Synth Music and A Kidney Bean Oval? Must be Trenton Speedway!

Hooniverse

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You know what’s missing from modern oval racing? Right turns! The old Trenton Speedway, in Trenton, N.J., featured a bend in the starboard direction (known simply as “the Dogleg”) from 1968 until it closed in 1980. These are the opening laps of the April 23, 1978 200 mile USAC Indy car race as shown on ABC. Another thing you don’t see these days? Engine and chassis variety in America’s premier single-seater category; no bonus points for being the first to post a Tony George-related comment.
That reminds me: 1978 was also the last year of truly unified Indy car racing until 2008, as CART contested its inaugural season the following year. Here is a handy timeline for those interested in the specifics of this sad, sordid saga. Bottom line: American open wheel racing eventually proved Lincoln was correct. Here’s hoping the future is bright.

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  1. scroggzilla Avatar
    scroggzilla

    God bless ABC’s Wide World of Sports…it, along with the CBS Sports Spectacular, was my gateway drug into motorsports.

    Reply
  2. baldy_pm Avatar
    baldy_pm

    This needs to have the tag “Wide World of Hoonage”

    Reply
    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      done…

      Reply
      1. baldy_pm Avatar
        baldy_pm

        Wow. Awesome. I have never been taken seriously on the interwebs before this.

        Reply
  3. Jeff Glucker Avatar
    Jeff Glucker

    The intro on that clip is excellent… now if someone can find the old HBO intro song, i will be in classic TV heaven.

    Reply
  4. BGW, Capt. (Ret.) Avatar
    BGW, Capt. (Ret.)

    We were just talking about Trenton and this clip in particular elsewhere recently. Such a unique and challenging design…shame they only make cookie-cutter ovals and hairpin-squiggle road courses these days.

    Reply
    1. Thrashy Avatar
      Thrashy

      Demolished to make way for… a sculpture garden? In Jersey? Somebody wasn’t thinking that through very well.

      Reply
  5. wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx Avatar
    wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx

    Here’s the spirit of Jalopnik that I miss.

    Reply
    1. superbadd75 Avatar
      superbadd75

      This place is just dripping with it.

      Reply
  6. Brian Avatar
    Brian

    No doubt T-wrx. I had no idea all this was going on over here until I read Mad’s reply in Dearth’s farewell post at Jalopnik this morning. How cool is this?

    Reply
    1. citroen67 Avatar
      citroen67

      That is how I found out about this site as well. It is truly what Jalopoliticsnik has been lacking for a long while. I can’t believe that they actually de-starred the mighty Dearthair! What a cheap shot! I don’t think I will be posting/visiting that joint anymore…LONG LIVE THE TRUE CAR ENTHUSIAST!

      Reply
      1. SSurfer321 Avatar
        SSurfer321

        While I am zealous as you/others about this new(s) site, let us not forget that Jalopnik brought us all together in the first place. While we may not agree with where Jalopnik is growing we should give them the respect they deserve. While I speculate that I will spend more time at our Hooniversity, I will still get my press releases from the site that brought us all together.

        Reply
  7. lilwillie Avatar
    lilwillie

    When racing was dangerous and sex was safe.
    Cool video, cool find.

    Reply
  8. superbadd75 Avatar
    superbadd75

    Damn! No video at work.

    Reply
  9. Tim Odell Avatar
    Tim Odell

    I want Jackie Stewart to call the events in my day-to-day life like that.

    Reply
  10. JeepyJayhawk Avatar
    JeepyJayhawk

    Big time racing before everyone ran the same gear.

    Reply
  11. Uncle Bo Avatar
    Uncle Bo

    Is that a 1978 VW Scirocco as a pace car?
    The “exciting, piston-engine Mazda GLC”. LOL, anything to get economy car buyers to forget about the Wankel gas hog.
    There is a regular pantheon of sprint car superstars in that field – Foyt, Andretti, Rutherford, Johnny Parsons, Tom Bigelow, even freakin’ Sheldon Kinser! I’d love to see how Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick would wheel a non-wing sprint car around Terre Haute or Winchester.
    When I see all the familar “faces” here at the Hooniverse, a song comes to mind. I know many of your like your brefass scotch (while listening to those whistle tips, I’m sure), but when I think about everyone and what’s happened in our little Jalopniworld, I think of this song:

    Reply
    1. joshuman Avatar
      joshuman

      It is Scirocco. I was looking to see if anyone else noticed.

      Reply
  12. Formerlythegreatestdriver Avatar
    Formerlythegreatestdriver

    For a second you guys had me scratching my head to see about a mysterious race track I over looked in Trenton, MI. Trenton, MI (aka Downriver) is the last place you would find any kind of synth music for sure, they do have a good scene of classic ol’ cars in summer tho. Very rednecky. Which is not a bad thing I guess.

    Reply
  13. Nice Template Avatar
    Nice Template

    In most occassions I don

    Reply