Dont Let This Happen To Your Local Short Track

Dont Let This Happen To Your Local Short Track

By: Pete MacDonald

Last Friday during lunch I decided to take a ride past where East Windsor Speedway once was. I haven’t been there since the race track was on the property, and was wondered what it was like now that its fully developed. Now I really wish I didn’t; it’s now a full blown development. You can’t imagine that a race track where Pauch, Horton, Hoffman, Brightbill, Hendrickson, Johnson, Reutimann and Dmuchowski once battled their outlaw machines around a half mile of black “gumbo” clay.

As soon as we made the right onto Airport road, I had a feeling in my stomach. One that I’ve never ever felt before, almost like someone had reached in and pulled it out. I spent many Friday nights at EWS as a kid; I couldn’t wait until school would end on Friday and take the ride with my dad to Windsor. We really don’t know what we have got until it’s gone. I don’t know what I would give to go back to having two race tracks within a half hour of each other running on opposite days.

To add insult to injury after pulling up the satellite view on Google Maps, the development somewhat mirrors how the track used to be laid out.

Going to EWS on a Friday for the first time in many years brought back a lot of emotions. It’s somewhat surreal like you don’t believe it’s gone until you see it for yourself. It was an eye opener for sure, like something just wasn’t right about the way it all ended. Almost like going to a funeral for a loved one.

As I stood there and listened to the silence of what used to be, I can still hear announcer Jeff Gravatt saying, “here come the modifieds!” The field would charge down the front stretch to the green flag. Johnny Ice Cream walking up and down the grandstands with his cart filled with popcorn and Italian ice. Their INCREDIBLE firework show lighting up the sky on the fourth of July weekend. You can’t forget the “Fan Favorite, Driver’s Nightmare, Run Whatcha Brung “Twin 20s programs.

  Certain “Fans” complain left and right about how race tracks are prepped, what type of surface they are, who and what divisions’ race there and that’s their prerogative.  If a racetrack is able to open its gates on a weekly basis you shouldn’t bash it. More and more people are so quick to jump the gun and complain about the problem, but do they truly offer a solution to help fix it?

If these “fans” took their time to do research on the way things are instead of instantly complaining the sport would be better off.

Please get out and support your local race track as often as you. One day there may not be any left to support.

I can be emailed at info@racersguide.com or found on Twitter @PMacDonald51, Thanks for reading!