Central Indiana motorsports ad Anderson Speedway!

Now you're making ME feel old (Hell! I guess I am?) I remember going to Armscamp. Here's what I remember, but keep in mind, this is a 50 year-old memory:

The entrance was off Highway 28.You went under a wooden arch which had a drawing of a midget race car on it. The parking lot was just a big field in front of the track.  The owner of the track was also the promoter and his name was Whitey Karns (sp?)  The track wasn't paved, as I remember, but it wasn't dirt. I remember it had a black surface and I guess it must have been some sort of primitive asphalt or packed ciders?  I remember the jalopies bouncing around a whole lot.  jalopies (stock cars) were the main thing when we went.  They were almost all pre-war coupes and two-door sedans.  I remember one car not having a body at all but just a welded pipe frame around the driver?

I remember only two drivers; Carl Hubble (because he seemed to win every race) and Lucian Adamson (who drove for Donnie Adams who ran a garage in Alex where my dad took our car)

The picture you posted was a day race but they had lights and we went in the evenings. The lights in the infield had big mounds of earth around them to keep the cars from knocking them down.  I remember the drivers who went out during the race would pull their cars to the infield, climb out and then up those dirt piles and watch the rest of the race from there.

 The picture is taken looking south west from the starting line. My guess would be sometime around 1948-1951. The white little buildings were the concession stands.  The men's room was a cement block wall down by the pit entrance (beyond the little white buildings). I'm sure the women's was a bit less primitive but probably not by much.

The National Anthem was usually a phonograph record (any kids out there who don't know what a phono is, ask your parents!) and if they had anyone sing it was usually the Whitey's little grand daughter.

I remember Donnie Adams complaining to dad how Whitey always cheated the drivers out of their money? 

 I hope that brings back  some of the experiences your grandparents had. That's about all I can dredge up.

Thanks so much . We never talked about it much when they were alive I just knew they had gone there to watch the races .

I don't know if you were aware that Donnie Adams ,Donnies son, drove a sprint car for several years here in the midwest . Unfortunately he was killed in an accident on St Rd 28 in Delaware county in September of 06 . He was just 55 years old at the time . His son Donnie Jr . was also competing in some sprint car races the last I heard .

Something I forgot about Armscamp... Often they would start some races, especially the heat races, from a "Le Mans Start." The cars would be parked nose-out in front of the main grandstands and the drivers would line up across from their cars. When the green flag dropped the driver would dash to their cars, jump in and take off. In the early 50's seat belts were an option and safety harnesses were unheard of so it wasn't as tough as it sounds, unless of course you were a one legged driver. Then thing could get a bit dicey.

 As a little known sidebar, In 1951 and 1952 the Indy 500 had a one legged drive compete. His name was Bill Schindler and he lost his left leg back in the 1930's.  He braked his car with a hand brake, mounted outside the car's cockpit.  I thought that this was an interesting little bit of racing trivia.

Alexandria Speedway (yes, there was one according to this) and Armscamp Speedway history.

http://zenas4.tripod.com/orestesindianahistory/id29.html

Noticed the name Harold Hurst listed as the track director.  Is that "Dutch" Hurst who was the PA announcer at Sun Valley for years?

Armscamp, Mt. Lawn, etc. and Bill Holloway.    http://hollowayracing2.homestead.com/page1.html

Yes, I think so.

I dunno, Z. Maybe I'm reading it wrong but it reads to me as though they are stating the Armscamp was [an] Alexandria Speedway. They have the location right, north of the old railroad tracks and east of Harrison. Turns 1 and 2 were behind the restaurant which used to be on the NW corner of 28 and 9. What was it called? The White Spot?

Speaking of racing memories, does anyone remember the "Racing Fair" Joe helping used to have each year at Sun valley?  It was an all day affair with the afternoon having foot races for kids and adults, wagon races, tractor wheel races and just about anything that could be raced.

Then, in the evening the regular roadsters and stock cars ran a program. They also usually had a roll over contest. 

I was wondering if anyone remembered it?

True, there is a railroad at the north end of Alex, but the track runs N-S and  Armscamp is west of the railroad.   But, don't forget there is also a railroad that runs E and W through Alexandria,   Harrison St. crosses that railroad and there is the creek that runs through the south end of Alex (forget the name of it).    Also, the Armory is just off of SR 9 on the west side, just south of that creek.   Dave Dwiggins, who wrote that history lives in the Phillipines.   I have his email, I'll see what I can find out.       "A speedway at a location near Alexandria Armory crossed the creek at each straightaway. Track was north of the railroad and east of Harrison Street. Straights were east and west?".     

I just emailed Dave, as soon as I get a reply I'll post it.