Racing into the past

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August 16, 2008

By ALVIN REINER The Press Republican Sat Aug 16, 2008, 12:00 AM EDT

WESTPORT -- Fifty years ago, midget race cars, primarily driven by youngsters, zoomed around local tracks.

It was as popular locally then with the younger set as NASCAR is today -- and kids could actively participate.

Now the sport is on display in Floral Hall at the Essex County Fairgrounds.

Molly and Norman Westover prepared the blue-ribbon-winning display; he refurbished the vehicle that's being shown.

"We started as 7-year-olds and raced until we were around 16," Molly fondly recalls, "though I actually started when I was 3 or 4 and would catch a ride with anybody I could.

"It was great to race a car that my father (Raymond Cross) had made. I used to push the Morris boys over the hay bales."

About 40 youngsters, including Molly's brothers, Arthur Cross of Lewis and Shorty Cross of Westport, participated.

The so-called Midget Features were for 7-to-11-year-olds, while Quarter Midget Racers were contests for adolescents age 12 to 16.

In addition, Super Micro Racers allowed adults to join in the excitement.

Newspaper accounts of the time indicated 400 or more spectators witnessing some of the races. It was a family event, with brothers and sisters taking turns racing and cheering for one another.

Businesses donated trophies, with a banquet held in the Lewis Grange Hall at the conclusion of each racing season.

Each car was unique in its shape, style and coloration. The racer on display, like most of the others, had a wooden frame and a three-horsepower gas engine. Today, most lawn mowers have more horsepower.

It was constructed at the Lewis Woodshop, owned by Raymond Cross's brother-in-law, Donald Clark. Kim's Karpets now occupies the site.

A highlight at intermission during the races was the antics of Bozo the Clown (Leon Bergeron), who lived near Mt. Discovery. He would keep the youngsters entertained, as well as give them a sugar high by dispensing candy from his black satchel.

The races were held at several venues throughout the county, including the Westport Fairgrounds on Friday nights, Bob's Speedway in Lewis on Sunday afternoons, in Jay on Thursday nights and at Willsboro Midget Speedway on Mondays. Molly remembers taking a trip to Canada to compete.

There were no injuries, Molly said, as safety precautions included helmets, seat straps and hay-bale buffers.

The demise of midget racing -- after the 1966 season -- was not the result of a lack of enthusiasm but was due to the prohibitive cost of insurance.

TODAY AT THE FAIR
The Essex County Fair continues today and Sunday at the fairgrounds in Westport.
Admission, including carnival rides, is $10.
8 a.m.: Open Horse Show.
10 a.m.: Horse and Pony Pulling Contest.
11 a.m.: Buffalo Barfield and Unherd of Entertainment; Farmer For A Day until 1 p.m.
Noon: Bourdeau Brothers Farm Stock 6500 and up and Altered 6500 and up Tractor Pull (registration closes at 11:30 a.m.); Midway Opens; Non-Fabric Fashion Show; Firefighter Training Show.
1 p.m.: Adirondack Harvest; Master Gardener On Duty.
2 p.m.: Firefighter Training Show; gardening demonstrations at Floral Hall.
2:30 p.m.: Milk Drinking Contest.
3 p.m.: Buffalo Barfield and Unherd of Entertainment; ESNY; Farmer For A Day; gardening demonstrations at Flora Hall.
4 p.m.: Cattle Costume Class.
5 p.m.: The Norsemen.
6 p.m.: Firefighter Training Show; Bourdeau Brothers Farm, Altered and Pro Stock 9000 and up Tractor Pull (registration closes at 5:30 p.m.).
7 p.m.: Buffalo Barfield and 'Unherd' of Entertainment.