OLD BRIDGE STADIUM - OLD BRIDGE NJ
The speedway hosted stock cars and drag racing from 1953 until its final season in 1968. It was a 1/2 mile paved oval that could seat up to 10,000. Friday and Sunday evenings were set aside for stock car racing at the track, and Saturday nights were for drag racing beginning in the early 1960s. The 1/16th-mile homestretch of the track was used as the drag strip. The start line was in turn 4 facing downhill, They had a crew of guys that would hang of the back bumper or lean on the windshield of the car to stop them from rolling forward. The Christmas tree was a three bulb traffic light, possibly the first such 'christmas tree' used. Touring series and major events kicked off with the Old Bridge Modified Division in
1953 and 1954. The United stock Car Racing club raced in 1955, before NASCAR's Modified and Midget divisions started racing there from 1956 - 1958. The Modifieds raced there through 1964 with some races from 1966-1968. Joe Kelley would win the Modified Championship there four times, while in the Sportsman Division Jack Hart was a three time Campion. The all time feature count saw Pete Frazee win 41 feature events with Joe Kelley close behind with 35 feature event wins. NASCAR's Cup series raced here six time between 1956 and 1965. The convertibles also ran here twice. The first Cup race saw Jim Reed lead the first 176 laps; but Ralph Moody would motor by with 24 laps to go to take the win. The next year Lee Petty would beat Red White by just two
Old Bridge Drag Races
Midgets at Old Bridge
seconds, after taking the lead with just eight laps to go; and go to victory circle. Jim Reed was third. Finally in 1958; Jim Reed would get the win over Eddie Pagan and Rex White. He led 187 of 200 laps; whipping the field and winning by over a lap. Then NASCAR skipped racing here until 1963 when they returned. It was an exciting race with the two leaders nose to tail the final 20 laps. Fireball Roberts just edged out Rex White by six car lengths to go to victory lane. On July 10, 1964 the race was called the Fireball Roberts 200; in honor of Roberts who had passed away from race injuries just eight days earlier. Billy Wade would have a magical month of July as he would win four consecutive Cup races. This would be the first of those wins. He beat out Ned Jarret by over a lap. It was the
only four Cup races he won in his career. Before the 1965 season started, he would be killed in a tire test. The final Cup race would be in 1965. Junior Johnson would beat Dick Hutcherson by over a lap to take the win, and claim the $1,000 winners check. The Convertibles ran here in 1956 and 1957. The first race would see Frank Mundy beat Danny Letner by a lap. Dirt track ace Bob Welborn would win the other race as he battled with Possum Jones be get the win. Curtis Turner was third. The final race held at Old Bridge Stadium Speedway in August 1968. That August ’68 finale was a 100-lap feature for Modifieds that was divided into two 50-lap races, which allowed the drivers to fuel up after 50 laps and restart in the positions they were in when the race was stopped.
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