WHAT HAPPENED TO NEW BREMEN SPEEDWAY? A BLAST FROM THE PAST

A few years back, I got myself into a New Bremen Speedway mood and found myself headed that way. After a look at one of the most spectacular small towns in America (New Bremen, Ohio), I rediscovered the site of the long gone New Bremen Speedway, a treasured track from my boyhood when the Sunday afternoon USAC Sprint shows thrilled packed crowds every time. I always wondered what became of the place so I found out. At any rate, this blast-from-the-past little Short is from the History Mystery Man archives and never before aired here on my KZbin channel. Thanks for your support! #HistoryMysteryMan #NewBremen #NewBremenSpeedway #NewBremenOhio

[@frederickfranz2613]

went there once as a kid,great time

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Loved New Bremen Speedway...thanks for watching! HMM

[@arthurkuhn1401]

Yes! Another excellent video. I did not know there was a speedway there but I am familiar with the town. In my travels, I passed through New Bremen to visit the Bicycle Museum of America. It was founded by Jim Dicke II of Crown Equipment Corporation, the international manufacturer of powered industrial forklift trucks, also in New Bremen. I traveled a lot for work before I retired and often (and deliberately) passed through small towns as this one. just to see what was there. New Bremen is definately worth going to and as far as I know the Bicycle Museum is still there and operating. Thanx

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You're welcome; thanks for taking the time to watch. Yeah...I love New Bremen...beautiful small town. I did an entire video on the town if you want to check it out... kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4W0mZeVp5mbgLc

[@kevinf4616]

Great Video! One of my earliest childhood racing memories was the fried chicken picnic lunches underneath those trees. Such a peaceful setting. I also distinctly remember climbing the steps up that big hill and then boom, there was that beautiful track. One time when I reached the top of the hill car owner Willie Davis in the pit area started revving up that big Offy for Gary Bettenhausen and it was as LOUD as anything I've ever heard. But that revving Offy made a beautiful sound. Saw many USAC races at New Bremen which usually were preceded by a race the night before at Eldora. Remember Jerry Poland's spectacular flip over the backstretch wall in 1974, Duke Cook dismantling his Willie Nelson #28 down the backstretch in 1979 and meeting Tom Sneva in victory lane in 1973. Also remember my Mother's story of being pregnant with me in the grandstands in 1963 when Allen Crowe was unfortunately fatally injured. Thanks for sharing this video, the grounds are very much as I remember them all these years later.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Wow...those are fascinating stories; thanks for sharing them here! New Bremen holds great memories for me too. You know I was there that day Jerry Poland tumbled down the backstretch. I took pictures of his car as I remember. Pretty sure it was an orange No. 54 if I'm not mistaken. My dad's car won there a couple/few times with Rollie Beale at the helm. And what a beautiful town New Bremen is...pure magic. Thanks again...Merry Christmas.

[@Ts68mo]

Thanks for making the video

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You're welcome; thanks for watching...HMM

[@lindamiday2297]

I remember going there in the 60s with my parents. There's also a picture with my mom and dad and their friends when they went there for the Arca race

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Sounds like an awesome memory. My first time there was '68...thanks! HMM

[@black02z]

This was the starting place for my life long interest in auto racing. Loved watching Tommy Hinnershitz. Very disappointed you did not bother to find out what the former track is being used as now. If any Cardinal reads this please post.

[@scottbutler1481]

I have a 1968 New Breman program signed by Jack Bowsher on front and A.J. Foyt on back!!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Now that's a keeper! Jack and AJ were good friends too. HMM

[@theophilhist6455]

The "Industrial look" is the testing and proving grounds for the Crown Fork Lift Company of New Bremen. Great machines.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

10-4...I did another separate video on the town of New Bremen (beautiful town) and I highlighted the Crown Co. Thanks again...HMM

[@patwethington1122]

That appears to be the same barn outside turn three.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

I didn't notice that...very cool. Thanks...HMM

[@jeffrivers4735]

I remember going there in the early 1960s watching USAC sprints. A great dirt track then. Was a young child then.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Awesome. I didn't get there till it had been paved...then in the end...dirt again. Great history. Thanks Jeff...HMM

[@robertayers9424]

The photos a person has taken over the years, can only be outdone by the snapshots in the mind. The fond memories of the people and places are priceless! Thanks for sharing and for sparking the memories back to life!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again, Robert. It was a magical time for me...HMM

[@rogerozdarski2935]

I love these stories of the old tracks

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again Roger...HMM

[@gregj831]

My Father took me to a 100 lap Stock Car Race at that track and mom sat in the car under one of those trees and reading a book. Normally, we were Open Wheelers but I really enjoyed that Stock Car race. So often these days I feel so blessed to have been around during those magical times. It was the America of my dreams.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Reminds me of going to Springfield and DuQuoin for the USAC Champ car races...we were also open-wheelers. But I used to sneak in the day before when the stock car race was underway; they were great shows. New Bremen tends to conjure up interesting memories for many...thanks. HMM

[@adventureswithnoahmanship6755]

Great video!!!! Keep them coming!!!!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You bet I will; thanks for watching! HMM

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Those booming V8's were fun to watch and listen to. Noise regulations killed the atmosphere. That should be a skate park. At least it's not a housing estate. Yes, that's a great gas station. My dad used to go to one owned by a Hungarian family, the dad was a Beetle expert. He'd worked on them in the Wehrmacht.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Super interesting stories; thanks for sharing them here...love it! Thanks for watching...HMM

[@darinwinebrenner6908]

Very cool Don 🤙🏻

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again Darin...HMM

[@chuckg6039]

Don, I just researched (New Bremen Sesquicentennial Reflections) that neat service station. It's called 'Dicke Service Station'. It was first rented in 1947 by Paul Dicke. He then operated a full station with car wash. Paul bought the building in 1950 and added a cement block section (the far left side as you face the building) with a high door to support truck service. His son Don started running the business in 1960. Eventually Don's son Mike became a key mechanic. My reference stops at 1983, so not sure what is the story after that date. Hopefully it's still family owned and/or operated. I found a late 1970's picture of the building. Overall It looks much the same today. But the current building has new vertical aluminum siding (replacing horizontal wooden siding) throughout and all new doors. But the pumps appear to be the same! Hum. I just learned that James F. Dicke II is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Controls in New Bremen and James F. Dicke III is President. They must somehow be related to the Dicke's of this gas station. Kind of intereting!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Absolutely! Thanks for connecting all those dots; I had no idea! HMM

[@geezer4962]

USAC's the Larry & Gary show of way back when. Thanks for the update, sir.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Gotta love the Gary and Larry show! Thanks again...HMM

[@wideslammer]

Another nice video from THMM. Thanks.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

So many thanks! HMM

[@donmcnally9063]

Such a great time! We have had to been around each other at some point in those years cause l was lucky to get to go racing with my Grandfather who was a USAC official for the sprints and champ dirt cars! I was a proud member of the Rollie Beale bunch!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

No doubt our paths crossed. It was a magical era. The Rollie Beale Bunch was a solid unit...true-blue all the way. HMM

[@mikewaddell8902]

I never had the opportunity to attend a race at New Bremen, I have read many stories about the track over the years. Thanks for the visit.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You're welcome; thanks for watching! HMM

[@edminas3159]

If you go back to New Bremen do not miss the Bicycle museum. It would be fun to see a show on that. Tons of history in that place

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Yep...I did a piece on the bicycle museum inside the video I did on the town of New Bremen...thanks. HMM

[@brcisna]

Very nice video,of New Bremen Speedway (was) area HMM. Pretty cool how these places stick in your mind,,,many fond memories of good times. That bog ol tree seen many people coming to and fro from that race track,,,no doubt. Keep the history coming.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks. New Bremen, Ohio is a fascinating place. When I was a kid, it was all about the track. Now that the track is gone, it's all about the town...one of the prettiest, cleanest small towns in America. HMM

[@tonyweist3325]

A lot of memories parking out under those big old trees. It was almost like a fairgrounds. I actually have a piece of concrete from where Earl Baltes turned it back into a dirt track. Earl sold this track to Crown Control with a codicil that it could never be a race track again. Sad so many tracks are gone that used to be.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks Tony, for sharing your New Bremen Speedway memories here. It really was an iconic and magical place! HMM

[@karltonmickjr.3763]

I was lucky enough to see the last couple years of racing there. Earl had taken the pavement off, the Outlaws would race at Eldora on sat. night with wings and run at New Breman on sun. without the wings. I saw Steve Kinser crash at Eldora on sat. Karl borrowed a car from a guy in Findlay. Stayed up most of the night to install his engine and Steve won at Breman on sunday. No spare car in those days, open trailers. Pretty cool stuff !! The USAC boys put on a good show there too. It only lasted a couple years and Earl shut it down for good.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Those are awesome memories; thanks for sharing them here. I love the part about running the wings at Eldora Saturday night...then taking the wings off for Sunday at New Bremen. I wish they still did that...go back and forth between wings and no wings. Thanks for watching! HMM

[@stevenbuis4490]

Strohs was the BEST

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

According to Rollie Beale, who often had a trunk load in his Olds 88...

[@DavidAmstutz]

I saw my very first USAC sprint race there in August 1970. It was the only race I ever attended where a few of the cars still did not have a roll cage (they became mandatory in USAC in 1971). Larry Dickson won that day after Greg Weld was black flagged while leading for leaking oil. After the race, Weld started a fight in the pits and the crowd almost rioted. They were chanting "We want Weld! We want Weld!" and throwing beer cans over the catch fence onto the track. I saw almost every USAC race there after that plus a few stock car and supermodified races as well. When Earl Baltes changed it back to dirt for the 1979 season, there were also World of Outlaw races as well as USAC. I believe the last race there was in 1981.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Interesting stories; thanks for sharing them here. You have jogged my memory on the Greg Weld-New Bremen story, which is now coming back to my mind...I was also there. Thanks for reconnecting that for me.

[@richardboggs260]

I have a little information about Rollie Beale. For years I have been getting my machine work for the circle track engines I build at Hart's Auto Parts in Cecil, Ohio. Harts Auto Parts was sold and is now called Hart's Machine Service any way as you walk in the front door and look up there is a sign and some trophies about Rollie Beale telling how many races he won. Come to find out Hart's is where some of his engines were built. You should check it out some time

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Great history at Hart's. It's where Rollie's famous race-winning P6 car came out of. I'll have to get out there and check it out...thanks. HMM

[@adrianfernandonoya5196]

Another Nice Video but i missed the amazing cars lol not photos real cars i mean.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Understood; thanks for chiming in! HMM

[@chuckg6039]

Kind of a bitter sweet video Don. I never got to watch a race there. But I did visit when the track was still barely there. I checked the latest property records. Since June 1989, it has been owned by Crown Controls. 41 acres. They make material handling equipment such as fork lifts. I bet it's one of their R&D Centers/Test Tracks/Proving Grounds. They keep the place under the radar. Not even a sign at the entrance. They must want folks to think it's a sewage treatment plant and thus stay away....ha, ha. And maybe keep the place hidden from competitors.

[@gregsimon9061]

I remember after the races barbecuing in the grass and drinking a Coors with Rollie, he wanted to know where I got the Coors from, I told him, I brought a suitcase full from California😅 We sat there and ate hot dogs and drank beer and told a lot of stories, Rookie was the best.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Hot dogs and beer with Rollie Beale at New Bremen Speedway. Pure magic! Thanks again, Greg...HMM

[@rjust2297]

It's weird because I relayed to you because you were talking about the Edmund Fitzgerald being over on the Oregon coast or in coos Bay or up in Astoria where I was raised in Portland and the boys had some family over here at the coast at coos Bay I think he's what you said sorry about the talk-to-text it's not exactly correct here but you'll get it. Infant connections in a small world after all lol

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Whether it's the Mighty Fitz or New Bremen Speedway, I'm glad we were able to make a connection...thanks. HMM