Saratoga Automobile Museum Has Lost Speedways

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Museums have misplaced items.  There have even been some heists over the years.  But how could a museum lose a speedway?

The Saratoga Automobile Museum is the museum that has Lost Speedways.  But that's the name of one of their upcoming programs.  Because the museum features racing exhibits plus the New York Stock Car Association's (NYSSCA) Hall of Fame, they started talking about speedways that are no longer in operation and recalling the 'good ole days' of area auto racing, which led to the beginning of  the Lost Speedways annual programs.  

Lost Speedways has turned out to be the Saratoga Automobile Museum's most popular program.  It gets the "green flag" at 11:30 am on Saturday, November 26. That will mark the opening of the memorabilia displays, with formal presentations set to begin at 1 pm.

"We've been doing this for many years and every year somebody brings some new "old stuff" that knocks everyone's socks off," said event organizer Ron Hedger. "We set up tables and urge everyone to come early and put their memorabilia out to share with others and get the conversations and reruns of races from years ago started. Our museum volunteers will be on hand to provide security so that participants can wander from table to table and enjoy each other's treasures."

Hedger will open the presentations with a preview of next summer's NASCAR exhibit set to occupy the museum's main gallery beginning in June 2012, followed by Mark Supley's recollections of playing motorcycle polo. Next up will be historian Ken Parrotte, discussing NASCAR's Short Track Division from the 1950's and 60's, with Parrotte to be joined by division champion and Southern 500 winner Jim Reed, who will share some observations and then take questions from the audience.  Jim King, area track announcer, will close out the program's first half with tales of the short-lived Cairo Speedway.

Following a brief intermission, North Country historian Bill Ladabouche will take the audience back to the glory days of Plattsburgh's Airborne Park Speedway, home to many Capital District racers over the years. The final speakers will be the tag team of modified and Indy car driver Denny Zimmerman, who will discuss the famed Eastern Bandits and being the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, and longtime car owner Skip Matczak, who will recall the opening campaign at Albany-Saratoga Speedway as well as his superb career as a supermodified owner.

The current Gallery exhibit is "PORSCHE - 60 Years of Speed and Style in North America" with "NASCAR in New York" featured in the Racing in New York gallery.

The museum is located off of Exit 13N of the Northway (I-87) in the Saratoga Spa State Park.