In 2007 John "Goop" Mondelli attended the Hunterdon County Fair. At one time several years ago this fair was known as the Flemington Fair which was also home to the famous Flemington Speedway. Although the speedway is has been closed for quite a few years, a reunion organized by Lenny Swider was held in 2004 and 2005 at the Flemington Department Store. The store is located directly across from where the fair and the speedway had once been located.
As Goop walked around that evening in 2007 he realized that there was nothing at the fair that mentioned the history of even the existence of the famed "square" 5/8's mile speedway that had such a rich and deep history. Only two reunions had taken place and he felt as if more was needed to preserve the history of what was once a major attraction of Hunterdon County. The next evening Goop and his good friend Lance Ruban loaded up a vintage car on the vintage ramp truck along with a collection of Flemington Speedway memorabilia in hopes of starting something big,
The race car was a tribute car to one of Flemington's most famous drivers, Billy Pauch. Upon arriving. the fair board gave Goop his blessing to enter the fair to promote the history of the speedway. Once inside Billy Pauch himself took notice of the presence of a piece of not only his personal history but of Hunterdon County in general. It was decided that night that the Flemington Speedway would be a part of fair from now onward.
After the first quickly organized showing at the fair, Goop and friend Wyatt Jacobus decided that Flemington Speedway needed more than a once a year showing at the fair. It needed to be formally recognized not only at the Hunterdon County Fair, but as a important piece of history all year long.
In 2008 the ball was rolling. A large reunion of the speedway drivers attended the fair in 2008 and 2009 under the watch of Wyatt Jacobus of Tri-State Memorabilia. Shortly thereafter, Goop and Wyatt founded the Flemington Speedway Historical Society with the assistance of Bill Hanna a former speedway official. This group grew to include not only fans of the speedway but former racers and employees of the speedway also.
In the meantime Goop and Lance formed the Flemington Speedway rolling museum that now works in conjunction with Tri-state Memorabilia to preserve the rich history of Flemington Speedway and many area race tracks and local drivers.
Through the work of many individuals, the great Flemington Speedway lives on at the Hunterdon County Fair under the watch of the Flemington Speedway Historical Society.
