RPW Exclusive: Fonda Speedway…The Very First Season

Column By: TOBY LAGRANGE / RPW – FONDA, NY – The year was 1914 and during this year Mother’s Day was designated as a holiday, the Panama Canal opened and the first commercial airline held their first commercial flight. Specifically, there is a date in late summer that should interest all race fans, especially those in the western reaches of New York’s Capital Region.

That date – August 22nd, is a date known widely as the day of the Battle of Rossignol. This was a particularly bloody battle early in the first World War where the German forces defeated the French (and Allied powers that would include the United States three years later).

In racing terms this was the day that the Fonda Speedway, later known as the Track of Champions was born. While the Fonda Fair dates back 178 years and having hosted horse racing for many years prior to this date, the date August 22nd, 1914 is the first date in recorded history as having automobiles compete in racing events at the track.

The year 1914 would see five different race dates make up the very first track schedule. Each event would consist of an “Automobile Class” and a “Motorcycle Class”, except for one. The Automobiles (mainly from Chalmers Motor Company) are basically the Dirt Modifieds of 1914, stock cars that basically you would see on the street. The forerunner to the early coupes. The five events would see ten races held. The Motorcycle’s would run five races over four events.

That very first event on August 22nd would see two races run, one at ten laps and one at 20. Each event was won by Amsterdam, New York’s Bobby Stewart. Charles Snyder and Ivan Wheaten, each of Amsterdam, would finish second and third in both events. Herbert Painter of Gloversville, New York would win the Motorcycle event.

September 8th would be the second race date with a different kind of racing program offered to the unknown crowd size. The Eliminator Race would be a time trial event that seemingly resembles the Bill Ag Memorial Match Races held at the track in honor of the late Winners Circle Restaurant (Fonda, NY) owner Bill Anagnostopulos. Picking up the win was Edward Conover of Gloversville.

Four days later, September 12th the Fairgrounds came alive again with auto races. A 20-lap event as well as a 40-lap event were contested. Imagine the old cars of the time going 40 laps around the Fonda Speedway…that had to be entertaining to watch! Stewart picked up the win in the 20 lapper over S.D. Jones and Wheaten while Wheaten won the 40 lapper over Stewart and Jones. Painter again won the Motorcycle event.

On September 19th the same format was held that was held a week earlier with Stewart again winning the 20-lap event (remainder of the top three were not reported) while Arthur Hassenfuss won the 40-lap event over Jones and Stewart. J.M. Dolan of Rochester was the Motorcycle winner.

The season finale would take place on October 10th with Jones winning both the ten and 30 lap events. Wheaten would finish second in both events with Shield (no first name given) of Syracuse and Bert Robinson finishing third. For the first time two Motorcycle events were held with Melvin Jones of Gloversville winning the ten-lap event and Dolan the 20-lap event.

After the 1914 season the racing at the fairgrounds would be sporadic until 1948 when weekly racing was tried again. It didn’t work very well but Buddy Sherman was crowned track champion. Weekly racing as we know it today started in 1953 with Fonda Speedway Hall of Famer Steve Danish picking up his first of what would be three track championships.

With the demise of the New York State Fairgrounds, the Fonda Speedway became the oldest active track in New York State with the Orange County Fair Speedway second, five years younger (8/16/1919). The Middletown oval does hold the distinction of the oldest weekly program as they started running weekly in 1950, three years before Fonda.

A big thank you to the late Andy Fusco for his hard work that found the newspaper clippings showing Fonda’s first season. If it was not for his presentation during the Lost Speedway’s program at the Saratoga Automobile Museum just before he passed away, none of this history would have been brought to light.

Also, a big thank you to all of the track promoters that have kept racing going since 1914. From the first pioneer 105 years ago to current track promoter Brett Deyo, each has had a hand in preserving history and ensuring that new chapters in the biggest history book in our little slice of the sports world, keep getting added.

From a born and raised Fonda boy, a sincere Happy Birthday to the unmatched Track of Champions. Here is to at least another 105 years.