Valley Oldies: Brothers clarify history of track near Hazel Kirk

By Ron Paglia
Mon Valley Independent columnist

Anyone searching for the true history of the Sampson Speedway, which was the subject of a recent column in this corner, would do well to talk with Elmer Sampson Jr. and his brother, George Sampson.
Responding to inquiries about the location of the popular racing track of the early 1950s, the brothers are the sons of its founder and owner, the late Elmer E. Sampson of Hazel Kirk (aka Hazelkirk). Elmer and his family now live in the quiet Fayette County community of Normalville, about eight miles from Connellsville, and have relatives in Mt. Pleasant, Acme and Westmoreland County. George and his family reside in Charleroi and have relatives in Peters Township, Hazelkirk, Donora and Ellsworth.
“My father was a race car driver in the 1940s at area tracks including the one at Large,” said George Sampson. “He built his own racing car, a 1938 Hudson, and competed at the Large Speedway in 1946 and 1947.”
His interest and participation in auto racing led the elder Sampson to move forward with plans to create his own speedway.
“My father bought a tract of land between Hazelkirk and Van Voorhis, 16½ acres to be exact, in 1949,” George recalled. “He also purchased a road grader, a Kleetrac bulldozer and an ambulance to get things started. I was 10 years old at the time and my brother, Elmer Jr., was 14.”
The site of the track was unique in that part of it was in Carroll Township and part of it was in Fallowfield Township.

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