Ray Brown (racing driver)

Raymond "Ray" Brown (October 13, 1923 – August 19, 1989) was a pioneering driver of Dirt Modified stock cars and later a standout open-cockpit Midget racer. From 1951 to 1959 Brown recorded 43 victories at the Orange County Fair Speedway and claimed three track championships.

Racing career
Following his service in World War II, Brown started out racing stock cars — junkyard-refugee jalopies. He successfully competed at Arlington NY, Candlelight Stadium CT, Empire Raceway in Menands NY, Freeport Stadium NY, Morristown NY, Nazareth Speedway PA, Peekskill NY, Pine Bowl Speedway in Snyders Corners NY, and Rhinebeck NY. Brown won the inaugural race at Old Bridge Stadium NJ in 1953 and was crowned the first track champion. He was also the 1950 champion at Riverside Park Speedway MA.

Following the 1959 season, Brown sold off everything to sign on as a Midget racer with the American Racing Drivers Club, winning 7 of his first 9 at Williams Grove Speedway PA, as well as events at Old Bridge Stadium, Reading Fairgrounds Speedway PA, and Victory/Orange County Fair Speedway. He won 27 Midget features from 1960 to 1967, retiring after he was involved in a motorcycle accident that seriously injured one of his legs.

Ray Brown was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association and the Northeast Dirt Modified Halls of Fame.