Norwood, MA — Since the Annual Norwood Arena Reunion started five years ago, the event has grown. Adding a street classic, muscle and antique car show complimented the gathering of race cars, drivers, car owners and officials. Last year’s superb weather resulted in a total of 105 combined race cars, street classic, muscle and antique race cars. Last year the addition of motorcycles resulted in some great looking bikes in attendance. Dash plaques went to the first 100 entries into the reunion and trophy was awarded to be best looking race car, street car and motorcycle. The Bezema family, owners of the dealership on the well known Auto Mile in Norwood, plan to continue on with this event every year on the first Sunday in June. The loss of patriarch Marty Bezema, Sr. last year didn’t put a damper on the festivities planned last June. “My father would have wanted this event to continue,” said Erik Bezema, the principal of the dealership.
With that said, fans attending this year’s event on Sunday, June 6, 2010 can look forward to a another large turnout of oval race cars, drag cars, classic street vehicles and motorcycles. Over the years memorabilia collectors and vendors have requested space. More turn out every year coming from all over New England to show and display their wares.
Continue reading ‘The Sixth Annual Norwood Arena Reunion at Bezema Buick, Pontiac, GMC on Sunday, June 6, 2010′
Literally hundreds of victories and dozens of championships are represented in the New England Auto Racer’s Hall of Fame “Class of 2010.” The 13th annual celebration takes place on Sunday Jan 31 at the LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT.
The deadline to purchase tickets for this traditionally sold-out event is January 16. Please visit the NEAR website at www.near1.com for information on reserving your tickets.
Drivers Geoff Bodine, Mike Murphy, George Savory and Pete Fiandaca, car owners Billy Simons, Bob Garbarino and Vic Miller, contributor Frank Ferrara will be inducted. NEAR Veterans Committee inductees are the late race official Archie Blackadar, open-cockpit star, the late Chuck Arnold, and pioneering car-builder Marty Harty.
Continue reading ‘Ticket Purchase Deadline For NEAR Hall Of Fame Induction Approaching Quickly’
Maine Resident Was The 1966 National Champion
Daytona Beach, FL — Ernie Gahan, the 1966 NASCAR Modified national champion, passed away Thursday night at his home in Cranberry Isles, Maine at the age of 83.
Gahan, originally from Dover, N.H., got his start in auto racing at his hometown track – Dover Speedway – in 1948 after serving more than two years as an Army military policeman in Germany following Word War II. After getting his start at Dover, Gahan competed in the NASCAR Sportsman division until 1965, when he moved over to Modifieds.
Gahan compiled 6,560 points during his 1966 run to the title to distance himself from runner-up Bugs Stevens and third place Ray Hendrick. Driving a 1936 Chevrolet coupe, Gahan won 15 of the 71 races he entered that season, but led Hendrick by just 48 points heading into the season finale in Atlanta, Ga. Hendrick was caught up in an early race accident and Gahan crossed the line 10th to earn the crown.
Continue reading ‘Modified Champion Gahan Passes’
Paterson, NJ — Municipal officials and school administrators here are finishing plans to rehabilitate Hinchliffe Stadium since city voters here overwhelmingly approved a $15 million allocation towards the historic midget and stock car venue Nov. 3.
Patersonians voted, 3,433 to 891, for a non-binding referendum whereby the city will pay for Hinchliffe’s revamping with 15- to 20- year bonds. $13.8 million would go to the 77-year-old stadium’s rebuilding for future sports, recreation and entertainment use. Some stadium space will go towards a Paterson Public School district-run sports management academy.
The remaining $1.2 million would be split between the Paterson Armory and nearby Bauerle Field – the latter a gridiron used for high school football games.
Paterson Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres said he would make a bond issue application appointment with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Local Finance Board.
Continue reading ‘Patersonians OK Hinchliffe Rehab’
Ralph “Trigger” Watson, the Clown Prince of the cutdown era, passed away on October 18 in Newburyport, MA.
Trigger was a real gasser, tough as nails. Leo Cleary recalls that “the only way to beat him was over the head.” His best years came in 1955 and 1956 when, aboard his infamous ’34 Ford mini-sedan aptly labeled “the Thing”, he won eighty features, including the Canadian American Classic in Toronto.
Watson was also a character through and through who approached his racing with an infectious joy. He was the promoters’ dream, the kids’ hero.
He was 82.
Hundreds of victories and dozens of championships are represented in the New England Auto Racer’s Hall of Fame “Class of 2010.”
Drivers Geoff Bodine, Mike Murphy, George Savory and Pete Fiandaca, car owners Billy Simons, Bob Garbarino and Vic Miller and contributor Frank Ferrara will be inducted at the 13th annual induction banquet on Sunday, Jan 30, 2010 at the LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT.
Still to be announced are the inductees from the Veterans Committee and the Jack Ratta Memorial (media) winner.
Continue reading ‘NEAR Hall of Fame Class of 2010′
Gino Spada passed way Saturday September 19th after a battle with cancer. A long time Modified Driver Gino competed at Stafford, Thompson and was a multi-time feature winner at both Danbury Racearena and Plainville Stadium. The long time owner of Red Barn Radiator in Berlin, Ct., Gino prepared many radiators for a number of racers in the area. Gino was also the owner of the NEMA Midget driven by his son Tommy and a long time member of the New England Antique Racers (NEAR). Gino’s late brother John was a long time car owner at the Danbury Racearena fielding cars for Kenny Webb, Don Moon and Gino.
Continue reading ‘Modified Standout and NEMA Car Owner Gino Spada Passes at Age 64′
Berlin, CT — Silenced at the dawn of the 1980’s, Connecticut’s ¼-mile Plainville Stadium was a hotbed of racing in New England for over 3-decades, hosting some of the biggest names in the business. Drivers such as the legendary “Steady Eddie” Flemke, Denny Zimmerman, Reggie Ruggiero, Don Moon, Ron Wyckoff, Ray Miller, Dick Watson, and many-more all toured the tight, demanding oval during its long-history. In 2008, Plainville’s all-time winner Dave Alkas and 2-time champion George Lombardo took their place in the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame along with previously inducted members Flemke, Zimmerman, Watson, and Miller.
Saturday, October 10th, the Nutmeg Kart Club in conjunction with the Berlin Lions Club World of Wheels present the “First Annual Plainville Stadium Reunion”. The event takes-place from 10am – 4pm at the Berlin Fair Grounds located 430 Beckley Road, East Berlin, Ct.
It’s expected that many former Stadium’ racers will attend. It’s the perfect opportunity to mingle, and perhaps get an autograph from the personalities that made the much-missed oval so-special.
Continue reading ‘Plainville Stadium Reunion Scheduled For Saturday, October 10th’
Fans of Milton, VT racer Beaver Dragon recently got a chance to meet and spend time with one of their auto racing heroes at a hometown greet and book signing on Saturday August 8th at Four Seasons Real Estate in Milton, VT. Beaver and many of his friends, including Short track historian, webmaster of catamountstadium.com and “To Beat the Beaver” author Bill Ladabouche, enjoyed meeting fans and racers. Several race cars were on display. Beaver was thrilled to meet so many fans and sign so many autographs and copies of his new book. Fans enjoyed the up-close looks at race cars of past and present along with food and drink.
Newburyport, MA, July 10, 2009 – Motorsports publisher Coastal 181 announced today the upcoming release of I’LL NEVER BE LAST AGAIN, the autobiography of Bill Wimble. The long-awaited memoir of the legendary racer from Lisbon, New York, was written in concert with award-winning journalist, Lew Boyd.
Bill Wimble enjoyed a meteoric career during the prime era of sportsman-modified racing on the East Coast. He was NASCAR National Sportsman Champion in 1960 and 1961 and won seven state and fourteen track titles throughout the ’60s. The lion’s share of Wimble’s wins came aboard the state-of-the-art, signature red, black and white # 33s fielded by McCredy Motors in Sherburne, NY. The Wimble/#33 combo grew into one of the most popular and lasting brands in the history of short-track racing.
Continue reading ‘Coastal 181 to Release Long-Awaited Autobiography of Bill Wimble, July 22′
Coastal 181 is proud to announce the upcoming release of the much-anticipated autobiography of Bill Wimble, one of the most respected figures in American racing.
The two-time NASCAR National Sportsman Champion spins tales of his incredible journey from a New York dairy farm near the Canadian border to the short tracks and superspeedways along the East Coast, to his honored career as an entrepreneur in New York and Florida.
I’LL NEVER BE LAST AGAIN is an American success story, full of poignant messages for all of us.
Continue reading ‘Coastal 181 Publishers New Book on Racing Legend Bill Wimble Being Released In July’
To Beat The Beaver by Bill Ladabouche
BOOK PRICES:
Vermont Resident – $24.00 [Includes 6% sales tax]
Vermont Resident – $29.83 [includes sales tax and shipping]
Non– Resident – $28.45 [includes shipping]
Canadian Orders – $34.00 [includes shipping]
Questions please email: Imadragn@together.net
For orders by mail: send a check or money order to:
To Beat the Beaver
7 Algonquin Reef Road
Milton, VT 05468
Continue reading ‘Beaver Dragon Book Now Available’
Norwood, MA — A combination car show comprised of vintage race cars, street legal antique, classic and muscle cars was one of the many highlights of the Fifth Annual Norwood Arena Reunion held at the Bezema Buick, Pontiac, GMC dealership on the Auto Mile in Norwood last Sunday afternoon. In addition to restored Modified stockcars on display there were also cut downs forerunner of the Super Modified cars as well as a Super-Modified, Late Model and a few drag machines. Besides hosting stockcar action on Saturday nights, the defunct Norwood Arena held eighth-mile drag races adjacent to the 1/4 mile oval on Friday nights.
Among those notables that attended the show last Sunday were former NASCAR Chief Steward Carl Merrill. Among the drivers were Daryl Stampfl, Jack Malone, Don McCullough, Midget Hall of Famer Dave Humphrey, Lew Boyd, multiple Norwood Arena track champion Bill Slater, Leo Cleary, Joey Kourafas, Jeff Horn, Lenny Cleaves, George Savary, George Summers and Bugs Stevens among others. Also present was car owner Joe Brady who is still fielding Modified mounts for drivers on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Also coming out for the annual bash was Demo King Anderson who started his smashing career at Norwood and is still at it various Demo Derbies in New England.
Continue reading ‘Over 100 Vehicles, Former and Current Drivers as well as Race Fans Turned Out for the 5th Annual Norwood Arena Reuion at Bezema Buick, Pontiac, GMC last Saturday’
Marvin Rifchin, owner of the former M&H Tire in Watertown, passed away Tuesday at the age of 94. A grave side service will be held in Sharon, MA at 12:45 p.m. Friday June 5th at the Sharon Memorial Park, (park is located at 50 Beach St.). Marvin, a 1999 inductee into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, started in racing after WWII as the owner of midgets. Later on he got involved in stock cars. His cars raced at many area tracks, including Thompson and Waterford. He won championships at Seekonk and Stafford. The last race car he owned was the #7 pinto bodied modified, driven by Ron Bouchard in the years before Bouchard moved south to become the 1981 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year.
But it was not as a car owner that Marvin is remembered but as a builder of racing tires. It was very difficult to get racing tires for local cars on the 40’s so Marvin formed M&H Tires, and provided all types of racing tires, until closing his doors in 1986.
Continue reading ‘Hall of Famer Marvin Rifchin Passes At Age 94′
NEAR is invited to the Bear Ridge Speedway. See dirt track racing at its finest, in Bradford, VT. Directions are listed below. Owner/Promoter CV Elms has invited NEAR in for parade laps and trackside interviews with NEAR members as the celebration of the Northeastern Reunion continues at the “Home of the Coupes”. Don’t miss out on the fun. CV Elm’s dad, Chuck, owned the #6 convertible that was driven to many wins at Northeastern by NEAR Hall of Famers Stub Fadden and John Gammell. Meet and greet John, Harold “Hard Luck” Hanaford, and the rest of the Northeastern gang as the fun continues Saturday night, July 18th, at the Bear Ridge Speedway, right off Rt 91, in Bradford, VT.
Directions: Heading north on Interstate 91 take exit 16 at the end of the ramp, take a left to South Road, then to Kidder Road. heading south take exit 16 at the end of the ramp, take a right to South Road, to Kidder Road then on to the track.
http://www.catamountstadium.com/northeastern_speedway.htm
Sources: NEAR PR
It’s the second day of the 19th Annual Vintage Racing Celebration and Classic Car Show at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Hundreds of vintage midgets, sprint cars, champ cars, roadsters, and NASCAR stock cars are racing on the 1.058 mile course. The conditions are perfect for these legendary cars to show their stuff.
The highlight of today’s activities is the arrival of 3-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Johnny Rutherford. Johnny is the Grand Marshal of this year’s Vintage Racing Celebration. The bench race will start with his arrival at the Speedway just after noon today. This is a rare opportunity to meet and chat with one of the true legends of racing.
Norwood, MA — The fifth annual gathering of the faithful for the Norwood Arena Reunion continues to take shape. Commitments for various drivers who raced at the venerable, but shuttered oval, have been made to be there. They include Dave Dion of Hudson, NH, Bill Slater of E. Hartford, CT, Leo Cleary of Hanover, Bill Harmon of CT, Stoughton’s Jerry Capazzoli and car owner Joe Brady of Brockton along with Fred Luchesi of Pawtucket, RI, among several others.
Race cars from NEAR, STARS and ACOT are expected to return to the Bezema dealership on US Rt. 1, the Auto Mile, on Sunday, June 7. The Norwood Arena ran various types of race cars from Midgets, Cutdowns, Modifieds and Late Models during the 25 years the venue conducted weekly racing events from April through October including some giant Demo Derbies. Also, sports car, motorcycle and drag races were held on the oval with the latter in the paved parking lot. Efforts are underway to get some of those vehicles to attend this year’s event.
Continue reading ‘Fifth Annual Norwood Arena Reunion at Bezema Buick, Pontiac, GMC on Sunday, June 7, 2009′
Classic Car Show, Car Corral, and Flea Market Highlight the Weekend Schedule
Loudon, NH — Hundreds of vintage race cars and motorcycles, along with a classic car show and an automotive flea market and car corral, highlight the 19th Annual Vintage Racing Celebration and Classic Car Show at New Hampshire Motor Speedway from Tuesday, May 12 through Sunday, May 17.
Regarded as one of the top vintage racing events in the country, the celebration features three days of oval racing on the 1.058-mile speedway, and three days of road racing on the historic 1.6-mile road course.
On Tuesday, May 12 through Thursday, May 14, some of the most famous Midgets, Sprint Cars, Champ Cars, Roadsters, and NASCAR stock cars will fill the speedway’s 1.058 mile oval.
From Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17, the 1.6 mile road course at NHMS will challenge veteran competitors from the world of road racing in both sports cars and motorcycles.
Continue reading ‘Hundreds of Vehicles Scheduled to Compete During the Vintage Racing Celebration at New Hampshire Motor Speedway’
Marvin Rifkin is in a nursing home.
Send cards to 37 Rosehill Way, Waltham, MA 02453.
Loudon, NH – Johnny Rutherford, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, has been named the Grand Marshal of the 19th Annual Vintage Racing Celebration at New Hampshire Motor Speedway from May 12 through May 17.
Known as “Lone Star J.R.” to his fans because of his Texas heritage, Rutherford crossed the famous yard of bricks first at the Indianapolis 500 in 1974, 1976, and 1980. In his role as Grand Marshal during the oval portion of the event, Rutherford will bench race with many of the participants, including an interactive “Question and Answer” program with host Gordon Kirby, the U.S. Editor of MotorSport magazine, on Wednesday night, May 13.
Three of Rutherford’s former open wheel rides will be on display as well.
Continue reading ‘Three-Time Indy 500 Winner Johnny Rutherford Named Grand Marshal for New Hampshire Vintage Racing Celebration’
