Montgomery Airstrip

The Osborn-Fitzsimmons American Legion Post and NASCAR sponsored a quarter-mile strip on the 3,500-foot concrete runway of this Air Force auxiliary field on Route 84, built around 1943. The Garden State Hot Rod Association ran weekly races. On July 27, 1958, more than 1,000 people paid 90 cents to watch 77 cars. Bill Holz wrote in Drag News about an August 21, 1958 meet that was supposed to be a day race, but tech inspection ran past 4 p.m. and it finished around dark at 8. He noted the concrete was over 100 feet wide but only about 50 feet were used, warned about cowboying in the pits and on the return road, and said the pits, on another runway, worked well except when people used them for grudge races.

On October 18, 1958, the Legion booked Don Garlits for an exhibition, and he set a world ET record of 8.36 at 160.71 MPH. In July 1959 the strip bought new timing equipment and had the track surveyed so future records would count. In spring 1960 neighbors petitioned to stop the weekly races as a nuisance, and the Legion argued the money went to charity and helped the local economy. On June 26, 1960, Tommy Ivo ran 9.55 at 165.71 in his twin-engine Buick dragster, and the next week at the Grand Drag Nationals he won top eliminator at 9.37 and 165.74. Joe Jacomo of Chester, Pennsylvania, set a B/MR national record of 11.02 at 114.5 MPH in his Fiat. The last race ran August 14, 1960. Stewart Air Force Base canceled the Legion’s contract and handed the field to Orange County on condition that it stay a public airport, which it still is as Orange County Airport. Over five years the post netted $200 to $700 a week, mostly for charity, and was sorry to see the racing end.