Semi-Monthly Racing Commentary with
LEW BOYD
MAY 4 SIZZLER
REFLECTIONS 1972/2012
This Web Site Designed By
Established 1981
The New England Antique Racers club is a non-profit organization that
supports the history of New England auto racing. NEAR has been in existence since 1981 and
has a growing membership of approx. 350-400 members and 80 antique race cars. Members live
throughout New England and are available, on a no charge basis, for exhibition events
at local race tracks in New England and several tracks in the New York area, with
both original and historical replica race cars.
Since 1998, we have inducted 102
individuals into the New England Auto Racers Hall Of Fame,
which is administered by the New England Antique Racers. Some very notable inductees
include Richie Evans, Ron Bouchard, Bugs Stevens, Rene Charland, Pete
Hamilton, Fred DeSarro, Ed Flemke, Sr. and Billy Greco.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Note the meetings are now the THIRD Tuesday of the month from the 1st and the new
time of 7:30 from 7:00.
Triple A Restaurant
1209 Main St. (Rt. 5)
East Hartford, CT
<<Click Here>> For Directions
* R Monadnock
Speedway Rt. 10 Winchester, NH. Saturday May 19 2:00 P.M.
Lime Rock Park Lakeville, Ct. 60 White Hollow Road in Lakeville Saturday May 26
Still Show With Pace Laps
Sunday May 27Still Show Only
9 A.M. both days
CLUB NEWS
NEAR Presents “Class of 2012” At 15th Annual New England
Auto Racing Hall of Fame Inductions
(East Windsor, CT.) On
Sunday January 29, The New England Antique Racers (NEAR), presented the 15th
annual New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame Inductions. Award-winning
sportswriter Matt Buckler served as Master of Ceremonies for the
well-attended event held at LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT.
Receiving induction honors
this year were drivers Reggie Ruggiero, Joey Kourafas, Moe Gherzi, Jerry
Humiston, and Roland Lapierre Sr., owner/mechanics Mario Fiore and Jim
Jorgensen and track operator Irene Venditti.
Though not present due to
prior commitments, longtime Northern media personality Dave Moody was the
recipient of the prestigious “Jack Ratta Memorial Media Award.” Veteran auto
racing journalist and Hall of Fame Member Pete Zanardi received the Danny
Pardi Memorial Award for his many contributions to NEAR over the years.
A pivotal figure during the
formative years of the sport and truly one of the regions earliest stars,
Moe Gherzi came to stock cars following a brief fling with midget racing
during the busy post-war era. Gherzi won for some of the best teams in the
early days of the sport while displaying a flashy style which became his
trademark. Nicknamed “Moneybags” owed to a knack of winning many
big-dollar events, he tasted success at virtually all of the regions tracks.
He later served as the longtime Racing Director at Connecticut’s Plainville
Stadium. Accepting for her late father from presenter Dave Dykes was Ms.
Alma Michaud. FULL STORY & PHOTOS
<CLICK HERE>
NEAR Releases 2012
Schedule
The New England Antique Racers (NEAR) have mapped-out a
busy 2012 schedule with events scheduled at a wide variety of the regions
speedways. Also on the slate is the 15th Annual New England Auto Racing Hall
of Fame Induction Ceremony to take place this Sunday, January 29.
The season kicks-off on Saturday, March 31 at Connecticut’s famed Thompson
Speedway, and concludes at the 3rd Annual Plainville Stadium Reunion to be
held at the Berlin Fairgrounds in Berlin, Ct. on Saturday, October 13. Among
other stops on the “NEAR 2012 Tour” are Seekonk, Stafford Springs, New
Hampshire International Speedway, Monadnock, Lime Rock, Bear Ridge, Lee,
Canaan Fair, Twin State, and White Mountain. Also included on the agenda are
dates at The Norwood, Danbury, and Pines reunion events. More dates may be
added in the near future. Access the full print-ready schedule including
dates & times at www.near1.com
Drivers Reggie Ruggiero, Joey Kourafas, Moe Gherzi, Jerry Humiston, and
Roland Lapierre Sr., owner/mechanics Mario Fiore and Jim Jorgensen and track
operator Irene Venditti will be inducted into the New England Auto Racing
Hall of Fame on this Sunday, Jan. 29 at the LaRenaissance Banquet Hall at 53
Prospect Hill Road in East Windsor, CT. For more detailed information, visit
www.near1.com
Since 1998, NEAR has inducted over 100 individuals into the New England Auto
Racers Hall Of Fame, which is administered by the New England Antique
Racers. Some very notable inductees include Richie Evans, Ron Bouchard, Bugs
Stevens, Bill Slater, Rene Charland, Pete Hamilton, Fred DeSarro, Ed Flemke,
Sr. and Billy Greco.
In other NEAR news, New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame member Val LeSieur
has been named club President. Formally the publisher of Speedway Scene, one
of the Northeast region’s most-popular racing weekly’s, LeSieur brings a
deep knowledge of New England auto racing history to NEAR. Filling the
position of Vice President is the club’s Paul Masse.
Other members of the 2012 NEAR governing body include Mare Harlow
(Secretary), and Rhonda Blanchette (Treasurer). Serving on the Board of
Directors are Jim Splettstoezer, Brain Bancroft, Bill Henry, and Dave Dykes.
Serving as Board Advisors are New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame member
Pete Zanardi and, Rod Seller.
Recap of September 6, 2011 meeting with Dick Berggren
At
NEAR’s monthly meeting held September 6, 2011, Dick Berggren was in
attendance as an invited guest to discuss the proposed NORTHEAST MOTORSPORTS
MUSEUM to be located on the property of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and
to try and alleviate concerns that NEAR might have regarding said Museum.
Many of the NEAR members present participated in the discussion and raised
many valid concerns/questions:
· Who will own the building and the contents of the Museum?
· Who will maintain the building and surrounding grounds?
· What involvement will Bruton Smith and/or NASCAR have in the Museum?
· How long will NASCAR continue to include Loudon on the schedule?
· Admission fees?
· Do they want the Hall of Fame?
Each of the above questions and more were addressed by Dick Berggren to the
satisfaction of the NEAR members present at the meeting. The bottom line is
that Dick Berggren and his group wants the support of NEAR for their vision
of a Museum located in Loudon, New Hampshire dedicated to preserving all
types of racing (i.e. stock cars, midgets, dragsters, motorcycles, etc.) in
New England, not only stock car racing which is the main focus of NEAR & the
Hall of Fame. Dick’s group in no way wants to take the Hall of Fame away
from NEAR, they only want NEAR to support and promote them if asked about it
by anyone. Of course, if individual members want to loan their personal
racing collection items to the Museum in the future that would be between
the individual and the Museum.
Inviting Dick Berggren to speak at our meeting was probably the best thing
the Club could do to iron out the issues.
NEAR….the Beginning
By Al Fini
NEAR was started by the single-handed efforts of one man, Ed
Clark. This article attempts to trace the motivation and the actions that
started NEAR.
In my opinion, NEAR’s
conceptioncan be traced tothe racing career of George Clark,
Sr. George was a racer’s racer of the post WWII period when so many
daredevils took to the early bullrings without any regard to safety or
sanity. He started racing motorcycles in 1939 and when he got home from the
War he started driving the notoriously dangerous homemade “Big Cars” that
were the fore-runners of today’s sprint cars. Later, he was among the first
to drive the “jalopies” and then drove modifieds until a broken shoulder
side-lined him in 51. Then he had a long career in the “strictly stock” late
models that became popular in the United Stock Car Club of Harvey Tattersall
and NASCAR with Bill France. In 1950 the Cavano Bros. bought him a brand new
Oldsmobile from an East Hartford dealer that they took to NASCAR and Daytona
Beach.
George lived to race.
George loved to race and he always raced for money, not trophies. It is very
difficult today to document his career. He often won races in other driver’s
cars using fictitious names or as a fill-in for other drivers. Ed says his
dad has the credentials that the Veteran’s Committee should look at as a
nominee to the NEAR Hall of Fame. <<Click Here For Full
Article>>
NEW ENGLAND AUTO RACERS HALL OF FAME MEMBERSHIP
Dave Alkas 2008, Gene Angelillo 2006, Dick Armstrong 2005, Jack Arute Sr. 2001
Bob
Bahre 2009, George Barber 2007, Art Barry 2009, Dick Batchelder 2008, Gene
Bergin 1998, Dick Berggren 2008, Len Boehler 2004, Red Bolduc 2005, Vic Bombaci
2006, Ron Bouchard 2000, Smokey Boutwell 2005, Joe Brady 2008, Bert Brooks 2009,
Howie Brown 2008, Hully Bunn 2001; Moon Burgess 2003
Jean Paul Cabana 2007, Fats Caruso 2000, Rene Charland 1998, Leo Cleary 1999, on
Collins 2005; Russ Conway 2006, Robbie Crouch 2006, Joe Csiki 2005, Red Cummings
2006, Tom Curley 2009, Ralph Cusack 2001
Dave Darveau 2008, Fred DeSarro 1999, Dave Dion 2007, Dick Dixon 2004, Beaver
Dragon 2004, Bobby Dragon 2009, Homer Drew 2000
Dick Eagan 2007, Charlie Elliott 2000, Richie Evans 1998
Stub Fadden 2003, John Falconi Sr. 2007, John Fitch 2009, Ed Flemke 1998, Red
Foote 1999, Nick Fornoro Sr. 2002, Fred Frame 2004
Ernie Gahan 1998, Johnny Gammell 2008, Dick Garrett 2007, Sharky Gaudiosi 2006,
Harry Grant 2005, Billy Greco 1999.
Pete Hamilton 1998; Harold Hanaford 2009, Billy Harman 2004, Hop Harrington
1999, John Hoenig 2003, Dave Humphrey 2000
Charlie Jarzombek 2004, Bob Johnson 2007, Booker Jones 2003, Bob Judkins 2003
Johnny Kay 2006, Buddy Krebs 2000, Sonny Koszela 2002
Don
LaJoie 2000, Bob Libby 2006, Phil Libby 2006, Rollie Lindblad 2009, George
Lombardo 2008, Fred Luchesi 2008
Don
MacLaren 2002, Don MacTavish 2001, Dick McCabe 2002, John McCarthy 2007, Jim
McConnell 2009, Jim McGee 2006, Jocko Maggiacomo 2000, Ray Miller 2002, Ralph
Moody 2000
Ron Narducci 2000
Sammy Packard 2004, Bob Polverari 2003, Bob Potter 2007
Sonny Rabideau 2005, Billy Randall 2006, Paul Richardson 2009, Oscar Ridlon
2005, Marvin Rifchin 1999, John Rosati 2007, Joe Rosenfield 2006, Fred Rosner
2001, Don Rounds 2001, Art Rousseau, 2001
Bobby Santos 2001, Ollie Silva 1998, Bill Schindler 2004, Mike Scrivani Jr.,
2008, Boston Louie Seymour 2006, Bill Slater 1998, Bertha Small 2009, Ken Smith
2006, Joe Sostilio 2003, Ken Squier 2002, Bugsy Stevens 1998, Chick Stockwell
2001, George Summers 2000
Harvey Tattersall 1998, Johnny Thomson 2002, Paul Tremaine 2004, Reino Tulonen
2005,
D.Anthony Venditti 1999, Bob Vitari 2006
Bentley Warren 2007, Dick Watson 2003, Phil Walters (Ted Tappett) 2002, Bill
Welsh 1998, Eddie West 1999, Bill Wimble 2002, Dick Wolstenhulme 2006
At
NEAR’s monthly meeting held September 6, 2011, Dick Berggren was in
attendance as an invited guest to discuss the proposed NORTHEAST MOTORSPORTS
MUSEUM to be located on the property of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and
to try and alleviate concerns that NEAR might have regarding said Museum.