Posted 3 years ago
K45389
(63 items)
These 3 slides, and my memories, are the only reminders I have left of my grandpaps venture into the motorcycle race track operations he got into for a brief time in the late 1960's in western Pa. He built this "Scramble" track and a short drag strip on his farm. I was only 6 to 8 years old during this time frame of two years. I remember the dust kicked up, even though he and my uncle oiled the track prior to race days. I remember the noise. The scramble track featured a steep hill climb. One slide shows the bikes after accending that hill. The crowds were large. What amazes me is how the traffic got to the race site using a nearly mile long single lane driveway made of stone and dirt and very little chances of not meeting someone driving in the opposite direction. There was always an ambulance on site, just in case. The driver was my grandpaps friend who was off duty on race days and happened to have access to the ambulance. I remember the checker flag hanging in my grandpaps basement years later. He gave out trophies and everything. My job the following days, along with my brothers, sister and cousins were to use a poking stick to pick up the garbage and trash left behind. Our reward.....a free candy bar! Fast forward to the year 2000. While in Daytona Beach on vacation my buddy and I stopped in at Miller's. A well known cycle shop. Upon leaving the counter to walk out we were stopped by an elderly long haired guy who was sitting low, in an old automobile seat at the door. He asked where we were from. We told him Beaver Falls, Pa. He said, man, I used to race there. Damn, what a small world. He named a bunch of towns from the area so I knew he was telling the truth. He said Yeah, I remember that track. I asked who he was. Um, Mr. Miller, HIMSELF! I believe he was from the West Virginia area during the race track years before moving to Florida and opening his shop.
very cool ...