The Gate City Classic at Hudson International Speedway that was scheduled for Sunday June 23rd has been moved to Sunday July 7th. Track owner Bob Webber and GSPSS President Mike Parks felt with the Huge national event being held at the New England Dragway on the 23rd of June it just made sense to juggle the schedule a little. Post time will be 6:03pm.
Continue reading ‘Hudson’s Gate City Classic Moved to Sunday July 7th’
Charles Leroy Elliott
New England Racing Hall-of-Famer had a creative 75 year career.
He built three new speedways with his own hands and refurbished three more. Some of the greatest drivers in auto racing history thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans on those race tracks, leaving decades of lasting memories.
New England Auto Racing (NEAR) Hall-of-Famer “Charlie” Elliott, 96, passed away in his sleep today, March 20, at his home in Hernando, FL.
Self-educated, his common sense approach, quiet vice-grip handshake and humor matched by a determined work ethic were his characteristics, building a legendary career from New England to Florida.
Continue reading ‘NEAR Hall of Famer Charlie Elliott Passes at 96′
Joseph Castellucci
Joe Cast of Somerville, MA began his career in stock cars at the old Medford Bowl in the mid-1950s. He competed at a number of tracks including Hudson, Manchester, Norwood and West Peabody. He drove the #72, 46, 15 and the Falconi #10 cars.
He was as driver with the Atlantic Auto Racing Association circuit at Brookline, NH and Westboro, MA. A regular winner at both facilities in the Class A cars, Cast won an incredible 9 in a row at Brookline in 1964.
After his retirement from driving, he served as the flagman at Westboro Speedway.
[Photo Gallery] from LaSheefs Racing Photos
Here is my interview with Cast from the 2010 Westboro Speedway reunion.
Twenty racing pioneers considered central to the success of the sport in New England during its formative era will be inducted into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame on Sunday, November 18 at the Speedway Clubhouse located on the grounds of the Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Connecticut.
Just completed, the selection follows a lengthy voting process administered by a committee of the region’s foremost auto racing historians.
Slated for induction are stock car drivers Tony Mordino, Sparky Belmont, Hank Stevens, Ed Patnode, Johnny Georgiades, Wally Silva, and Ray Brown.
Midget racing standouts Eddie Casterline, George Rice, Al Pillion, Billy Tibbert, Frank Simonetti, Charlie Ethier, and George Monson round-out the open-wheel inductees.
Completing the list of those entering the Hall of Fame are car owners Anthony “Beebe” Zalenski, Ed Stone, Wen Kelley, Bob Oliver, Gordon Ross, and owner & promoter of Connecticut’s former Plainville Stadium, Joe Tinty.
Continue reading ’2012 New England Auto Racing Hall Of Fame Pioneer Inductees Announced’
Veteran racer scores first career Granite State Pro Stock Series win
HUDSON, NH — Bobby Baillargeon was virtually untouchable as the veteran stock car racer led all 100 laps and claimed his first career Granite State Pro Stock Series win at Hudson Speedway in Hudson, NH in the Hudson Hugger 100.
The Kingston, NH driver drew the pole position in the top-eight redraw and set up his winning effort. Baillargeon was able to pull out to sizeable leads, but a late race restart on lap 94 put Granite State Pro Stock Series point leader Bobby Cabral to his outside.
Baillargeon prevailed on the final restart at Cabral got shuffled back on the outside and cruised to his first career Granite State Pro Stock Series win.
Continue reading ‘Baillargeon Rules in Granite State Pro Stock Series Hudson Hugger 100′
Veteran Racer Rebounds from Midrace Penalty to Score Another Classic Win
Hudson, NH — Veteran stock car driver Bobby Cabral was able to add another Gate City Classic win to his already illustrious racing career by winning the Granite State Pro Stock Series Gate City Classic 100 at Hudson Speedway in Hudson, NH on Sunday night, July 8.
The East Kingston, NH racer Cabral took the Gate City Classic 100 lead on lap 28 but was penalized to the rear of the field by officials for his involvement in a lap 28 caution. Cabral then began his charge back through the field, and secured the lead on lap 80. Cabral then held off in spite of a series of late race caution flags to put another Gate City Classic trophy on the mantle.
“I wasn’t going to be denied tonight,” Cabral said in victory lane. “We lost one at Monadnock [Speedway] and my guys worked hard on this car. I wanted to put this car in victory lane. I picked and chose [lanes] and tried not to wear my stuff out. And here we are.”
Cabral led 22 laps en route to his Gate City Classic 100 win.
Continue reading ‘Cabral Claims Granite State Pro Stock Series Gate City Classic 100′
Granite State Pro Stock Series to run historic 100-lap race
HUDSON, NH — The Granite State Pro Stock Series will mark the return of Pro Stock racing to the tight, high banked quarter-mile asphalt oval of Hudson Speedway in Hudson, NH on Sunday, July 8 for one of the most storied races, the Gate City Classic.
The Gate City Classic began as a Pro Stock race in 1978 and attracted some of the bigger names in New England, including Hudson’s own Dave Dion. Current Granite State Pro Stock Series competitors Babe Branscombe, of Nottingham, NH, and New England Auto Racers Hall-of-Fame member Pete Finadaca, of Fitchburg, MA, are former Gate City Classic winners. Fiandaca is seven-time Hudson Speedway champion. Both drivers are expected to contend for the Gate City Classic, again.
Hometown racer Derek Griffith will challenge to become a Gate City Classic winner, as well. Griffith scored an impressive runner-up finish in the season opener at Monadnock Speedway and heads to his hometown track, which he has scored multiple victories.
Continue reading ‘Pro Stocks Return to Hudson Speedway with Gate City Classic’
Haverhill, MA – - Salem, NH., native, Jim Bird, a long-time area auto racing fabricator and crew member was seriously injured recently in a motor vehicle in Mooresville, N.C. Bird was riding a scooter home from work when struck by a motor vehicle in a city intersection on January 30.
Bird was transported to a Charlotte Hospital where he was treated for multiple injuries including a shattered left hip, broken left femur, broken ribs, serious facial lacerations and mild brain swelling.
Currently in rehabilitation, Bird has started the long road to recovery. Friends back home have joined together and started a fundraiser to help Bird get
through the months ahead. Bird is expected to be out of work for an extended period.
Veteran racer Fred Skaff, of Haverhill, MA., made phone calls to other local racers looking for contributions, donations, to help a fallen friend. It did not take long for support to fall in place.
Continue reading ‘Well Known Area Race Car Fabricator Severely Injured in Accident’
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.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Sad news this week from Florida as NEAR Hall of Famer Arthur Rousseau passed away on Monday March 16, 2009 at age 87. He was born on August 5, 1921 in Keene, NH. Rousseau competed at a number of tracks including Hudson, Langhorne, Stafford, West Brattleboro, Westboro as well as tracks in New York State. He was also successful at his home track, the Cheshire County Fairgrounds in Keene, NH.
He was a World War II veteran in the Army Air Force. He was a member of the Stock Car Drivers’ Hall of Fame in New York State as well as a NEAR Hall of Fame inductee in 2001.
Continue reading ‘NEAR Hall of Famer Art Rousseau Passes at 87′
