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Photo ID # f06.02.09_091_UNK_MAS_0062S_1
Car #:  #23 Pete Kantorsky, #91 Bert Robbins, #94 Ronnie Cranston, #58 Bobby Ballantine , #116 Vic Lewis, #1 Jackie H
Driver (s) : (see above)
Location: Mason Dixon Speedway
Date: April 29, 1962
Photographer: Bob Williams
Photo provided by: Larry Jendras Jr.
Comments: Comment From Larry Jendras Jr.:

Mason – Dixon Speedway

Some of you in the 3Wide area may have visited Mason-Dixon Speedway over the years. It began life around 1949 as a half mile dirt track running the stock cars of the newly formed PENMAR stock car club. Names like Buck McCardell, Junie Gough, Walt Ragan, Eddie Adams, Jimmy Patterson and Bud Hamilton made the headlines. They also held roadster races, AAA sprint cars, NARA sprints and late model races through the 50’s.

In 1955 the Free State Stock Car Club from Baltimore started to sanction races there. More of there drivers headed north such as PeeWee Pobletts, Ray Kable, Joe Haas, Pete Kantorsky, Ed Ningard, Of course Ralph Smith lived in Aberdeen, so he and the Putty Hill #88 joined in.

NASCAR took over in the later 50’s and many of the New Jersey drivers made Mason-Dixon Sunday stop.

In 1960, the track was paved and the emphasis was on Late Model racing. They took a different approach to promoting, as an early April article mentioned, they would race in the Spring LM events, close for the Summer and come back with a Fall series. This photo was taken at one of the Sunday Sportsman-Modified races held there in 1962. It was a rather diverse field of cars that would show up for these Sunday races, made up of drivers from the dirt of Dorsey Speedway in Maryland, drivers from the asphalt of Old Dominion Speedway in Virginia and some New Jersey and Pa. drivers. The #1 of Jackie Hart was the winner this day.

If you look close to the back of the field, you see the #1 of Jack Hart and to the outside is a late model roofline, the 90 of Buzzy Woodward, a 1958 Ford.

My only Senior Memory of Mason-Dixon was not a good one, as we went there in 1963 after reading some of the race reports. We turned left off of Route 1 onto the track road and there were race cars lined up along the road. It was a sunny day but hanging on the pit gate was a NO RACES TODAY sign and that was the end for Mason-Dixon as no other events were held there after that date.

Senior Moment by; Larry Jendras Jr.
 

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Comment:

06.03.09 Bill Orre Mason-Dixon was a little before my day, but I do remember watching Bert Robbins and Bobby Ballentine run at Old Dominion in Virginia in the 70's.

Bobby Ballentine also ran at Beltsville, MD at that time. One night his throttle must have stuck open and he went head-on into the wall in turn 3. Beltsville had reinforced concrete walls, so the wall didn't move. Bobby was OK, though.
06.06.09 Ed Duncan Who is driving the 2 car behind Woodward.  It looks like a Frank Schneider car.
06.09.09 Bruce Thomas My Uncle's Bo and John Newlin ran the V7 there on an occasion. The track is still there under all the scrap cars, as it is an auto salvage business these days.  You can still make out were the track used to be.  Sadly that track closed before i was even born. Other wise it would have been the closest track to me from were I grew up for many years.
06.09.09 Charlie Miller Don't remember this track , but sure do remember some of these drivers . Pete Kantorsky with his Wells Fargo sedans , with actural arrows stuck in the body , and later with the only Edsel late-model stock car I ever saw . Bobby Ballantine , Ronnie Cranston , and Pee Wee Pobletts all of Lincoln Speedway and Williams Grove fame . Where exactly was Mason Dixon located ? Very nice photo , thanks for sharing .
06.14.09 Larry Jendras Jr. Charlie, Mason-Dixon was located in Sylmar, Pa. just above the Maryland-Pennsylvania line and just to the west of Route 1. It is now the site of Mason-Dixon Auto Parts. The roads have changed since the track operated, but if you pull up an aerial map, you can see the track outline at the salvage yard. Nottingham Rd is on the east side.
02.19.10 Todd Sorenson Going there as a kid was a Sunday afternoon ritual. I recall Pete Moxley, Gene Holcomb, Walt Ragan, Sid Hinkle and Hilly Rife, among others. One guy -I think it was Sleepy Snyder - had a beer can affixed to the roof of his hot rod.
06.21.11 Dave Aycock Bert Robbins past away 6/19/11.  I am an old crew member.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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