Were there any tracks in the northeast that had a tradional opening weekend? Like the first weekend in April or after Easter? I can't remember when Flemington or East Windsor usually opened. I know Reading and Nazareth were usually ones of the first.

- David

Thru the 70's, 80's 90's, Wall was the second week in April depending on Easter.

Penn National use to open up on Easter Sunday. Dont recall East Windsor having an opening date because the parking lot always was flooded ;>)

My dad and I were never regular/frequent attendees of Nazareth (we really liked Nazareth, and I did enjoy the times we went there, but we usually went to EWS because it was a whole lot closer), but I can remember for a few years in a row back in the mid 70's freezing in the 4th turn stands watching what I think was just a "pre-season practice", where you'd get a look at who was in which car for the upcoming year, along with checking out the new bodies, different color schemes.  It was a great day to be there, cold and all, because you new the off season was just about over and the new season was just beginning.

I am pretty sure that Nazareth practice day was within 2 weeks or so of coming home from Speedweeks in Florida which would have put the practice day right around the first weekend in March.

Checking ARRA, in the 70's, EWS had 1 season that started in March, 8 that started in April and one that started in May.  Not sure if there was a consistent model to when they would start, and/or if the weather dictated it some of those years.  https://sites.google.com/view/tracks-series-organizations/east-windsor-speedway

As for Flemington for the decade of the 70's, again looking at ARRA's website, it looks like the first shows were completed anywhere between the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, with the exception being 1973 when they didn't get a show in until early May.  https://sites.google.com/view/tracks-series-organizations/flemington-speedwaya>

My Mom and I traveled out to Reading several times in the mid 60s for their opener.  I remember 4 things about Reading's openers.  They occurred in mid March, its was usually pretty cold, the pits were packed, as were the grandstands!  Scott Ely  

Yes, Reading openers were always cold, much like Lincoln was last night.  One year I even remember snow flurries at Reading.

Probably around 72 or 73, we were planing on going to Nazareth's opener.  Called before we left, was told they cancelled because of the snow. Went to Reading instead.  They raced in the snow. Don't remember who won that day, but I do remember that was the day Jim Baker had his horrible crash in the Kennedy 56.  Never forgot that.