  Cycledetroit Member Username: Cycledetroit Post Number: 67 Registered: 09-2008 |
My father was telling my about the motor city speedway, does anyone remember this? He grew up at 8 and Schoeneer. HE could see a little bit of the track from the roof of his front porch. He went to East Detroit , class of 1970. He also remembers hunting behind rogers roost bar, and going to jefferson beach. I love hearing him talk about the city!! | ||
Eastburn Member Username: Eastburn Post Number: 557 Registered: 03-2008 |
I grew up 5 blocks south of 8 Mile & a few blocks east of Gratiot. I could hear the cars as I lay in bed at night. My Dad took me there a few times to watch the old model stock cars and midgets. Cool! There were stories of a notorious gambling den named "Clarks" nearby. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 3908 Registered: 01-2005 |
Monday night races were a regular at Motor City Speedway, and were carried on Ch. 7. Had great ratings for a local show on prime time. Announcer was the late Fred Wolf, and he was just super for describing the races. Iggy Katona was probably my favorite at the time. We're talking the early fifties here. Was a lot of fun on a short track in the pre-NASCAR days. | ||
Larryinflorida Member Username: Larryinflorida Post Number: 3370 Registered: 02-2007 |
http://www.waterwinterwonderla nd.com/speed.asp?id=1652&type= 9 | ||
Larryinflorida Member Username: Larryinflorida Post Number: 3371 Registered: 02-2007 |
http://maps.live.com/default.a spx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=42.4523 7~-82.98317&style=h&lvl=17&til t=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=56 23687&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encT ype=1 | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 341 Registered: 08-2007 |
One of our neighbors raced there. I can recall Fred Wolf announcing the races. For some reason the name Mickey Catlin comes to mind. We never went to the races but I remember driving past the race track on the north side of 8 Mile Rd.. | ||
Bobl Member Username: Bobl Post Number: 225 Registered: 07-2008 |
We could hear the cars from our home in East Detroit. When the Speedway was abandoned, we called it "pollywog paradise", because of the numerous tadpoles and frogs that moved in. | ||
Turkeycall Member Username: Turkeycall Post Number: 80 Registered: 09-2008 |
My dad took me to the races at Motor City once when I was real young, maybe 1956-7. I remember it was quarter-midgets. I remember the races being shown on Channel 7, too. Everyone has mentioned Fred Wolf as announcer, but, unless I'm confused, I seem to remember Johnny Slagle as announcer. Well, 50 years dims the memory. Whoever the announcer was, he presented a trophy to the drivers who rolled their cars - the "Upside-down Club." | ||
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal Post Number: 76 Registered: 10-2007 |
I missed Motor City Speedway by a few years, as it closed sometime in the late '50s, but I sure remember my grandfather, uncle, and older cousins talking about it. I had a great uncle who owned a largish piece of land very nearby in what became East Detroit, and you apparently could hear the cars (and see the dust cloud) very well from there. I believe the track was originally built as a 1/2 mile track back in the '30s and then shortened to a 1/4 mile bullring sometime later on to get more of the action in front of the spectators. Grandpa always took us out to the asphalt track in Mt. Clemens to see racing - another great venue that's now gone. That place was so much fun and I was very sad to see it go. We also went over to Windsor a few times to the track out near the airport, also closed now. I really love the short tracks, and used to go to Spartan Speedway regularly when I was going to school up there. Are there any short tracks left near the Detroit area? Is Flat Rock still operating? | ||
Kensingtony Member Username: Kensingtony Post Number: 33 Registered: 09-2008 |
Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways are still operating as are Dixie and Auto City Speedways. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 1313 Registered: 03-2006 |
http://www.racereview.com/mich igan.htm | ||
Slick Member Username: Slick Post Number: 38 Registered: 02-2008 |
Shall I start a Fred Wolf Forum. I think he may have done the races on TV, but he was another Detroit radio/TV pioneer. He was a good bowler that must have sprung him into the broadcasting career. He hosted Championship bowling on Sunday mornings, I think that was out of Chicago, though. He had a radio show on WXYZ in the morning for many years. Owned East Detroit Bowling alley for many years. That is where I saw and spoke to him. | ||
Slick Member Username: Slick Post Number: 39 Registered: 02-2008 |
post from JAJA, Posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 - 12:24 pm: Motor City Speedway ....jalopy races were televised weekly ...Freddy Wolfe and Don Wattrick were the commentators....remember Joy Fair was a top jalopy driver ... | ||
Luckycar Member Username: Luckycar Post Number: 126 Registered: 02-2007 |
Joy Fair's garage on Montcalm in Pontiac is still open and looking good. | ||
Jackpot Member Username: Jackpot Post Number: 33 Registered: 02-2008 |
i heard it's french road now! | ||
Oladub Member Username: Oladub Post Number: 944 Registered: 08-2006 |
I was just a few years old when my parents took me. Once, a wheel came off a car and bounced up into the stands near us. Grit from the track would find its way into my eyes. It was loud. Am I mixing things up or did Johnny Fats Slagle leap up and wave two starting flags in between the lanes of on-coming race cars. Did I later read that he was run over on the track? Two wreckers were parked at the left end of the track as viewed from the stands. They had short but very high hoods. In between the parking lot and the stands were some of the race cars. A driver offered me a ride around the track but I must have been about 6 and was too scared to accept the offer. The inside of his car was shocking. It was all stripped bare. | ||
Cycledetroit Member Username: Cycledetroit Post Number: 69 Registered: 09-2008 |
I am so happy to share your stories with my father. He was the youngest of 5 (i think) boys, and they loved the races. Did anyone go to east detroit, he was the class of 70. They lived on Nummer St, Their last name was Yager. There was an apex heating on the corner that sponsored a baseball team my uncle played on. |
