Part 1 of the Moody Mile retrospective takes listeners inside a live session at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen. Joe Marotta and Kip Zeiter open the program by framing the day as a celebration of Syracuse’s legendary “Moody Mile,” complete with driver roundtables, historic slides, and rare video—steering clear of politics and focusing on the people who made the place special. Historian Dr. Gary George recounts a lifetime in racing, including his first trip to Syracuse in 1949, and previews a presentation built with Jeff Ackerman and Mike Maney that begins with footage from the 1972 event. The conversation brings out stories behind the track’s identity—from the 1970 100‑mph modified lap that inspired the “Moody Mile” name to snowmobile and motorcycle races at the fairgrounds—and memories of standout competitors like Gilles Villeneuve and Smokin’ Joe Frazier. Drivers Cal and Mel Lane add their perspectives, and champion Gary Tompkins reflects on pivotal Syracuse runs and the Jim Beachy/Pillsbury era.
Part 2 of the Moody Mile retrospective is presented as The Logbook – our History of Motorsports podcast series – and returns to the IMRRC’s 2015 Center Conversation “Syracuse Mile: A Look Back,” capturing the voices of the drivers and organizers who lived the Moody Mile’s final decades. Joe Marotta and Gary Montgomery lead a lively panel with Wes Moody, Glen Donnelly, Alan Johnson, Gary Tompkins, Danny Kapuschinski, Johnny Birosh, and Mel Lane, sparking stories of blistering laps, mechanical ingenuity—like the famed Gary Ballou car—wild sprint‑car moments, pit‑lane gambles, and the unmistakable atmosphere of Super Dirt Week. Donnelly revisits the birth of Super Dirt Week in 1972, the constant fight against weather, and his vision for new facilities and surfaces. Dr. Gary George anchors the conversation with a sweeping history of the Mile, from early AAA and USAC championship cars to stock‑car showcases and hard‑learned lessons, reminding listeners why Syracuse’s dirt oval remains unforgettable.
Together, Parts 1 and 2 of our Moody Mile retrospective paint a full portrait of Syracuse’s legendary dirt oval—its history, its heroes, and the community that kept it alive for more than a century. Across both conversations, we hear how a 100‑mph modified run helped give the Moody Mile its name, how Super Dirt Week grew from Glen Donnelly’s vision in 1972, and how generations of drivers—from local legends to international stars—left their mark on the Fairgrounds. The historians remind us of the Mile’s roots in AAA and USAC championship racing; the drivers remind us what it felt like to strap in and face the place at full song.
Thanks for joining us for this two‑part journey through its history, its culture, and its legacy!
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This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family – and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.