7/15/2022
Postman 68
Home Track Happy
HALLSTEAD, Pa. -- I grew up in the small town of Hallstead, Pa. in northeastern Pennsylvania; about 30 minutes south of Binghamton, N.Y. and 45 north of Scranton. My parents provided a wonderful life for us giving everything we needed, with plenty of extras. Not financial extras, but time extras. We spent a lot of time together as a family.
The thing my dad and I enjoyed the most was going to the races; and back in the day we had it really good. Our primary track was Five Mile Point Speedway near Binghamton and damn that was one fantastic place. Our Friday night track was Penn Can Speedway in nearby Susquehanna, during the 1970s it was a bit less stable and sporadic.
Boy, when they both were in operation; I was one happy young man. My passion for racing came from Friday and Saturday nights at the track with my father, my brother and sister and friends watching my (still) beloved dirt modifieds do their magic.
Most nights concluded with a trip to the pits to talk with the drivers, get autographs – some from the same guy every week – and just soaking up every-last minute of a wonderful night. I never wanted to leave.
It was there that I listened to, and mimicked, the announcers. There was Dusty Doyle at Five Mile Point and Cal Arthur and Jimmy Beavan at Penn Can.
It was home on the dining room table that I took those announcing lessons learned and applied them with “Matchbox Car” races, that always and a spectacular finish complete with a great call from me, the announcer.
My passion for racing was cultivated at Penn Can and Five Mile Point Speedways.
So, here I sit…. Friday morning, on the back porch of the house I grew up on jotting this down trying to contain my excitement. I know that in a few hours we will be headed over to Penn Can, and then tomorrow it will be off to Five Mile Point.
The back porch, not to be confused with the front porch. The front porch that I sat on every Saturday afternoon with binoculars watching for race cars on Interstate 81 or Highway 11, headed to Five Mile Point.
Yea, I had it bad.
And still do.
--Postman
Submitted By: Steve Post
