Montgomery Airport-Dragstrip (Montgomery, New York)

[Paul Ceasrine]

Montgomery Airport-Dragstrip - Montgomery, New York

Located at Route 211 and NY 416 in Montgomery, New York (currently the Orange County Airport)


The 'first'..........'Upstate Central New York Dragstrip'

Opened on July 27, 1958

A one-time United States Air Force Military Airport, that was not-in-use.

A concrete strip that was converted into a '1320 Foot' (1/4 Mile Drag Strip).

With the help of the Montgomery, New York - American Legion Post #521, and directed by NASCAR officials.

Held 'monthly' events with 'accelerated races' that measured Elapsed Time and Top Speed 'MPH'.

Co-operated by the Garden State Hot Rod Association (New Jersey) and the American Legion of Montgomery (New York).
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Classes

Classes
#1......Street............'Coupes and Sedans'......Slightly Modified.........Class Designation......'Gas'...........................A/G - B/G - C/G - D/G
#2......Street.............'Roadster.............. ............Slightly Modified.........Class Designation......'Roadster'..................A/R - B/R
#3......Altered...........'Coupes and Sedans'......Greatly Modified........Class Designation......'Full Modified'.............A/A - B/A - C/A
#4......Altered............'Roadsters............. ..........Greatly Modified.........Class Designation......'Modified Roadster'..A/MR - B/MR
#5......Open Class............................................. .Super Modified...........Class Designation......'Competition'.............A/C - B/C
#6......Dragster.................................. .................Super Modified...........Class Designation.......'Dragster'..................A/D - B/D - C/D - D/D

Strictly Stock Classes

* SS/S....Super Stock Stick
* A/S
* B/S
* C/S
* D/S
* E/S

* SS/A....Super Stock Automatic
* A/SA
* B/SA
* C/SA

Sports Cars Classes
* A/SP
* B/SP
* C/SP
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Race Track Steward-----Milton Gundry
Track Manager------------Paul Jackson

After a successful 1958 and 1959 Race Season Campaign, in 1960 they sponsored their 'first' National Event.

Three-Day Event-----Nascar Drag Nationals

[Paul Ceasrine]

Sunday - July 27, 1958

Results posted in Montgomery Newspaper

[jimi]

amazing paul !!! what dragracing history do you not have? do you have anymore documentation? do you know who made the first unofficial 200 mph pass at montgomery? it is not recognized as the first one because it was not nhra sanctioned??????

just before spitzer got ejected as governor of ny i was a few weeks away from having an organized drag race at the air port and it got squashed!!!!!

i would sell everything i own for the opportunity to run a weekly scheduled drag strip at that place.

[Paul Ceasrine]

From the History,

The American Legion Post #521 wanted to stage 'accelerated timing
tests' (Drag Races) at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York.

Centrally located, it would have been a tremendous track.

But, there were concerns, that it would bring in the 'wrong element'.

After pressure from the American Legion (Regional Posts), the
Air Force offered up Montgomery Airport, which was a little used
training facility for 'small' Cargo Planes.

Montgomey Airport was an excellent facility, with a smooth concrete surface,
and with more than enough room for 'stopping' for the Dragsters.

Concern was over who would 'manage' the Drag Racing.

The American Legion Post #521 and the Garden State Hot Rod Association
were the 'track operators'.

But for 'inspection, organization, car class designations and 'timing'
for Elapsed Time and Top Speed', NASCAR Officials were brought in
as the 'sanctioning body'.

Give them credit, they were a 'Top Class' crew, and made sure all
the participants passed a thorough 'safety inspection'.

And, they had 'no problem' disqualifying an illegal car, and banning
them from the track,,,,,,,,'forever'.

Opened in July 1958 - with a turn-out of 100 cars.

It was a 'word-of-month' event, and the Airport/Dragstrip was only set-up to handle 100 cars.

Nearly 100 other entrants had to be turned away on 'opening day'.

It was a 'Once-A-Month' event held during 1958 (July, August, September and October).

In 1959, it was expanded to 'Bi-Monthly Events', and 'car counts' soon reached 200+, including Motorcycle Drag Races.

Opening Day

The 'fastest' Rod-on-the-Track Award.

Don Raleigh of Metuchen, New Jersey {12.93 @ 106.39 MPH}

Don later went on to open the 'famous' Don's Speed Shop out of Metuchen, NewJersey.

[Paul Ceasrine]

The Air Force had the Airport Base built in 1943..

'Two Runways were built.

The 'Main Runway'...................... 5007' Long and 100' wWde.
The 'Second Runway'................. 3664' Long and 100' Wide.

Smooth concrete with a .10% Gradient.

Used primarily for training excercises by the Air Force, for pilots
headng over to support the Korean Conflict.

The United States listed the Airport as part of the Eastern Air Defense Sector.

Around 1954 it was no longer needed by the Air Force, as they were
using Stewart Airport as the 'main base'.

It was deemed 'inactive for use', but was still maintained by the Air Force.
.
In the late-1950's the Garden State Hot Rod Association (New Jersey)
and the New York Street-Rodders (out of Middletown, New York) tried to
get the Air Force to let them stage 'drag races' at Stewart Airport.

But they were skeptical about the kind of 'element' that may be brought
into the area.

Finally in 1958, with the help of the American Legion Post #521
(Osborne-Fitzsimmons Post) out of Montgomery, New York -
and Commander - Andrew Skibitsky of Montgomery -

They convinced the Air Force to let them use the 'out-of-service' Airport
in Montgomery for 'accelerated timing and speed races'.

After approval from the Orange County Office (Tuxedo Park, New York),
all systems were go for July 1958.

The track was technically managed by the New York Street-Rodders
(Middletown, New York Drag Club) and the Garden State Hot Rodding
Association (New Jersey).

The track sponsor, was the American Legion Post #521, who
acknowledged that all 'profits' were to go towards a local Veterans Charity
set up in Montgomery.

The Chief Race Steward, Merton Gundry out of Rochseter, New York - was a
well-resptected racer, who knew the ins-and-outs of the technical aspects of
drag racing.

The Track Manager, Paul Jackson out of Savannah, New York, was an experienced
track manager, who oversaw several previous racing operations

For 'certification, inspection, safety requiements and class designations',
NASCAR was brought in as the 'sanctioning body'.

And, Empire State Timing Association was the organization that
provided the 'timing equipment' with 'certifified personel' to operate
the speed measuring devices.

A high quality operation, that even bought a new 'state of the art weight-scale'
to weigh-in each racing vehicle.

Even Pepsi-Cola was involved, as they provided the concessions during
the Sunday races.

[Paul Ceasrine]

jimi,

The NHRA 'banned' the use of Nitro-Methane in the Dragsters
on April 1, 1957.

But NASCAR permitted the use of the 'super fuel'.

Not sure if any 'Super Charged Digger' reached 200 MPH at
Montgomery Airport-Dragstrip.

The First Big Event in the 'Spring of 1959'......'The Fuel and Gas Invitational'

* Art Afrons ran a 9.40 @ 169.61 MPH on 'pump gas'.

* Don Garlits ran an 8.36 @ 180.50 MPH in the 'Swamp Rat 1'

[Paul Ceasrine]

July 1959.........."Fuel and Gas Invitational"

Approximately 150 Dragsters participated in the 3-Day Event.

Final Day Attendance......10,000


The Danbury Modifiers,,, had one of the fastest 'Rails' classed in A/D





* Art Afrons 'Green Monster #5'.......
* Engine........Allison V-12...'1710 Cubic Inches'....Liquid-Cooled and Supercharged = 2000 Horsepower
* Pump Gas

Timed at........9.40 @ 169.61 MPH

[ss wannabee]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

July 1959.........."Fuel and Gas Invitational"

Approximately 150 Dragsters participated in the 3-Day Event.

Final Day Attendance......10,000


The Danbury Modifiers,,, had one of the fastest 'Rails' classed in A/D





* Art Afrons 'Green Monster #5'.......
* Engine........Allison V-12...'1710 Cubic Inches'....Liquid-Cooled and Supercharged = 2000 Horsepower
* Pump Gas

Timed at........9.40 @ 169.61 MPH

Not 100% sure...but think that noise ended Montgomery's days...Paul, I don't want to drag this on...but wondering if you got anything on Dunkirk, NY?

There's a bit of a "tie-in" there..."Mr. Bad Banana"...Dave Colbert...who frequents this site...had his early days there...And speaking of that name...I think there was a '57 Chevy wagon...a Stocker back in the day...owned by a guy named "Ted" ...from Western NY..who called his car "Bad Banana"...and he may have run there too...

I'm wondering if there were TWO "Bad Banana" cars...from the same region...run at the same time? Maybe somebody knows....

Also wondering that once Niagara Dragstrip got up and running...it pretty much spelled the end of Dunkirk...which I believe was an airport...like Montgomery?

Think Garlits ran at a major NASCAR-sanctioned drag race at Dunkirk also...but that's all I know....

[Paul Ceasrine]

Mr. SS Wannabe,

Dunkirk Airport-Dragstrip (Dunkirk, New York)

Near the Western-Tip of New York.

Chattauqua County, along Lake Erie in Western, New York.

Many Drag Racers from;
* Western New York
* North-Central and North-West Pennsylvania
* Northeastern Ohio

An active Airport, which was closed on Sunday's and used for 'Timed Accelerated Drag Racing'.

May have started Drag Racing use in 1955, and ran thru 1963.

I believe it was a NASCAR sanctioned track.

Big Strip that was 5000' in Length and 100' in Width
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'Swamp Rat 1', was a rail built on a 31' Chevrolet Frame-rail..

The Engine was a ''454' Chrysler Hemi, that was Super-Charged with Nitro-Methane Fuel.

On June 29, 1959 - Don Garlits had a 'fiery crash' with the Dragster at Chester, South Carolina - when the
Blower 'expolded'.

The Dragster was then 'modified' with an extended cockpit for the 'taller' Art Malone. It was called the 'Swamp Rat 1-B'

In September 1959, the "Swamp Rat 1-B" reached a 'Top Speed' of '195.63 MPH' at Dunkirk Airport-Dragstrip,
with 'Art Malone' at the wheel.
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Don Garlits (1960) at Dunkirk Airport-Dragstrip

[ss wannabee]

Wow! Thanks again Paul...for the history lesson.