Many outstanding area auto racers, including Sammy LaMancuso (pictured) competed at Jamestown Speedway.

Submitted photo

The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame will hold a gathering for all persons interested in the history of the Jamestown Speedway on Sunday. The reunion will be held at the Gerry Rodeo Conference Center at 2 p.m.

The Jamestown Speedway was built by Mike Palermo on his property on Route 380 north of Kimball Stand in 1935. Palermo operated the half-mile track from 1935-39 and then leased it in 1940. The track reopened in 1950 under other management and eventually ceased operations in 1957. Many outstanding area auto racers competed at Jamestown Speedway including Sammy LaMancuso, Fred Knapp, Dave Shaw, Ken See, Jim Pollaro and Carl Pintagro to name a few.

The reunion is open to the public with a special invitation extended to anyone who may have competed, attended or worked at the speedway. The organizing committee, composed of Greg Peterson, Randy Sweeney and Randy Anderson, will show a video they have created about the race track. They will also videotape those attendees who are willing to share their remembrances. Persons with movies, photos, or other Jamestown Speedway memorabilia are asked to bring those items.

Following the gathering at the Gerry Rodeo Center, the group will visit the site of the former speedway for a walking tour led by Alan Gustafson.

For questions about the Jamestown Speedway reunion, please contact Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame President Randy Anderson at 640-6219.