Circle M Ranch Speedway and Rodeo
Updated 07242020
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Auburn, Pennsylvania once featured a popular 1/4-mile oval dirt track speedway located near the western edge of the town. Auburn resident Eddie Mates had a vision that he wanted to build "one of the finest dirt tracks in Pennsylvania" and in 1955, he did just that. The Circle M Ranch Speedway opened featuring seating obtained from the prior Hippodrome Theatre of Pottsville, PA. featuring 2,000 seats. When 2,500 spectators arrived on Opening Day, Eddie installed an additional 3,000 seats for the following week! By August of that year, Eddie had installed a 200,000 watt lighting system and hosted his first night-time race at the track! Over the next few years, the Circle M Ranch Speedway enjoyed huge commercial success until it was leased to Fred & Ken Hurley in 1958. By the end of that year, the Circle M Ranch Speedway closed its gates for business.
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| The Circle M Ranch Speedway Car and Driver Listing |
The Track
1950s Track Pictures
Early postcard featuring an aerial view of the Circle M Ranch Speedway located west of Auburn, PA
1950s entrance sign for the Circle M Ranch Speedway promoting Pepsi cola.
The entry gates to the speedway with an actual stock car sitting atop of the gates.
A long line of cars entering the speedway on race day.
Two boys frolicking as spectators continue to arrive at the track.
Just a portion of the spectator's automobiles parked at the race track.
Spectators awaiting the start of the race.
Spectators filling the hillside in anticipation of the race.
The light poles are prominently featured in this photograph. Night races were made possible once these poles were installed.
A sprint car rounding the curve.
The sprint car entering the straight.
The sprint car leaving a trail of dust as it enters the curve.
A view of the stock cars waiting their turn in the inner circle
The crowd eagerly gathers as the excitement mounts.
While the crowd waits in anticipation, a spectator checks the bottom of his shoe to see what he stepped in...
Some of the stock cars driving in formation around the track.
The dust begins to fly as the stock cars race through the corner.
A head-on view of some of the cars racing through the corner.
The cars continue to kick up dust as they compete against each other.
An old joke was that the only flavor of ice cream being served at the Circle M Ranch Speedway was chocolate since the dust
covered everything including the food.
The crowd watches as the race progresses.
The roar of the cars could be heard throughout town every race day.
People have said that you could see the dust rising through the air a mile away when the races were occurring.
A vintage black and white photograph of the races.
One of the stock cars being repaired.
Sadly, the demise of the Circle M Ranch Speedway resulted in these magnificent stock cars racing off into history.
The abandoned track as it appeared in 2006
The Circle M Ranch Speedway as it looked in 2006 - approximately fifty years after it had been abandoned.
The track had become a simple dirt circuit through an increasingly wooded area.
Weeds began taking over the spectator areas as the track continued to deteriorate.
The once cleared inner circle became weed-choked with trees growing in the center of it.
Deteriorating remnants of the original features were all that remained of this once highly-successful speedway.
2008 Reunion
A news article released in 2008 mentioning the first visitation to the old track in over fifty years.
Heavy equipment can be seen parked in the area that was once the speedway.
In 2008, a few of the original drivers wanted to visit the old speedway for reminiscing. A single stock car made a couple of rounds at moderate speeds to help sharpen those poignant memories.
This photograph features those individuals who visited the track during that first "reunion" of the original drivers. Each individual has been identified by name.
2009 Reunion
The following year, the drivers again asked permission of the Mates family to re-visit the track. Bonnie Mates and her family invested their time, labor and expenses to clear the inner circle prior to the event and raise an American flag in the center.
Remnants of the original infrastructure still remained, but the improvements to the track were obvious.
This photograph of the bleacher area or stands was reclaimed from the trees that had overtaken the site.
A portion of the original seating was found upon clearing the area.
During this second reunion, several additional cars and drivers attended.
Spectators began to arrive as word of the event spread.
A sign commemorating the original Circle M Ranch Speedway was erected in honor of the original track.
The race cars arriving to participate in the event showed a wide range of diversity.
Spectators were able to walk amongst the cars prior to commencing the event, taking photographs and talking to drivers.
Some of the cars that originally competed at the Circle M Ranch Speedway returned to the track once again.
The Auburn Fire Company participated by helping to wet down the track as well as provide fire protection if needed.
Car number eighty-eight waits its turn on the track.
The driver of car number 333 waits in anticipation of being able to relive a historic event.
Spectators begin leaving the inner circle to allow for the drivers to begin making laps.
A driver poses for one last picture before taking his car onto the track.
Each car took turns making laps at moderate speeds to provide a photo opportunity for the spectators.
2010 Reunion
By 2010, the "Circle M Ranch Speedway" sign once again graced the embankment at the site of the original track.
An increased number of spectators began to arrive as word spread of this annual impromptu reunion which had gained so much popularity.
Car 31
Car 32
Car 44
Car 69
Car 69X
Car 88X
Car 333
Car 707
Car 711
The Big Diamond Race car sliding through a corner
2011 Reunion
In 2011, an original poster promoting the Circle M Ranch Speedway was displayed during the annual reunion.
More cars, drivers and spectators arrived than ever before.
Multiple cars took to the tracks simultaneously to provide new photo opportunities for the crowd.
Drivers and spectators intermingled and exchanged pleasantries.
Cars not previously seen here were present at this event.
Car 17
Car 24
Car 29
Car 31
Car 31
Car 37
Car 63
Car 71
Car 77 (Red and White Car)
Car 77 and the flagman.
Car 77s
Car 88
Car 88X
Circle M Ranch Speedway owner Bonnie Mates being assisted out of the Big Diamond Race car after gamely agreeing to ride along for a few "moderate" laps.
2012 Reunion
2012's reunion started with a good attendance of drivers and race cars.
Spectators watched while crews checked out their cars in preparation for the laps.
A crew member works on his vehicle in the inner circle.
The cars begin to take to the track.
A circuit of cars makes their laps for photo opportunities.
Two cars "race" against one another at moderate speeds.
The cars roar into the straightway.
At the end of the day, car number 11 takes the checkered flag.
The most important aspect of the Circle M Ranch reunions is the opportunity to gather with friends and reminisce about the "good old days".
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Early Cars
00 - Jerry Katz
1/2 X 1/2 (Foremost car)
1 (Blue and White car) - Don Loder
1
2 - Jack Rudy
2 - Jack Rudy
3
3X
4 - Ed Renninger
4
5
6 (Rear car)
7A - Pete Strunk
7 Jr. - Don Loder
10 - Charles "Pappy" Bricker
13 (?)
13X - Earl "Drick" Hendricks
17 - Lauden Potts
17 - Richard ("Dick" or "Toby") Tobias
24 (Foremost car)
24 (Foremost car)
29 (?) - Johnny Snyder
29 Jr. (?) - Foremost car
31 - Bob "Harp" Wink
34-1/2
37 - Art Ferrebbee
38 - Bill Wertz
40 - Homer "Chicker" Nelson (thanks to Gary Spittle for the identification)
45 - Mitch Zajac (?)
49 (Lead car) - Hal Lord (?)
51 - Charlie Bubeck
51 - Charlie Bubeck
51 Jr. (Foremost car) - Dave Marburger
55
57 (Farthest right entire car)
57
60
82 - Bill Dice (thanks to George Dice for the identification)
89 - Sam Moyer
98 (Lead car)
99 - Car on its side - Walter "Wally" Schwenk
99 (Lead Car) - Walter "Wally" Schwenk
145 - Leroy Felty
231 - Rear car - Bob "Harp" Wink
330
The Rodeos
The Circle M Ranch Speedway also hosted rodeos at their site.
Preparations for the start of the rodeo are evident.
Children ride ponies as part of the attraction.
A cowboy "rassles" a steer to the ground.
Once captured, animals are swiftly tied.
Every bull rider hopes to achieve an eight second ride before being thrown from the animal.
Trick riding of horses are yet another event showcased.
"Bronco-busting" is a rough sport which occasionally resulted in the cowboy busting bones instead.
Pretty girls doing daring stunts were a favorite of many of the male spectators.
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Early Drivers
Art Ferrebbee - 37
Bill Dice - 82
Bill Wertz - 38
Bob "Harp" Wink - 31
Charles "Pappy" Bricker - 10
Charlie Bubeck - 51
Don Loder - 7 Jr.
Earl "Drick" Hendricks - 13X
Ed Renninger - 4
Homer "Chicker" Nelson - 40 (thanks to Gary Spittle for the identification)
Jack Rudy - 2
Jerry Katz -
Johnny Snyder - 29
Lauden Potts - 17
Leroy Felty - 145
Pete Strunk - 7A
Richard ("Dick" or "Toby") Tobias - 17
Sam Moyer - 89
Walter "Wally" Schwenk - 99
Unknown - To Be Identified
A
B
C
D
If you know the identity of any of these drivers, please complete and submit the form below. Thank you.
"The Circle M Ranch Speedway" - This DVD contains dozens of different black and white as well as color pictures of the Circle M Ranch Speedway, its drivers and the race cars that ran on this track. This disc provides a delightful viewing experience for young and old alike! Learn the history of the speedway, view the track from both past and present perspectives, see the race cars that competed there and “meet” the drivers who drove off into history! You can purchase this DVD for only $5.00 with all proceeds directly benefiting the AAHS! Click on the link button below marked "Presentation DVDs" to access our sales page.
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