where drag racers would pit on saturday night... on sunday they had modifieds race there. The track was located in Vernon NY. Thats upstate NY about 30 miles East of Syracuse. The track used to have some big SS/Stk races there in the 60's and 70's as well as booked in funny car shows (Phil Castronova, Don Schumacher, Al Graber, Jungle Jim with Clare Sanders behind the wheel etc.
Just posting this to see if anyone remembers the track.

[Joe Hertline]

My dad got his start racing at Utica-Rome dragway back in the 70's. Used to be a lot of super stockers in central new york. I never got to see any racing there as they changed it to a dirt oval in the late 70's/early 80's, but I've heard plenty of stories about the awesome bite on the concrete starting line and the saturday night air. The place is still around and they pack in quite a few to watch the dirt modifieds. You can still see the starting line in the infield and the cleared tree line where the track used to be. Too bad they shut it down, it would be sweet to still have a track 15 minutes from home.

[SC1317]

My story is about the same as Joe's. My Dad and uncle would go and race something they put together out there. Definately sounded like good times. My Dad has some amazing stories, alot of side betting, blown engines and great racing! Wish I could have been there!

[rich freitag]

I raced there in the early 70's untill it closed. I ran my 69 AMX 390 ,4speed ,posi.,Back then I drove my car about 40 miles ,raced it and drove home hoping nothing broke. We all ran class,stock/super stock, gas ,modified production,etc. Many ,well wait.. all.. no lets just say we were are all FAMOUS ! Come on guys, give yourselves a pat on your back. It won't cost you anything, it's cheap. Lets see , cheap is $5 to get in and $1 to race. That is what it cost at Utica Rome. Lets take a walk in the pits,over here is BOB HERTLINE"s SS/HA Camaro,there was BILL RUSSELL"s Chevy wagon the MAGIC BUS, ROGER FORBE's SS Matchmaker Camaro, the Blue VENOM Camaro, CHARLENE WOOD's "Tons of Fun" Pontiac Wagon, RALPH CONTE & HERM SCHREMER 'S Mighty MOPARS and so many more. Moving on , the Modifieds... MOE HALE's "Hangman" 55 Chevy, RICHIE FORBE's "Kong" Camaro, CURT LaSHURE's Opel, GORDY HMIEL's Pinto, PETE DeSALVO's Mustang II, and BOB NEWBERRY's Vette. All these cars are making me hungry, which brings me to their famous hotdogs...First off they were Hoffman, 10" long in a 5" bun. Best dogs ever... Also, I'll never forget when DON GARTLITS and SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY did a match race there. There were also other now famous people who ran there. I still have my AMX, my trophies, many, many pictures from Utica-Rome, ESTA and Fulton, and best of all , my memories...

[KEN BUGAJ]

Originally Posted by rich freitag

I raced there in the early 70's untill it closed. I ran my 69 AMX 390 ,4speed ,posi.,Back then I drove my car about 40 miles ,raced it and drove home hoping nothing broke. We all ran class,stock/super stock, gas ,modified production,etc. Many ,well wait.. all.. no lets just say we were are all FAMOUS ! Come on guys, give yourselves a pat on your back. It won't cost you anything, it's cheap. Lets see , cheap is $5 to get in and $1 to race. That is what it cost at Utica Rome. Lets take a walk in the pits,over here is BOB HERTLINE"s SS/HA Camaro,there was BILL RUSSELL"s Chevy wagon the MAGIC BUS, ROGER FORBE's SS Matchmaker Camaro, the Blue VENOM Camaro, CHARLENE WOOD's "Tons of Fun" Pontiac Wagon, RALPH CONTE & HERM SCHREMER 'S Mighty MOPARS and so many more. Moving on , the Modifieds... MOE HALE's "Hangman" 55 Chevy, RICHIE FORBE's "Kong" Camaro, CURT LaSHURE's Opel, GORDY HMIEL's Pinto, PETE DeSALVO's Mustang II, and BOB NEWBERRY's Vette. All these cars are making me hungry, which brings me to their famous hotdogs...First off they were Hoffman, 10" long in a 5" bun. Best dogs ever... Also, I'll never forget when DON GARTLITS and SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY did a match race there. There were also other now famous people who ran there. I still have my AMX, my trophies, many, many pictures from Utica-Rome, ESTA and Fulton, and best of all , my memories...

Super Hugger
Foxy Lady
Flash Back
Conklin/Conklin
Mr. Z
Pied Pipper
Joe Kinney
Bill Plage
Bob Humphrey
We had a blast there,
Double points/double money nights were packed,
New Jersey Boys came up
Peter's Cheater/ Pete Fedun
Wally Clark
Pete Z
Hart/Todd (prospector)
Baker/Evans
Stormalong
We would start at Utica Rome then head out to Esta for Sunday....

[Ryck Campbell]

Ah, those WERE the days, weren't they Kenny?


RC

[KEN BUGAJ]

Originally Posted by Ryck Campbell

Ah, those WERE the days, weren't they Kenny?


RC

Hey Ryck, Yes they were !
Hope all is well with you.
If anyone has any picture's I sure would like to see them.
Like the night the Jet Car blew the popcorn stand over. lol

[philip a harnden]

I RACED THERE ONLY COUPLE TIMES, I REMEMBER THAT YOU COULD NOT DO STATIONARY BURN OUT YOU HAD TO KEEP MOVING. WAS THAT ESTA OR UTICA ROME????


HI, R.C. & KEN "b"


PHIL HARNDEN
SS/IA 1474

[Ryck Campbell]

Ken, you had to mention that popcorn stand. That brings back both good and bad memories. Remember, my ex was the starter back then. BTW, that's a bad memory; the ex that is, not the popcorn stand.

RC

[Brien Radley]

I still have pictures of Big Daddy and Shirley in the pits at Utica- Rome. What a place! I used to haul my 70 Cuda on a 1967 International flatbed truck over there on Saturdays and then to ESTA on Sundays. Wasn`t that long ago, was it?

Brien Radley