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View Full Version : 120 cars on a 1/4 mile track. It really happened.



ChrisB
12-06-03, 09:27 AM
This is a post I've been meaning to get to for a few years, and the Army-Navy game today in Philly kinda reminded me about it. (and there's not many places to go today with all the snow today)

You see, though the Army-Navy game is being held at the new Lincoln Field, and Vet Stadium some of the past few years before that, many people in this area still remember and associate the game with JFK Stadium. Actually it was called "Municipal Stadium" for decades until JFK himself attended the game in the early 60's, and it was renamed in his honor posthumously. The point of having the game in Philly is that it's somewhat of a halfway point between Annapolis and West Point.

Other people of a certain age may remember JFK Stadium as the US half of the Live Aid concert in 1985 (Wembley Stadium in London being the other half). Pennsy Railroad fans know about the GG1 "Army-Navy specials" back in the day. I also saw Evel Kneviel do a jump at JFK back in the early 70s... but that's getting way off-topic.

JFK Stadium supposedly held about 100k capacity (part of the reason it was chosen for Live Aid) but otherwise it was an old-school standard-size football field surrounded by a 1/4 mile cinder running track.

In the summer of 1986 I saw an ad that there was going to be a Sat night "stock car race" at JFK, and my brother and I decided to go. When we got there, the crowd wasn't very big, but they announced that there were going to be about *120 cars* in the race under the lights!

They had the cars sorta bunched up in a staging area at one end of the track... a short chute (and beyond) where a 100 yard dash would start. It looked like a parking lot. The cars were all late models... mostly 70's and few 60's. There was even one '69 Charger. They did about 1 or 2 pace laps, and right away you could see the front of the field come around before all the cars had left the staging area.

They waved the green flag, and it was surreal. 120 cars on a 1/4 mile cinder track. Cars all the way around, the whole width of the track. Every piece of track space filled. It wasn't really clear what kind of "rubbin" rules were in effect, but everyone just mashed into each other like it was a huge demolition derby on an oval. It actually seemed kinda dangerous... the cars had no rollbars or extra protection. Several cars which got banged outta commission had to park on the infield grass and the drivers had to just wait there... with no break in the line of cars... until it was over. It did NOT look like it would be easy to stop this race if they really had to for an emergency.

We also felt kinda bad that the lone '69 Charger was getting banged up.

There was absolutely no way to tell from the grandstands who was in the lead. Eventually after the designated number of laps (it mighta been 75 - 100 IIRC) they waved the checkered and it took about 2 laps for everyone to stop. How they figured out the winner is beyond me. I must have had quite a look on my face after that race... but it was definitely fun to watch!

I believe they held another one of these "stock car races" at JFK the following year ('87) and this time, limited it to ONLY 100 cars! Uh huh. I wasn't able to go, though would have liked to. They never held another, and JFK was eventually condemned around 1989. The Wachovia Center (Flyers & Sixers arena) now sits there.

Anyway, that's the story. Enjoy the Army-Navy game or the snow today!

devilmaster
12-06-03, 01:16 PM
Neat story Chris.

Oh yeah.....

GO NAVY! :thumbup:

Steve

Hink
12-07-03, 03:33 AM
That's pretty nutty. Thanks for the story.