A History of Fulton Speedway - In Memory of Bub & Victoria Benway
By Doug Zupan with contributions from Gisele Kingsley, Brian Dolbear, & John Flock

            It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years, 20 years since the racing family lost Victoria Benway, wife of Bub Benway, the founder of Fulton Speedway, who began the “Victoria 200” later in 1986 as a loving tribute to his late wife. It’s also hard to believe that in May of 2004, we lost Bub Benway at age 84 after a short illness. The Benways were private people and they would not want anyone to fuss over them but I can tell you, they were something special and loved by many. Always tough, but fair, they were always ready to greet you with a warm smile or even a hug. Time may have passed, but memories will last forever. What follows is a heartwarming story of a special man and his wife who pioneered in the operation of a modern speedway, built their dream, promoted it, but most of all, loved their family and the racing.

Back in the late 1950’s, Bub Benway saw the success at nearby Oswego Speedway, and a dream was born, a vision to build a bigger and better speedplant.  So in 1960, Bub and brother Ray decided to use their construction business, Benway Bros. Constuction, to build what would become known as Fulton Speedway. Built into a hilly area on the banks of the Oswego River, Benway created a speedway for the future, with the track in a natural bowl, and seating high above the track on a hill. 

 Originally opening as Mil-Ray Raceway, the first event was held at the 3/8-mile asphalt track in the early summer of 1961. Early Fulton stars were Jackie Naum, Ray Gilbert, Johnny Michaels, Billy Rafter, Roger Dunnsmoore, Jack Murphy, Joe Orso, and Dutt Yanni. In 1972, Benways broadened their racing interests even further, becoming promoters of Canandaigua Speedway, which lasted through the 1973 racing season, four years before the DIRT Motorsports organization took over.

During the 1970’s, Benways featured the Asphalt Modifieds as their main division at Fulton, with special appearances by the Supermodifieds. Top billed drivers included Maynard Troyer, Dutch Hoag, Richie Evans, Jim Shampine, Geoff Bodine, George Kent, Sonny Seamon, and many more.  Benway joined the NEARA Circuit in conjunction with several other area speedways to help promote the Modified racing.

In the late 1970’s, asphalt racing in Central New York seemed to die down, with shorter fields and a decreasing fan base. Benway stuck it out at Fulton, until closing the track in mid July of 1978 to decide what he wanted to do. Before long, a decision was made to cover the speedway with clay, and continue the racing next season offering a format of Late Model and Strictly Stock events with several specials for the Modified division.

Opening day in 1979 at the “New” Fulton Speedway came on April 21 with Walt Mitchell becoming the first ever feature winner on the clay in the Late Model division. The car counts were not where they should be, Bub and Victoria stuck it out over the remainder of the season, hoping that the numbers would improve. A young Alan Johnson, who years later would go on to be one of the top Fulton stars under the DIRT banner, won the first Modified event at the track, held May 6.

            In 1980, the Benways started a format at Fulton of Small Block Modified racing, which Fulton Speedway would become known for. Weekly events for the Small Blocks, Late Models, Street Stocks and Mini Sprints were held, with more and more success each season. Drivers such as Donnie Wetmore, Roger Phelps, Bob Podolak, Mike Arminio, Jim Mahaney, and Paul Jensen were the top stars of the early clay era of the track.

            In early 1986, wife Victoria, the true lifelong love of Bub, passed away. The first event that season was held with many tearful eyes. It was tough, but the racing went on, as Victoria would have wanted. Bub wanted to preserve her loving memory, and in her honor, not only renamed the new VIP Tower the Victoria M. Benway Tower, but he began what would become the richest and most popular Small Block Modified event in the country, the Victoria 200.

The crowds and fans continued to stream into Fulton. Late in April of 1986, the Benway family decided it was time for a major league show at Fulton for the Small Block Modifieds, to be named in Victoria’s memory. No one could think of a better way to honor Victoria, than with the biggest and richest Small Block Modified show in the world. It would be a great tribute for the "First Lady of Fulton Speedway", and for someone who truly cared and poured her heart and soul into making Fulton a success. Thus, the inaugural "VICTORIA 200" was set for October of that year.

Rains and bitter cold winds could not stop this inaugural tribute at the track known as "The Outlaw Track". Saturday’s heats were postponed until Sunday, and eighty-eight Small Block Modifieds showed up in the lousy weather for a chance at the big dollars that were on the line. They came from Ohio to New England, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York for a shot at glory and being the first "Victoria 200" winner. Very late on Monday night, Stockton, NJ’s Billy Pauch sat in Victory Lane after a memorable and fierce battle with Ronnie Tobias. Pauch went down in the record books as the first winner, and the tradition of the "Victoria 200" was established.

The next four "Victoria 200’s" were won by Billy Pauch, and it was a streak of wins that no one could believe. The first winner other than Pauch was Frank Cozze, in 1991. In 1992, the first local regular Fulton Speedway / Outlaw Circuit driver, Tommy Kinsella, won the race over Jimmy Horton and Billy Pauch by using the "infamous" line through the infield. In 1993, Edmeston’s Paul Jensen came through with his first "Victoria 200" win.

1994 brought a NASCAR Winston Racing Series sanction to Fulton Speedway, which would last until 1997. Dale Planck became the NASCAR Mid-America region champion through the WRS, and he also capped 1994 off by a "Victoria 200" victory. In the 1995 "Victoria 200", Tommy Kinsella became the first and only Fulton regular to become a 2-time winner of the Victoria 200.

Following the end of the 1995 racing season, the Benway family sold the Fulton Speedway to promotional wonder Alex Friesen and Pennsylvania businessman, John Zemaitis. The pair also took over the New Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, and operated both speedways. Their first season was successful, and Kenny Brightbill won that year’s "Victoria 200". During the off-season, Friesen was tragically killed in a snowmobile accident, and Zemaitis along with Alex’s father Stan, took more active roles in the partnership the next season.

The 1997 "Victoria 200" at Fulton was an impressive driving display by Billy Pauch, who went on to his sixth victory in the race. The race will be remembered for a major pileup involving at least 15 cars over in the third turn. During the off-season, the speedway mysteriously fell into foreclosure, and many questions remained unanswered. No one heard from speedway management, and there was serious speculation if there would even be racing at Fulton in 1998.

As 1998 began, Fulton Speedway's future was in doubt. All the months of rumors and speculation ended in July of that year, when Harvey, David, and Joan Fink from the Brewerton Speedway purchased Fulton. Opening day came with a Big Block/Small Block Modified Shootout on Wednesday August 5th, followed by a return to the winning Saturday night formula that Fulton has been following for years: Small Block Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Pure Stocks. The drivers and the crowds came back in force, with the general feeling that it was great to have the historic Fulton high banked oval back in operation.

The 1998 "VICTORIA 200" was won by Edwards, NY’s, Tim Fuller, over Tim McCreadie and Danny Johnson. The race was run in the daylight for the first time ever because of a race later that day at Rolling Wheels Raceway. However, the racing was absolutely spectacular to say the least.

In the 1999 "VICTORIA 200", Alan Johnson made history and became the first driver to lead all 200 laps of the prestigious event, which was ironically sanctioned by DIRT Motorsports for the first time ever. Ironic because in the early years of the race, DIRT did not welcome the "VICTORIA 200" with open arms. Fulton, which is a showcase racing facility, was "The Outlaw Track" and DIRT did not like its drivers supporting an "Outlaw" show. Times have changed, and now DIRT, which for 25 years has been the foundation of Dirt Track Modified racing, is a part of the "VICTORIA 200", bringing with it the biggest names in Dirt Modified racing and thousands of race fans.

When the "VICTORIA 200" was announced in 1986, it was written off as just another race, which would never see two years of existence, let alone twenty.

            In 1988, Benway became even more involved in racing, as he and Eric Kingsley (husband of Benway’s niece Gisele), took over the operation of the New Venture Int’l Speedway in Vernon and renamed it as the New Utica-Rome Speedway. Holding their first event in 1989, the acquisition of New Utica-Rome began what was known to be the Outlaw Circuit, arguably one of the most popular periods in racing in Central New York.

            Benway and Kingsley featured the Outlaw Small Block Modifieds as their main division at both Fulton and Utica-Rome, with weekly racing also for Street Stocks and Pure Stocks. The circuit was so successful, that in 1991, Brewerton Speedway, under the direction of Harvey and David Fink, joined the group, to become a tri-track circuit for the racers, offering an overall point fund, increasing the monetary awards for the drivers. The Outlaw Circuit provided the drivers an alternative to the rival DIRT Motorsports organization. Some of the top drivers that raced on the circuit included Dale Planck, Tom Kinsella, Roger Phelps, and of course, Donnie Wetmore, Fulton’s all-time feature winner. Sanctioning the races was the NASCAR Winston Racing Series, a popular move for the racers.

            Each season, Benway’s Victoria 200 continued to grow despite his doubts that the race would survive one or two years, as he did not feel it would work. Benway stood behind Eric who would shine through continued hard work and persistence. The race outgrew even their own expectations, much to the dismay to the rival DIRT Motorsports organization, a fitting tribute to Victoria Benway. Over one hundred Small Block Modifieds attempted to qualify each season, and every couple of years, the purse would be raised. Traditionally each season, the Kingsley children – Ashley, Vickie, and AJ would give the command to the Victoria 200 drivers to start their engines, something they truly enjoyed.

            In 1995, after the 10^th Annual Victoria 200, Benway and Kingsley sold both the Fulton and Utica-Rome Speedways, as it was time to get out of the sport they so dearly loved. It had taken its toll, but in 1998, they found both speedways back in their possession due to foreclosure proceedings. Benway and Kingsley reopened the New Utica-Rome Speedway for the second half of the season, and sold Fulton to Brewerton owners Harvey, Joan, and David Fink.

            Utica-Rome continued its traditional Small Block Modified, Sportsman, Street Stock, and Pure Stock racing in 1998, but in 1999, Benway and Kingsley joined the DIRT Motorsports organization. Benway became less and less active in the promotional side of the efforts, but was still active at the speedways with heavy equipment and in the concession stands. Through it all, Benway involved his family in the operation of all his speedways. Many of the family members were at the tracks on a daily basis, doing what needed to be done to race that weekend and spending much of their childhood there.

            Benway was never happier when he turned the operation of both Fulton and New Utica-Rome to neice Gisele, and her husband Eric Kingsley. After all, they had been involved in the tracks for their lifetimes, it was only natural for the racing business to help them earn a living.

            The Kingsley children might have made Benway the happiest as they operated New Utica-Rome for the second time, however. Ashley, Vickie, and AJ worked hard in various jobs at the tracks, and Bub away from the track had them wrapped around his fingers, but at the track, they were his as he supervised them, and he was proud of their accomplishments and dedication.

            After Benway and Kingsley sold Utica-Rome in early 2002, Benway drifted away from the sport. However, at least once or twice a week, Bub would stop in at Fulton and Utica-Rome, to see how his dreams were being guided. Benway still cared, and wanted to see the racing, and the traditions such as the Victoria 200, continue.

            Over the years, Benway was a friend of many racers, even after he left the business. Numerous drivers such as Donnie Wetmore, Tom Kinsella, Jason Barney, Tom Sears, Donnie Wetmore Jr, Alan Johnson, and many more, have benefited from Benway. He helped further many of their careers financially, through racing equipment, friendship, and much more.

            Ironically, Alan Johnson won the 2003 Victoria 200, and it was a special moment for sure as his car is stored and worked on in Benway’s shop just down the road from the Speedway where Kingsley operates out of. The Victoria 200 trophy in honor of his wife Victoria, was presented to Benway to keep forever.

            The day after we lost Bub, he was memorialized at his beloved Fulton Speedway in a touching tribute. The entire pit area full of over 120 race cars came down onto the frontstretch, four wide from turn one to turn four, to pay tribute to the fallen founder of their playground. With the flags at half-staff, Announcer Shane Andrews spoke about Bub’s history at Fulton and in racing, with Brother Kevin providing the moment of silence and prayers. Owner and Promoter Harvey Fink, who became a dear friend through Benway’s guidance, also spoke. The eyes of many were filled with tears.

            The Kingsley family, in a touching tribute at last year’s Victoria 200, sponsored lap 100 as the “Benway Halfway Challenge”, giving $1,000 in cash to the halfway leader. Ashley, Vickie, and A.J. Kingsley, the grand nieces and nephew presented the award to Tim Fuller, and will be sponsoring this year’s halfway lap in memory of Bub and Victoria.

            Bub Benway, his wife Victoria, and entire family, touched thousands of lives in motorsports over the last 45 years and they are a huge part of the reason racing flourishes in this area today. They have seen the winds of change in racing, from the days of the overheads, flatheads, sportsman, asphalt modifieds, Small Block Dirt Modifieds, and to now the days of the DIRT Modifieds. They have been involved in the promotions and operations of three speedways, and have participated in multiple sanctioning bodies in racing. Most of all, they were one of the few select group of promoters in the country who were successful in the promotion of a track with two different surfaces over a time span of many years. They did so much, for so many people. Most of all, they were private yet family oriented, and a damn good people to anyone who knew them well.

Rest in Peace Bub & Victoria, everyone will miss you. The 20^th Annnual Victoria 200 and the continued operational success of Fulton Speedway will remain a tribute to you forever.