Gary "AJ" George
Photo Tribute
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Gary "AJ" George was a gem of an auto racing asset hidden in the Southern Tier of New York state! An engineer at L3 Industries, Gary was a valuable asset to the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame, performing research on drivers and tracks. A dedicated auto racing historian, Gary spent his early years in the sport as an artist under his company name of Signs by Gary. His work was regularly seen as beautiful lettering on cars and bulletins. An adjunct professor at the Binghamton University, Gary was in the process of putting the finishing touches on a book dedicated to the Shangri-La Speedway. Gary passed away on December 13, 2020 from complications of Covid 19 before his book could be wrapped up.
The historians of ARRA would like to recognize Gary's work and memorialize his love for the sport and the contributions to the sport over the many years of his involvement. Presented below are photos, many from the Shangri-La Speedway and all of them surrounding the core ideas of Gary's book, One Gary Gitchell was involved closely in producing the book....could almost call him a co-witer. Upon Gary's untimely death, Gary was asked about options that were open to completing the book in Gary's honor. Currently, that answer is still in limbo and it is the hope of all of the ARRA historians that the book does, finally, some day, get completed. Gary was a faithful supporter of the ARRA research group and often communicated and worked alongside of a handful of its historians in projects. We will always remember his dedication to and love for the sport of auto racing! Narration done by Mike Monnat...ARRA historian and Southern Tier area auto racing expert.
This 1948 photo captures two legendary drivers, Tommy Hinnershitz and Bill Holland on the frontstretch at Shangri-La Speedway's "Big Car era.
George "Boots" Bouley #26 was the first ever race car winner at Shangri-La on July 28, 1946. George's son was a multi-time feature winner at the now closed Danbury Racearena.
Ben Davis after a bad day at the track in his #000 in 1950
The Dave Lambert and Jim Visingard #2 during the Jalopy (run what you brung) era in the 1955 and 1956 period. Both would have successful careers in the 1960's in the Limited Sportsmen.
I don't know who this gentleman is but I love the crudeness of the car and the driving attire in this 1950 pose. It definitely shows where racing was back in its infancy. More to come!
The Harry Eckert #4 sits in the infield at Shangri-La Speedway during the "Big Car" time. Harry was fast and set track records all over the east coast. A. J. along with Ron Hills did an exclusive interview with the then octogenarian and his wife for the then forthcoming Shangri-La book. Sadly all three of those individuals have passed away.
Another one of A. J.'s photos on that very first day. This one is of winner Nolan Swift on the trailer ready to head home. Ironically it was his second win ever at the track. The first was exactly ten years earlier in 1952.
Another one of the early favorites in the Stock Cars was Bucky Dew from Trumansburg, New York. He was one of those drivers who won a lot back then. A real character in the sport.
This driver won a handful of races back in the 1949 season at Shangri-La in the J. C. Agajanian car. Oh by the way, he won the first Southern 500 as well, Johnny Mantz.
I never saw a Crosley Pace Car before but here it is leading the field of "Big Cars" through the first and second turns in the late 1940's.
I tried without much success for almost sixty years to find out who drove this car on September 9, 1962. My go to guys for this kind of information were Gary Gitchell (son of promoter Fran Gitchell) and of course Gary A. J. George who knew these kind of things. They Didn't. Still a mystery today.
This was a chaotic scene when two cars went off the backstretch and down over the bank in 1951. As you can see not a whole lot of safety measures are in force here.
When A. J. was a garage gofer in the mid sixties, this driver had his car housed in that garage, Billy Yuma from Melbourne, Florida who won three Super Modified features at Shangri-La.
Later in the 1960's A. J. helped out on the infamous S360 driven by Don Diffendorf. This photo was taken at the historic Reading Fairgrounds on the day in 1967 when Diffendorf finished second behind Stan Ploski in the Daniel Boone 200.
One of those neat historic facts in local history was that future open wheel veterans Al Keller and Wally Campbell won the first two stock car shows at Shangri-La. I didn't know that fact until A. J. unearthed it for the book. A press clipping for both.
A. J. lettered this Bob Trostle built Sprint Car shown at Eldora Speedway in the early 1980's. Don't know the driver.
A. J. is by the right front tire of the Jerry Hayes driven #87 at Shangri-La in 1967. The show was cancelled that night and the wing was never seen again.
The first of many race cars owned by long time car owner John Manny and driven by Bobby Quick in 1950 at Shangri-La.
Another example of Gary's handiwork can be seen on the lower right panel of Dick Sundgren's 1980 Five Mile Point Modified. It says "Signs by A. J." usually accompanied by a home town of a legendary Sprint Car driver.
Another example of the early day quirkiness of some race tracks. This gentleman chose to ride on the hood of a Henry J automobile carrying a 1950's era American Flag.
Mike Zopp set the Shangri-La racing world on it's ear for the first month and a half in 1964 by winning lots of features. A bounty was put on his head and in early June Dutch Hoag came and collected the bounty and stayed to win over fifty Modified features during his Shangri-La career.
Finally two opening day (07/21/46) ads from two different sources saying two distinctly different things concerning the track's surface which has been the topic of debate since the gates first open and was to be discussed at length in the book.
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