By Carl HessFor Digital First Media
The fifth annual edition of the Circle M Ranch Speedway Racers’ Reunion fell victim to Mother Nature and was rained out back on May 13th of this year. Event coordinator Ken Johnson of Hamburg, the Mates family and the vintage racers put their collective heads together and came up with an autumn date that wouldn’t conflict with other similar events and dubbed the rescheduled 2017 get together “Fall Showdown” at Circle M Ranch Speedway.
Despite getting rained out back in the spring and rescheduling a rain date right in the middle of hurricane season all went well for the September 23rd “Fall Showdown”. Unseasonably warm temperatures, but no chance of precipitation, made for a record turnout of vintage race cars, drivers, mechanics, motorsports enthusiasts and fans who wanted to once again relive the good old days of oval track racing.
Drivers and car owners came from not only Pennsylvania but also neighboring states and one, Shirley Morden, even transported her immaculate 1936 Chevy coach-bodied modified stock car from Ontario, Canada.
The Auburn Fire Company was kept busy watering the track throughout the day as the record number of cars coupled with glaring sunshine made for some dusty conditions from time to time. The local fire company, which also did the concessions at Circle M, was up to the task.
The 2018 Circle M Ranch Speedway Reunion is tentatively scheduled for the second Saturday in May.
