THE FIRST PUSH OF SPEEDWEEKS 2010..VAUGHN ROCKNEY PUSHES OFF LANCE DEWEASE AT OCALA DURING PRACTICE DAYS--(JR photo)

BUD WILLIS PUSHES OFF FRED RAHMER AT OCALA--(JR photo)

FLORIDA PHOTOGRAPHER GENE MARDERNESS SEND ME A COUPLE NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS ABOUT RACING AT THE READING FAIRGROUNDS IN THE EARLY 1950'S..NOTE HOW BIG THE SPECTATOR COUNT WAS..

VICTORY AND REWARD--JOHNNY THOMSON, OF LOWELL, MASS., SPEEDS BY AUSTIN SHAY'S CHECKERED FLAG IN THE TOP PHOTO TO WIN THE 15 MILE FEATURE EVENT OF THE SEASON'S EASTERN AAA INAUGURAL AUTO RACING PROGRAM AT READING FAIRGROUNDS YESTERDAY BEFORE 31,689 EXCITED SPECTATORS..IN PILOTING HIS BLACK OFFENHAUSER TO VICTORY, THOMSON SET A NEW 30-LAP COURSE RECORD OF 13:05.28..IN THE LOWER PHOTO, THOMSON IS REWARDED FOR HIS TRIUMPH AND RECEIVES A GOLD TROPHY HANDED HIM BY SAM NUNIS, LEFT, WHO PROMOTED THE RACES..LOOKING ON, RIGHT IS SAM TRAYLOR, OF ALLENTOWN, OWNER OF THE CAR THOMSON DROVE TO VICTORY.--(Times Staff Photo)

RUTTMAN MITTS CONQUEROR..TROY RUTTMAN, LEFT, WAS THE FIRST TO CONGRATULATE BILL SCHINDLER, IN WHITE HELMET RIGHT, AFTER THE LATTER WON THE 30-LAP FEATURE OF THE AUTO RACING INAUGURAL YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT THE FAIRGROUNDS..RUTTMAN, CALIFORNIA LEADFOOT, TRAILED SCHINDLER, ONE-LEGGED PILOT FROM NEW YORK EVERY INCH OF THE WAY--BUT NEVER BY MORE THAN THREE CAR LENGTHS..PROMOTER SAM NUNIS, CENTER, COMPLIMENTS BOTH DRIVERS ON THEIR MARVELOUS EXHIBITIONS..THE SEASON'S FIRST SPEED CLASSIC LURED A THRONG OF 28,642 SPECTATORS TO THE HALF-MILE OVAL IN MUHLENBERG TOWNSHIP.--(Times Staff Photo)