Inter-Am at New Philadelphia, Ohio

[Paul Danik]

I am really thankful that my mentor, Bob Augustine, decided to travel to New Philadelphia, Ohio for the Inter-Am MX race in the end of October of 1968 and take me along. Watching that Inter-Am race changed my life, right there and then.  I still have the program from the event, it does not say 1968 in the program but I am pretty sure that is when it was.

My reason for posting this is to see if anyone knows where the track was located ?  We went to Dennison, Ohio a few weeks back for a train ride and I think we were in the same general area.  I would love to see that location again.  I can still picture the ribbons that marked the track blowing softly in the wind on the hillside as the riders tore the green grass from the track in practice, what a sight. Did any of you attend this event?

Lots of familiar names in the program, Forest Stahl, Al Born, Jeff Penton, Phil Rader and Mat Weisman to name a few.

Thanks
Paul

[3putt]

Paul,  I don't know if this is the same track as used by the Inter-Am, but I recall seeing an MX track near New Philly in probably the mid 80's laying on the east side of I-77.    A good bit of it was in a flat pasture field nearest to I-77 and it worked back away from the hiway between two hills forming a "V".  But most all of it including the hills looked to be pasture field, turned into an MX track.    The farm house was on the north side of the V, and the barn as I recall near the valley of the V.  I don't know when I-77 was built ?   The first Inter-AM we attended was held in Delta, OH, and I'm going to guess fall of 72 or 73.  Maybe it was earlier, My memory M-P shorts out at times.    Nelson McC

[Gary Roach]

Nelson,

Your memory is correct about the location of the track. It's somewhere around mile post number 77.



Mathias Raceway was the name of the track, and it has been shut down since the 90's. The barn is still standing, and you can see it from the Interstate. There is a flat track between the barn and Interstate, but it's pretty much grown up with weeds.
 


When I rode there between the late 70's to mid 80's, they had a permanent motocross track that had man made jumps which was located to the East of the flat track in the "V" between the hills, (it can still be seen in the aerial view, and also in the background of the last photo), and then they occasionally had a natural terrain motocross track that wound between the billboards that are located on the off-camber hillside that's just South of the flat track.

     


Hugo Mathias aboard his tractor making sure his track is ready for the nights racing. The track is outside New Philadelphia, Ohio, and his farm was the location of one of the first motocross races in the east, run over the hill side in the back ground. The short track is nearly a circle and the speedway bikes like it.

[Paul Danik]

Thanks for the replies.  The hills just don't look as steep in those pictures, but then again that has been a few years.  So it is near mile post 77 on I-77, I will have to take the better half to lunch in that area soon  Did you guys ever hear of anyone mentioning the Inter-Am at New Philly when you raced there, could you see any remnant of where they raced?

I will never forget seeing a Ford van that belonged to Penton at the event.  It had a brand spanking new 125 in it and there were some of the early white Penton sweatshirts hanging in the window. Where ever that van is today I'll bet my nose print is still on that window, those were great times.

Thanks
Paul

[hanksie]

Hey Paul,I was there too!Rode my bicycle down a not yet open I-77 for the Sat.races and Dad took me & my buds on Sunday for the big show.WHAT A WEEKEND!The biggest names in M-X only 8mi. from the house.Good pics from Gary,but do you remember the short track wasnt built yet when they(Mr.John P.& friends?)put on the Inter-Am.Wasn`t that area the Pits that you could walk thru and say hey to Hallman,Robert,DeCoster& others,no gates,guards,or pit pass needed.Still have my program also.The Farm is still there,but the Mathias family sold it a few years back.So many races,MX & Harescrambles,have been held on that land that you would have to go from memory as to that tracks layout.My question-Who won on Sunday?   P.S. I know of at least 2 other Poggers who were there.

[Gary Roach]

Hi Paul,

The first time I was there was in 1973 when my Dad first started riding Hare Scrambles. I know that the motocross track that's in the "V" was there then. I don't know if it's true or not, but someone once told me that the Inter-Am track was on the off-camber hillside with all the billboards.

Here is the address of the track:
2986 Mathias Raceway Rd SW
New Philadelphia, OH 44663

GPS coordinates:
40°26'27.99" N 81°31'00.11" W

If you stay on Mathias Raceway Rd past the entrance to the track, the road will start going uphill. Part of the way up, there will be a field on your right. If you look across the valley to the opposite hillside, you'll be looking at the motocross track. The field is where they always started the Hare Scrambles. The building that's down in the valley (if it's still there) was the clubhouse.

[paul a. busick]

Hello Fellow Poggers,
  Happy New Year to one and all and to Seedy up there in the Great White North -GUTES NEUES JAHR Mensch!
  The International MX was at Hugo's place at the end of Oct, 1958.  This was the Greatest event of it's type at that time.  But due to little to no media coverage, the event received little notoriety. The only event that came close was the earlier MX at Pepperell, Mass.  The track that the Europeans raced on was a longer and more difficult then the one seen in the satellite photos.  There was more track to the south that was realy steep, with both ups and downs with tight 180's that were off camber. As I recall, it was very difficult to get up and down that area of the track on foot.
  I spent most of Friday night drinking beer with Euros.  Satuday,, I announced the Saturday moto.  But due to a gastric disorder I was undable to announce the Sunday moto and had to hand the mike to Bob Hicks.
  I know there is some 8mm film out there somwhere that will surface one day. I will keep hoping that we can all see what happened that weekend long ago.
  See you all down Old Dusty,
    Paul

[Paul Danik]

Amherst Paul,

   Thanks for the info, as a spectator I thought the up and down hills were pretty darn steep.  Do you happen to know who won on Saturday or Sunday?  

Thanks
Paul from Mars

[paul a. busick]

Paul,
  Wish I could help.  Due to the gastic disorder I don't remember much of Sunday. Sorry.
  Paul

[hanksie]

Hey Guy`s,I got this feeling that A.Weil on a Maico,(like ya didn`t know that)got the overal that day,but I`m not 100% sure.   Thanks,Bill Hanks

[Paul Danik]

Cycle World from February 1969 had an article on the Inter-Am series, took awhile to dig it out. Adolf Weil on his Maico won the Saturday 250 race beating Joel Robert.  On Sunday Robert won both of the 500cc motos on his 400cc CZ.

Bill, you have a great memory....and memories.

One of JP's brothers, I think it was Hank, took a lot of pictures over the years at different events.  We showed a bunch of his slides at a POG meeting one night and I think some of them might have been from this event.  Paul Busic, I am pretty sure you were at that meeting, do you remember any of those pics? Maybe Al Born would remember.  Those pictures sure were a trip down memory lane.

Paul

[Mike Lenz]

I think it is very cool that that many of the old tracks they had these races on will be honored at tne AHRMA Vintage Nationals this year.  My first viewing of a motocross race was an Inter Am at Elkhorn WI.  This will be the honored track at the Road America Wi event this year.  I have video of that race.

[Tim Grow]

Gentlemen-
At minimum 10-times annually I pass this landmark on Mathias-Raceway Road as the result of servicing a client that is about 6-tenths of a mile east,up the hill.  This next month I'll shoot a photo of which will likely contain what I have been told are two of the original structures including what used to be the "cycle-shop".  Some 8-10 years prior the facility opened for as many as 5 motocross races having had the track converted to modern-bikes; the track's use discontinued shortly after that one year.
I understand from my client who also is a super-rider and great friend, that as many as 50-plus cars would pull-off of I-77 on most race days on the east side by the overpass, park their vehicles, and otherwise walk-up and "watch from the fence" in a effort to avoid paying the entrance fee.  He also recalled as a young 17 year old that at the Inter-Am race that he attended there were as many as 100 or more parked vehicles with owners "watching from the fence" as the promoter phoned-in to sheriff to have the vehicles towed.  With that, the view would be quite-good as one would otherwise be looking down into a bowl or sorts chiseled out of the hillside. My friend also commented about a non-pro, local Ohio rider that won the first race at the Inter-Am and was not allowed to ride the second-race as he didn't possess the "international license" to compete.  He felt this was in the lates 60's.  And yes, he recalled he rode and won that first-race on a Penton, of course.  Scandalous!

[Paul Danik]

Tim,

   That is some pretty neat information.  Maybe sometime when you are going to be in the New Philly area we could possibly set up a time and place for those of us who would like to get together and reminisce about that event to meet, possibly at a nearby restaurant. Afterward I would like to see the location first hand with some of you guys who were also in attendance.

Thanks,
Paul

[hanksie]

Hey Paul,Count me in on this.Great little restaurant called Hot Rod City is just off the New Phila I-77/250 interchange,about 5 mi. from The Farm.I hope to see ya at the POG/AMA meeting & see what we can do.  Bill