Walking Horses and race cars

Posted Wednesday, September 9, 2009, at 2:46 PM

Does anyone remember the orginal Celebration Grounds?

It was located back of the old Central High School football stadium in the area now used for soccer. The big wood structure served for many years.

One afternoon, a Sunday I believe, a midget auto race was held there. The group of drivers didn't put on much of a show. Five of six car showed up, one hit the outside railing as it went around on a very early practice run, one driver never managed to get his car started and this led to a race of sorts at very low speeds.

The midget racers were built along the lines of Indy cars at that time.

Could that have been the first auto race in Bedford County?

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Bo, My Dad worked on one of the Midget Race Cars

when he was with Stewart-Potts... He kept one of

the tiny Spark Plugs...

-- Posted by FlaDon on Tue, Sep 15, 2009, at 5:43 PM

Bo, I saw the midget race you are talking about.

Leeiii I remember the Tittsworth's Motorcycle shop. They sold Indian motorcycles.

-- Posted by jim8377 on Thu, Sep 10, 2009, at 12:51 PM

At the present day show arena there was a motorcycle race (demonstration) put on by Ralph Tittsworth, Jr., and if my memory serves me correctly, I believe there was at least one other person involved. This would have been about 1949 or 1950, or maybe even a little later.

-- Posted by leeiii on Thu, Sep 10, 2009, at 9:29 AM

I don't remember the old arena, however in 1957, there were go cart races at the present arena. They used chain saw engines and really put on a show. I am curious what else the dirt arena track has been used for.

-- Posted by chs61 on Wed, Sep 9, 2009, at 10:53 PM

Bo, yes I remember the old horse show grounds at the high school. I was in attendance with my Dad in 1947 when Winston Wiser rode Merry Go Boy to the championship.

I also remember hauling cinders from the high school to make the surface of the 1/4 mile running track. However, I was not aware of a midget race being held there.

Speaking of midgets, did you remember that Country Music Star the late Marty Robbins got his start in racing running 3/4 midgets in Smyrna?

-- Posted by leeiii on Wed, Sep 9, 2009, at 3:28 PM

Bo Melson

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Bo Melson is a retired sports and police beat editor of the Times-Gazette.

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