10/21/2026
Where Did New Jersey’s Big Block Modifieds Go?
In 1981, East Windsor Speedway turned its back on Big Block Modifieds. Ten years later, Flemington turned its back on dirt. Two decisions, two different tracks, and an entire racing community forced to adapt.
The history of dirt Modified racing in New Jersey is more complicated than a collection of abandoned speedways. It’s a story of promoters trying to keep their businesses alive, racers looking for somewhere to compete, and fans deciding whether to follow them.
I’ve already written about Flemington, Nazareth, and Trenton. All three eventually disappeared, but long before the final grandstands came down, the regional racing landscape was changing.
This time, I’m looking at East Windsor Speedway.
In 1980, Lindy Vicari’s promotional arrangement at East Windsor came to an end. Don Jones resumed control of the racing program, and in 1981, Small Block Modifieds replaced Big Blocks as the main attraction on Friday nights.
Not everybody welcomed the change.
Danny Serrano, writing years later for Bridgeport Motorsports Park, recalled that he stopped going to East Windsor when the Big Blocks disappeared. He stayed away for almost a decade, missing the rise of Darryl Carman, Scott Pursell, Freddy D., Newt Hartman, and Doug Hoffman.
His explanation was simple: “Because I wanted Big Blocks!”
He eventually returned around 1990, when familiar names such as Jimmy Horton, Kenny Brightbill, Billy Pauch, and Frank Cozze were competing at East Windsor again.
That made me wonder about something bigger.
Where could New Jersey’s Big Block Modified teams race regularly during the 1980s?
Reading Fairgrounds had closed in 1979. Nazareth Raceway, the smaller half-mile dirt oval, survived until 1988. New Egypt was paved, while Grandview and other Pennsylvania speedways offered additional opportunities, particularly for Small Block teams.
For New Jersey Big Block racers who didn’t want to travel long distances every weekend, Flemington and Bridgeport were two important options.
Then something interesting happened.
In 1989, Paul Kuhl, already Flemington Speedway’s owner, purchased Bridgeport. He now controlled two major Modified racing facilities in New Jersey.
Flemington was paved after the 1990 season. Bridgeport remained dirt.
I’ve been wondering whether those two decisions were connected.
Was Flemington’s conversion to asphalt considered independently, or did ownership of Bridgeport make the decision more attractive? Kuhl could now operate two different racing facilities, serving two different markets. And Bridgeport might have benefited from dirt racers who no longer wanted to compete at Flemington.
I haven’t found evidence that Kuhl intended this. It’s a theory, and I would especially like to hear from people who knew how those decisions were made.
Meanwhile, East Windsor had developedits own successful Small Block program. Some of the familiar drivers returned, and fans like Danny Serrano followed them.
So perhaps the story isn’t simply that New Jersey lost race tracks. Before the closures, the tracks were changing their identities, and the same racers and spectators were moving between them.
I’d like to hear from those who remember the 1980s and early 1990s.
Why did Don Jones decide to drop Big Blocks at East Windsor in 1981? Did the change really push teams and fans toward Flemington?
And when Flemington was paved, where did its dirt Modified teams go? East Windsor? Bridgeport? Somewhere else?
Finally, does anyone remember Paul Kuhl explaining why he bought Bridgeport shortly before paving Flemington?
I’m trying to reconstruct what happened from the people who were there. Your memories, race programs, newspaper clippings, and firsthand accounts would be especially valuable.
