TRENTON INT’L SPEEDWAY TO BE REMEMBERED AT
MOTORSPORTS 2009 RACE CAR & TRADE SHOW IN A.C.

   Gone but not forgotten is the famed Trenton International Speedway which was located on the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds in the capital city.
   The track, which closed in 1980, offered everything from Indianapolis Cars, NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup), Modified stock car, Midget and Sprint Car competition.
But, when the Motorsports 2009 Race Car & Trade Show is presented at the Atlantic City, NJ Convention Center, January 16 & 17th, Trenton International Speedway will again be in the spotlight as one of the key attractions of the weekend.
   “In my younger years I spent a lot of time at the speedway. My family operated the souvenir concession,” said Motorsports 2009 produced Len Sammons. “It is a shame that there has been little or nothing done to remember what a great speedway it was. We are going to try to change that with our trip down ‘memory lane’ at our show.”
   For the Motorsports 2009 weekend, many of the race cars that were seen in action at Trenton International Speedway will be on view. And, plans are in the works to have a number of the drivers and team members who participated there at the show to meet the fans.
Fans and racers are encouraged to bring Trenton-related memorabilia such as scrapbooks, photos and raceday programs. And, the many vintage racing clubs that annually participate in the show will have Trenton Speedway as the theme for their displays.
   Originally a dirt oval, Trenton became a one-mile paved track in the mid-fifties. By the 1970s, until its final race, Trenton Speedway was a peanut shaped one and one-half mile track. Overall, it produced some exciting racing events throughout the years. Notable organizations such as NASCAR, USAC, ARDC and URC sanctioned the events.
   The final race run at Trenton was for the asphalt Modified stock cars, in June, 1980. That scheduled 134-lap event, which was called official after 79 circuits due to rain, was won by Geoff Bodine. Many time NASCAR Modified champion Richie Evans finished close behind with N.J.’s John Blewett Jr. third. Bodine ultimately became a Daytona 500 winner.
   “Having worked there as the public relations director for several years I have a lot of fond memories and great stories,” said Motorsports 2009 public relations director Ernie Saxton. “It was indeed a great racing facility. I remember Jimmy Clark racing there and Janet Guthrie making what I believe was her initial run in an Indianapolis car at Trenton. It will be exciting to get a chance to see some of the old cars and the old timers that participated in events at Trenton.”
   The fairgrounds and speedway location has since been turned into an industrial complex and is also the site of the New Jersey Sculpture Gardens and the very classy Ratz Restaurant.
More details on just how Trenton International Speedway will be remembered at Motorsports 2009 will be released in the very near future.
   The Motorsports 2009 Race Car & Trade Show will fill close to 300,000 square feet of the Atlantic City Convention Center and will offer just about everything imaginable in motorsports. Attendees will have the opportunity to collect autographs from a variety of national and regional racing figures.
And as Motorsports 2009 takes place during the day on January 16th and 17th, the Gamblers Classic Indoor Auto Races will be take place at night at Atlantic City’s famous Boardwalk Hall.
   Information on both events can be had at www.aarn.com. Ticket information is also available at the site or by telephoning 609.888.3618.

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