Nothin' Like A Photo Album

A great pick-me-up on a rainy day was a visit to an old open wheel album.  I had almost forgotten this great Phil Harms photo taken at Alcyon Speedway in Pitman, New Jersey on May 31, 1954.  On the left is car owner Frank "Scats" Anfuso along with his 5 car driven by Steve Yanagan and his 3Jr. driven by Steve McGrath.  While this race day was about 3 years before my first, I could not have attended a URC event later on and not know the Hi-Way Auto Body Fords, owned by Scats.  He was a "Ford Man" and proud of it, which is displayed by its inclusion with his autograph I collected in the 1990s.  I recall at the URC banquets how Scats took a lot of "ribbing" about his Ford but never lost his smile as he gave his rebuttals.  What really came to mind was the fact that Anfuso had to be in racing as a car owner for 50 years or more!

I saw my first race ever at Alcyon Speedway from the back of a pickup truck in the infield.  $1.00 was the cost for a regular show in 1957.  To me the inclusion of the refreshments sign and the booth is so neat.  To the infield side of the booth was the location of driver Bill Lewis' popcorn trailer in later years.  The cars towing in to the pits had to pass in front of that concession stand and we usually being the first fans to arrive, would stand by the fence eating our "dirty water hot dog" "which tasted like "filet mignon" and drinking a  coke, all of which cost less than a buck!

The tall steel towers shown in the photo were the light towers for outfield lighting of the baseball field that was located in the infield.  We parked up against the fence at the "dog leg" located in the back stretch".

As my mind wanders while looking at this picture and I relive these memories with you, I realize how old I am getting and stuck in my was. But here goes.  To me a picture isn't a picture unless you can pick it up and hold it!  That's a bold statement to make in the world of technology and electronic imagery.  Yes, I have more pictures stored on "discs and sticks" than I have printed  and know all the reasons we are "better off" today.  Maybe it's the fact that there were less photos taken then or maybe it's the old "you can't go back" syndrome.  Regardless, give me an old Black and white photo printed on paper and I'm my Glory!

Senior Moment By: Russ Dodge

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