Evansville Speedrome
 

Does anybody out there have any information on the old Evansville Speedrome that is long gone? What they ran, track size, drivers, etc? Was it a popular joint?
Thanks.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

I would bet if anyone would it would be either Ronmil or Flatrightrear. They have the pulse on the SW Indiana racing scene.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Can't tell you much about that track but something most people probablly don't know is that Ellis Park -- the horse racing track near Evansville-- had auto races for a year or two in the 1920s. Bill McCoy of Sullivan, Ind., won the first race. When the track was finished, there was a conflict on holding horse races and with the owners needing to take in some money to pay the bills they had auto races.
Was the Evansville Speedrome also the track known as Pride Speedway?
Jim Morrison

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

According to Allan E. Brown's book "The History of the American Speedway, Past & Present" the Evansville Speedrome was a 1/5 mile dirt oval which ran from 1948-59. I didn't attend any races there but remember seeing Jack Kochman's Hell Drivers perform there in 1957. Most of the areas name drivers ran there in it's heyday. The Evansville Courier recently ran an item in the Sunday sports section which features results of sporting events from the past. An item mentioned that Don "Snooky" Bullock took the lead on lap three and led the rest of they way in the 25 lap feature. I don't know what he was racing, but Snooky was a leading driver in Dan Tucker's sprint car #76 at Haubstadt in the '60's. Don Nordhorn raced at the Speedrome too. I believe the track was paved and used as a go kart track for a few years in the '60's after Haubstadt opened in 1957.
Pride Speedway or Pride Brothers Speedway is listed in the same book as a half-mile dirt oval in the late 1920's. I found an item about Duke Nalon racing at the Pride Brothers speedway on the internet. I'll try to see if I can provide a link.
I know Dan Tucker, but I haven't talked to him for a long time. He could probably fill us in as could Don Nordhorn.
I believe midgets may have run at the Speedrome fairly regularly.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
By the way, the Speedrome was located where Rafferty's is today.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Try this link for the Duke Nalon article.
http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=42628&FS=HIST

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

The Speedrome was located on Noth Greenriver Road in which is now in the city but then the outshirts. They ran two types of cars back then Modifieds coachs and coupes plus stock cars. Remember they ran on Sunday night and I think the track was a quarter mile high banked clay track they had 2x12;s for the wall in the turns seems like somebody went into the parking lot every night they also ran spectator races too plus midget specials. I was seven are eight when it ran and I thought it was just the coolest thing I ever saw remember a couple drivers names Snooky Bullocks in a #76 and Curly Thornsley #6 and Don Nordhorn in a pink car called the pink lady He later went USAC sprint car raceing My parents and I lived bout 2 miles from the track. Hope this helps out

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

The Evansville Speedrome was a 1/5th mile dirt track. It ran on 2 weekend nights. The cars were old jalopys, and some nights they ran midgets and motorcycles. Some of the drivers were Eddie Daws, Curly Farnsley, Hank Carlisle, Eddie Hickey, Don Nordhorn, Gene Coomes, Ken Coffey, Charlie Simpson, Wes Stafford, Jack Hille, Curt Posey, Francis Dycus, Owen Hill, just to name a few. I was born in 1947 and remember going there as a child and up till the time they closed 1959. June 22, 1956 was my 9th birthday and Eddie Daws won the feature and I got to ride a lap around the track with him. His racer was a 1934 Ford coupe, white in color with a big red 88 on the doors. I sit on his helmet and remember the track being very rough. There were some good racing back in the day and when a car wrecked or stalled the driver got out of it and ran into the end field or jumped over the outside wall because they didn't stop the races. They just raced around you.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

I can barely remember from my first few races in 1962 a pink car I think it might of been a midget at Haubstadt. My mom did not like the car very well. I wonder if this could be the same car?

Don Nordhorn in a pink car called the pink lady

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

I believe Ron Gerheardt that races a sprint at Haubstadt told me his grandpa was the owner of that track, he could probably tell you more about it

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

I believe the Evansville Speedrome was actually west of Green River Road by a few hundred yards down Vogel, atleast by an aerial topo that I saw. Does anybody know where Pride or Pride Brothers Speedway was? There was a track on the SE side of Evansville off of Riverside in the 10's and 20's. Does anybody know anything about that track?

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

I'll ask my dad on Thanksgiving about Pride and the Speedrome. We lived 4 miles north of the track on Green River Rd. and my dad took my brother and myself to the track a few times. I mainly remember wheels always flying off of the jalopies. I was born in 1954 so I was pretty young when we went. I remember a totally wooden covered grandstand with it's back to Green River and you entered the parking lot off of Green River. Arnie Knepper would run his midget there and dad was a big fan of his. I'll hopefully have more info tomorrow. Fifth mile sounds right. Some guys on here would know about St. Joe Speedway on St. Joe Ave. north of Diamond Ave. That was before my time.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Yes, Ron Gerhardt's dad did own part of it and ran it. He would be the one to ask for the details.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

My dad always talks about the old ST Joseph Speedway that was on N ST Joseph Ave in north/ west side of Evansville in the county. He has some old 8mm film and pictures from there.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

I've been researching the history of auto racing in Evansville and the Tri State area for about the last year and a half. We have compiled a ton of info, stats, results and other info from tracks in Evansville and the Tri-State from 1900-1946 so far. We hope to put all of the info in book form when we finish, but we would love to add pictures of the tracks and cars. Pictures prior to 1950 are pretty scarce, but we do have some. If anybody would like to donate scans of pictures, please don't hesitate to contact me. We are trying to preserve racing history in this area before its lost forever.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Are you the Ivan Jerome of TSS Late Model Fame from back in the day?

My uncle, Herb Claridge, owned a car that raced there.They called it diamond 4,I believe Don Jackson drove it but it was before my time (just barely)

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Yes I am. I ran out of cubic dollars and researching the history is cheaper, lol

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

There were a ton of race tracks just in Evansville alone before WWII (7), plus all of the other tracks in the Tri State area. Some only lasted one race, others lasted a bit longer. We've found sound wild stories of shaddy promoters skipping town with the gate money right after the races started, drivers stealing the gate money after the races, and even a sheriff hell bent on shutting down all of the racing in Evansville.

I'll buy a copy when your done Ivan.

I live on N st Joe ave about 5 miles north of diamond.... If any of you have pics or video of the old St Zjoe speedway, please post! I grew up a block off St Joe and had no idea till this thread!

I live on N st Joe ave about 5 miles north of diamond.... If any of you have pics or video of the old St Joe speedway, please post! I grew up a block off St Joe and had no idea till this thread!

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

The St Joe track was located about where AAA salvage is at now.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

We've now put together the history of auto racing is Evansville, IN and the Tri-State area from 1900-1950 that includes these tracks and about 40 others. If you have any pictures, memorabilia, video's, etc.. from that time frame that you would be willing to let us use in the book, please contact me either on here, or on FB at drivinivan88 or email me at drivinivan at yahoo dot com. Thanks!

I have an old program that belong to my dad, I need to fine it.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Do you remember what track and year?

Speedrome yr? I'll see if I can find it.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Thanks Paw!

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

I lived about a mile from the Speedrome location and remember what was left of the grandstands from when I was a kid. My Dad sold popcorn at the speedrome as his first job and later had a car that he ran there. I beleive we have several pictures from racing there in the late 50's. I would have to dig through and scan them in. Dad later went on to race sprints at Haubstadt, Marion, and Benton. I have tons of pics from the late 50's through around 1979 when he drove his last race.

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

Let me know what you can come up with. I would like to use some good quality pics to include in the book, especially pre war pics since they are the hardest to find. I have been given access to several families racing pics so far including Gene Alldredge (1940-@1952), Bugs Hayhurst (1940-@1950), several older collections from other racing historians dating from 1913-1934, and I have meeting set up with another racing family that raced from 1950-around1970 I think. Anything will help. You can contact me thru email of FB for fastest response, or on here. Thanks!

Re: Evansville Speedrome
 

For those interested in auto racing history, I will be giving a presentation on the History of Auto and Motorcycle Racing in Evansville, IN and the Tri-State Area from 1900-1950 on Saturday June 27th at 10 am at the Willard Library in Evansville, IN during their annual Midnight Madness event. It has a ton of interesting info and many never before seen pics from racing in this area during that time frame. The event is free and open to the public. The event is scheduled the last about 45 mins, so you will have plenty of time to still get up to Tri-State Speedway for the MSCS non wing and MOWA winged sprints show. Click on the link below for more info or reservations, or you can contact me on FB at drivininivan88 or via email at drivinivan at yahoo.com Reservations are suggested but not required. Thanks!

http://www.willard.lib.in.us/calenda...p?eventID=1211