d03.30.07_111_076_FLM_0070

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Date:	Visitor's Name:	Comment:
03/30/07	ANDY HORNE	SEEING THIS PICTURE REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING. STAN'S DRIVING STYLE MADE OTHER DRIVERS THROW THE CAR SIDEWAYS MUCH FARTHER THEN WHEN THEY RACED BY THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE. GERALD WAS A FINESS DRIVER AND STAN WAS 'CRANK IT SIDEWAYS,FOOT THROUGH THE FLOOR' DRIVER. THAT'S STAN THE MAN. WHEN I SAW IT, I GOT CHILLS!! I COULDN'T STOP LOOKING AT IT. THANKS FOR THE GREAT MEMORY ANDY HORNE
03/30/07	John McCaughey	I remember this race like it was yesterday. It was a 100 lapper that Ploski took the lead on about lap 20 and despite Chamberlain & Fitz throwing the book at him and having faster cars, he lead the rest of the way. One hell of a race....He just turned that 111 sideways and held those guys off lap after lap and none of them ever touched. If that same thing happened today.....well, let's just say too many people believe "rubbin's racin'"...
03/30/07	Paul Garzillo	I remember this night well. It was my 1st time in the main grandstand. Thats Stan the man in the #111, with Chamberlain and Fitzcharles in tow. The 3 ran to the front early and battled each other for the last 50 laps of a 100 lapper that night. They finished in that order. I know I have seen this shot before, perhaps on the cover of AARN or a pictorial. Truly one for the books. Stan and Gerry are just about at 90 degrees to the fence.WOW! Chamberlain and Fitzcharles were so dominant at this time, it was quite an upset for Ploski to hold the two off. Ploski really earned this one. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was on their feet screaming on every lap as they were 3 wide repeatedly.
03/31/07	Walter Onora	Just classic Flemington!! This is what is missing today!!
03/31/07	3-Wide	It's just different today Walter... Just like music, just like street cars... its all different. That being said, there's still a few new memories being made each week at your local short track!
04/03/07	Brian C. Loutrel	I watched Stan Ploski race from the late 60s into the 90s and was a big fan of his. If anyone ever asks me why I was a Ploski fan, I tell them about this race. To me, this was his greatest victory. To be able to hold off two far superior cars driven by greats like Chamberlain and Fitzcharles when both were at the top of their game for as many laps as he did was truly amazing. I was at the race and have seen several pictures of the battle for the lead. This one is the best at capturing the essence of this great race. Thanks to all for a great memory.
04/04/07	Bill	What a GREAT PHOTO from a truly memorable great race. John Mc has it soooooo right to a "T", it was a moment in time when Stan "The Man" showed why he is truly one of Flemington's all-time finest drivers. The track was being dominated by the Pennsylvania Posse at the time (Chamberlain & Fitzcharles), and on this night Stan was not to be denied. Joe, you can comment on racing today all you want, but to us that lived through the "golden years" of DIRT track racing in the Tri-State area (when we had SIX GREAT SPEEDWAYS and the VERY BEST DRIVERS), today fails miserably to our memories, which even thirty years later are so vivid, as attested by the comments made when photos like this are displayed. Hank, thanks for providing another GREAT Ace Lane photo to the site. Bill
04/04/07	3-Wide	Bill - If it wasn't for the excitement created on nights like the night the photo above was taken, there would be no Vault. Its this type of excitement, and these cars and drivers that drive me to spend time keeping this site lit. Here's where I differ from many of the Visitors of the Vault: Its my opinion that if we lose all of our short tracks (only 3 left in NJ at this point), short track racing will only then exist in the memories of our minds. I'm not in a hurry to expedite that. I know there are many out there who have moved from the area and/or due to health or financial reasons cannot attend local short track races here in NJ any longer. However, there are also quite a few out there who feel almost appear to be taking a stand that because today's racing is not as good as their favorite days at the track, they're hell bent on not supporting it... almost as if to say, "It's not as exciting as when I went, so who cares if anymore." I do. Do you know that there are people out there that only liked the 50's and the 60's and for many of them, the 70's sucked. Then guys like me came along and loved the coupes, sedans, Gremlins and Pintos but never really accepted the sheet metal creations of the early 80's. Now there's guys out there that didn't much get into the body styles mentioned above, but feel that the most beautiful car to ever hit the dirt surface is a Troyer Mudd Bus! What's my point? My point is that we all have our favorite time, and we can all justify why that time was special to us and therefore we feel "our era" should be more special to everyone else too. Today's racing is still exciting... I personally don't find today's cars as interesting, and I will always have more admiration for those who not only can drive, but who also built their own car too, but I have to tell you, there is still excitement to be found at your local short track. (Pauch and Horton at Bridgeport's last show of the year was about as good as it gets!). I have little patience for those who refuse to go to today's races just because they're not as good as compared to "their era". This may sound kind of illogical, but I go to today's races because I feel that I owe that to the sport. I feel that I owe it to the promoters and owners who are still trying to make a small track successful. And even though they don't have names like Ploski, or Michalchuk or Cronce, I feel that I owe it to today's driver's for doing their part to continue to support a sport that I'm not ready to see die. That's why I still go. The reason I go back though is because there's still excitement... there's still entertainment. I encourage all of you to get out to the races again. For those who can join us at New Egypt, stop by our shack in between the on track action and watch some old racing films, or look through some old programs and pictorials.. Maybe say hello to an old friend. For those who aren't close to New Egypt, see if you can set some type of a Nostalgia Corner up at your local short track. Support your local speedway. There's still no better place to be on a Saturday Night.
04/06/07	Kevin Budden	A+A+A+A+A+A+A+.... This photo may just be my favorite in the Vault! Thanks Hank !! *****
04/06/07	Hank	Does anyone remember that Jay Aten drove this car, the 111? I remember him telling me, that when they were trying to work the bugs out of this NEW car. The drive shaft would keep breaking cause the traction was so good, and the motor was so strong. Hank Winecker - Mansfield, Ohio.
05/14/07	STEVE K.	AN AWESOME SHOT OF DAYS I MISS SO MUCH. I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE RACES SINCE I WAS 2 YEARS OLD AND I CURRENTLY RACE AT BRIDGEPORT NOW. I LOVE RACING MORE THAN ANYTHING AND I SUPPORT LOCAL SPEEDWAYS EVERY WEEK. I DO MISS THE THE DAYS WHEN EVERY CAR LOOKED DIFFERENT AND THEY ALL HAD A PERSONALITY OF THEIR OWN INSTEAD OF EVERY CAR LOOKING THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE LETTERING JOB. I GUESS IM JUST OLD SCHOOL AND LIVE IN THE PAST A LITTLE BIT, BUT I SURE AM THANKFUL THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME GREAT RACE TRACKS IN OUR AREA TO GO TO AND ENJOY.
05/15/07	3-Wide	Steve - That's it exactly... Never forget the past, but appreciate what we have in the present.
10.02.23	Scott L	What a time, the 70 & 80s for Big Block dirt mods! This picture is a beautiful reminder of what has changed.
10.11.23	Robert	This was a Syracuse qualifier 100 laps Stan, Chamberlain, Fitzcharles, Cagle,and Correlis were the top five.

Photo ID #	d03.30.07_111_076_FLM_0070_1
Car #:	#111, #76 and maybe the #R-10 or #23 Gremlin
Driver (s) :	Stan Ploski? Pete Madsen? or Del George in the #111, Gerald Chamberlain in the #76 and probably Glenn Fitzcharles in the #R10 or #23
Location:	Flemington
Date:	Mid 70's
Photographer:	Ace Lane Jr.
Photo provided by:	Hank Winecker
Comments:	What a photo. Just stare at it. I swear you can hear them if you look long enough. There's just enough light in the background to see the side of the main grandstand, complete with the star in the upper left corner to know that this is Flemington in the 70's and the cars are setting up to enter turn 1. Not sure who's in the #111, but I'm sure many will claim its "Stan the Man" with the way he's got that thing cranked around sideways! I'm not 100% sure on the 3rd car in line, but isn't it interesting that with just the black and white outline of the roof, the rise of the hood, and the way the right front tire is sticking out there that there's enough to identify it as probably being Glenn Fitzcharles. How many of today's cars could you identify with such little info??? Thanks for providing the photo Hank and thanks to Ace for yet another spectacular shot.