In an earlier article I wrote about the Berwick Beach Haven Speedway. That area, between Bloomsburg and the southern part of Wilkes Barre, PA has always been a hotbed of racing in northeastern Pennsylvania with several race tracks and many great drivers.

Drivers with names like, Spencer, Ed, Jim, Cy, and Frank etc. Bobby and Harlan Croop, Richie Jensen, Harlan "Cat" Fisher, Johnny, Joe and Billy Crawford, Fred and Johnny Heydenreich, Wilbur Reese, Joe Valencik, Rod Gaumer and many more have come from this area and have won their share of features and track championships.

The area was also home to many speedways, in addition to Berwick Beach Haven, including jalopy tracks at Fairchilds Farm, Catawissa, Kochers Speedway, Berwick Test Track, Rummages Grove a TQ track at Ber-Vaughn Park in Berwick and one at the Bloomsburg Airport. None was as famous as the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.

The Fair is one of, if not the largest in the state of Pennsylvania. Held the last week of September / first week of October, for many years it was the race to win for midgets. The fair race ran for many years with an ARDC sanction and later SMRC, featured a who’s who of midget racing. Dutch Sheaffer, Len Duncan and Mario Andretti at one time tested the flat cinder track in front of the huge grandstand, with the backstretch paralleling the midway and separated by a two tiered guardrail and chain link fence.

The fair race in 1953 featured a relatively new stock car group from the south called NASCAR. The race was held October 3, 1953 and was won by Herb Thomas. Thomas won a cool grand for his effort with 11th on back, taking home $25.00 each.

This was the only year the fair held a NASCAR race and went back to midgets. Racing was an annual event until the late 80’s.

The finishing order for the NASCAR race:

1. Herb Thomas
2. Dick Rathmann
3. Buck Baker
4. Elton Hildreth
5. Bob Welborn
6. Lee Petty
7. Ted Chamberlain
8. Robert Walden
9. Wimpy Ervin
10. Ed DeWolf
11. Mickey Rorer
12. Frank Katucka
13. Jim Baker
14. Frank Price
15. Fonty Flock
16. Jim Paschal
17. Ed VanHorn
18. Ernie Weidler
19. Frank Kapack
20. Ed Spencer (in a '52 Ford)
21. Vic Strassburg