East Ascot
Roy Richwine purchased the property now known as Williams Grove Speedway in 1937. It was previously known as Grangers Picnic Fairgrounds. The first race was held on May 21, 1939. Joey Chitwood Sr set the fastest time that day by finishing a lap in 26.03 seconds. Tommy Hinnershitz won the forty lap feature, earning $400. The Flying Farmer won 19 sprint car races on the track, racing through the late 1950’s! He also won 7 Eastern sprint car championships and enjoyed a top ten finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The only NASCAR Cup race at Grove took place on June 27, 1954. It was won by Herb Thomas, who led 150 of the 200 laps, in a 1954 Hudson. Leading the other 50 laps and finishing in second place was polesitter Dick Rathmann, Hershel McGriff was third. Other notable drivers included Buck Baker, Lee Petty, Dizzy Dean, Ralph Ligouri, and Hilly Rife.
July 29, 1951 became known as “Black Sunday.” Two drivers, Cecil Green and Bill Mackey, were killed in back-to-back qualifying races at Winchester, Indiana. Also that day Walt Brown was murdered in the Grove. He spun in turn two while qualifying his #29 car. He turned around, and Brown died at Carlisle Hospital later that day. Eleven other pilots, as well as 1 official and 1 spectator have lost their lives on the track.
The Grove has a connection to the Indianapolis 500. The last connection is that of the pilot PJ Chesson, who participated in the event. Indy winners with sprint car victories at the track include George Robson (1946), Bill Holland (1949), Johnny Parsons Sr (1950), Troy Ruttman (1952), Pat Flaherty (1956), Jimmy Bryan (1958), AJ Foyt (1961, 64, 67 and 77) and Parnelli Jones (1962). Jan Opperman, Joey Chitwood Sr, Johnny Thomson, Duke Nalon, Duane Carter Sr, Eddie Sachs, Rodger McCluskey and Elmer George (whose family still owns IMS) all have sprint car victories here. Ted Horn won 14 sprint car (then known as “big cars”) races here plus 3 national driving championships (1946-48)! He was killed in DuQuoin, IL in 1948, but he had enough points to win the title.
Jack Gunn was the announcer for the track, and later took over as promoter. He added Selinsgrove, Penn National and Hagerstown to his list of promotional efforts. Gunn, whose last name was actually Gunnells, attended the Milton Hershey School for Orphans along with his brother Trim. Trim owned a garage business in Lebanon, Pennsylvania and was a track car owner for many years. Jack won Promoter of the Year in 1979 and passed away in 1980. Gunn is responsible for bringing the best drivers in the country to race in central Pennsylvania. He is in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
Since sprint car racing began weekly in 1967, Fred Rahmer has become the most successful driver, winning 83 races. Lance Dewease has 75 wins, Donnie Kreitz Jr has 54 wins, and Keith Kauffman enjoyed 51 wins. Kauffman has the most wins in a season with 13 in 1984!
The circuit has long straights and tight corners. It was supposedly inspired by the Legion Ascot Speedway in California. It is also known for its spectator bridge which spans over the backstretch to the inside of the field. There is a tunnel under the track on the first turn connecting the frontstretch fans to the infield. Gone are the infield starter’s grandstand and the covered frontstretch grandstands. Did you know that at one time there was a runway for airplanes off the back stretch of the runway?
Williams Grove Speedway is referenced in a Hollywood movie. The 1949 film is called “The Big Wheel” which stars Mickey Rooney as the driver “Billy Coy”. After running into trouble on the West Coast tracks, he heads east. A newspaper headline is shown with him winning the Grove. He later arrives at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.