Three Veterans Added To NEAR Hall of Fame
A trio of “big winners” from the 1950s and 60s – Connecticut’s George Lombardo, Rhode Island’s Fred Luchesi and Vermont’s Johnny Gammell – have joined the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame Class of 2008. The trio, representing hundreds of victories, was selected by the Veterans Committee.They join drivers Dave Alkas, Dave Darveau, Dick Batchelder and the late Howie Brown, car owners Joe Brady and the late Mike Scrivani Sr., the multi-talented Dr. Dick Berggren and writer Pete Zanardi. The entire class will be inducted at the LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT on Sunday, January 27th.
Ticket forms for the 11th annual NEAR Hall of Fame banquet will be available on the New England Antique Racers website (www.near1.com) in the near future.
Gammell, a St. Johnsbury, VT resident, twice won Vermont State Stock Car championships and includes among his victories the 1969 Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Speedway. He started in 1949 but hit his stride after service in the Korean War. He had early successes at Mallets Bay and Waterford Speedbowl (VT) followed by wins at Catamount Stadium and Riverside (Groveton, NH) in addition to Thunder Road.
A New Britain, CT native, Lombardo was a United Stock Car Club stalwart from the late 1940s through the mid 1960s. “Always after the money,” he posted well over a hundred victories, achieving major success at Riverside Park, the Waterford Speedbowl (CT), West Haven Speedway and Plainville Stadium, winning two championships at the latter.
Luchesi, a Pawtucket, RI product, was a dominant force during the 1950s in the “Cutdowns,” winning championships at Waterford Speedbowl (CT) and at Seekonk, Lonsdale and Westboro Speedways. He was also very successful at Norwood Arena. He started at Thompson and Kingston Fairgrounds in 1948 and raced into the early 1960s, scoring well over 100 victories in a number of cars including his own “Lazy Deuce.”
Photo Credits: www.CatamountStadium.com Johnny Gammell Photo
www.VintageModifieds.com George Lombardo & Fred Luchesi
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEAR PR