the races. Cars lined up from the Texaco station in Freetown waiting to get into the races and also over the hill towards Kinkora . When parking space in both fields were filled they had to park on the road. Everyone who attended the races had a little dare-devil in him. About one in five cars pulling out on the highway after the races laid a strip of rubber from one light pole to the other even with the Mounties directing traffic and all. Burning the Midnight Oil With Freetown and Montague running, other tracks sprang up as well, one in Covehead and Carleton and one up West. Carleton and the Western track didn't last very long with the Freetown races. Repairs or alterations that had to be done were started on as soon as the races were over. Crews worked through the night and into the morning to get their cars ready for Montague, Covehead and later, . Good Money After Bad With two successful years behind us in the stock car business, 1967 looked to be an even better year. The track had to be up dated; more fill hauled in to make a larger embankment on the turns, more lights and a new grandstand, with canteen, washrooms and a beverage room were needed. The cost was somewhere around $10,000. With money invested in the new expansion, new ideas were sure to follow: powder puff races where the ladies had a chance to drive, demolition derbies where any old heap that would run was brought in and destroyed sight unseen and one little event that people got a great charge out of: the back-up race, this was a fairly tedious job, racing around the track in reverse. The checkered flag was picked up by Denton Clow . Each night points and prizes were awarded and at the end of the year a trophy was presented to the driver with the most points. Milton Drummond of Freetown captured the trophy four years in a row. For The Record When stock cars first started, minimum rules and regulations were simple and straight forward. As the track grew and cars became more powerful, the one page rule book became quite thick. Judges had to become more particular because of speed and complaints from car owners. New ideas and tactics were tried by one and all. These included heavy duty bumpers on the front and the rear. 1 remember having a real cow catcher front made out of two inch pipes. Other tricks to the trade; a differential lock on the rear end, allowing a driver to have positive traction on the straight away. This was a son of a gun to manoeuver around the corners. A car chassis that worked real well on the track was the 1946 Ford Coupe with a cross spring on the front and back. They were able to maintain the same speed on the corners as on the straight away because of their suspension. Some fellows would try anything. One chap had a Chevy built from scratch where he sat in the back seat over the center. The work that must have gone into building this car. Loading the wheels on the inside for traction, airplane fuel, removing the generator and fan for extra horse power; these were only a few tricks of the trade. Some top drivers would run in the flathead race, jump out of that car and into a 6 cylinder car and when that race was over into the overhead V 8 class car again. Changes Drivers from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia got word of our success and wanted in on the fun. They came with no guaranteed purse or travelling expenses to race on the Freetown track. It seemed as though the track had no where to go but up. The program offered got more varied. A professional dare-devil team travelling the circuit contacted Mr. Lee Campbell . A deal was struck and the Freetown track had another successful event. The White Flag Nineteen seventy brought newer and faster cars and, survival of the fittest; expenses were mounting and if you were not in the winnings it became a chore rather than a sport. However, the new idea pot was not dry yet. An attempt was made to purchase a liquor license to operate a lounge at the track. The attempt failed. In the spring of 1971, there were only three races. The cars and the crowds dwindled away. A decision by management to close the track was agreed upon. On 24th July, 1971, the last race was held under Enterprises. The track lay idle until 1973 when the Borden Kinsmen took it over. They operated it until 1977 for community projects. A couple of years later, the lumber that made up the grandstands and fence was sold to a private individual from Kinkora and the land was purchased by the government. We'd driven the last lap. The track lay quiet. Submitted by Blair Drummond 182