Submitted Photo Dale Kincaid atop his race car at Coon Road Speedway circa 1957.

JAMESTOWN — The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, with the courtesy of the Westfield Fire Department, will hold a gathering for all persons interested in the history of Coon Road Speedway on Sunday, July 8th. The reunion will be held at the Westfield Fire Department’s annual Ox Roast, located at Ottaway Park, Route 5, just east of Barcelona. The Ox Roast begins at noon while the Coon Road Speedway reunion will convene at 1 p.m.

The reunion is being conducted by local auto racing historians Randy Anderson, Greg Peterson and Randy Sweeney who previously held similar events for Roll-O-Bowl Speedway, Sherman Raceway, Rock ‘n Roll Speedway, Arkwright Speedway, and Sulphur Springs Speedway.

Coon Road Speedway was built by Joel Swartout on his property on Coon Road, located between the Westfield-Sherman Road and Parker Road in the Town of Westfield. Swartout operated the track from 1956 until his accidental death at the facility in 1959. The Hartfield Fire Department then leased the track and conducted races in 1960 and 1961.

The reunion is open to the public with a special invitation extended to anyone who may have competed, attended or worked at the speedway. The organizing committee plans to show a draft of a movie they have produced and videotape those attendees who are willing to share their remembrances. Persons with movies, photos, or other Coon Road Speedway memorabilia are asked to bring those items.

On display will be a flathead Ford race car built by Westfield resident Bill Catania, Sr. It is an exact replica of a car built by his father, Marion Catania, that was raced with success at Coon Road by Don Strain.

Following the gathering at Ottaway Park, the group will visit the site of the former speedway. Sean Hardy, current property owner of the land, will lead a tour, along with John Swartout, son of the original owner of the track.

Participants are encouraged to wear boots as the access to the former racetrack is often wet.

For questions about the Coon Road Speedway reunion, please contact Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame president Randy Anderson at 716-640-6219.