NASCAR Busch North: New England Ford Dealers 125 Notes
Agawam, MA — This event marks the tenth annual appearance of the NASCAR Busch North Series at Riverside Park Speedway.
Bobby Dragon of Milton, Vt. won the first NASCAR Busch North Series event at Riverside Park Speedway on August 29, 1988. Second place finisher Chuck Bown of Portland, Ore. now drives on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series while third place finisher Dale Shaw of Center Conway, N.H. recently moved to the NASCAR Busch Series.
In addition to being the first NASCAR Busch North Series winner at Riverside Park, Bobby Dragon is the most recent winner, having won this event last year. He is also the only driver to have won more than one (2) NASCAR Busch North Series event at Riverside Park Speedway.
Current Raybestos Rookie of the Year participant Tom Carey of Orange, Mass. finished fifth in last year’s event, taking advantage of the rule which allows a driver to compete in up to four NASCAR Busch North Series events per year and still preserve his rookie status. He currently runs third in the Raybestos Rookie points just 34 points behind second place Dennis Demers of Shelburne, Vt.
Retired 1992/1993 NASCAR Busch North Series Champion Dick McCabe of Kennebunkport, Me. has the most top-five finishes at Riverside Park (5) including one win (1991). Among currently active NASCAR Busch North Series drivers, Jamie Aube of N. Ferrisburg, Vt. has the most top-five finishes (4), and he also has one win (1993).
Dick McCabe of Kennebunkport, Me. won the first Busch Pole Award at Riverside Park with a speed of 63.838 mph and a time of 14.098 seconds. Brandon Butler of Chester, Va. set the current record last year with a speed of 65.303 mph and a time of 13.782 seconds.
Participants in that first NASCAR Busch North Series race at Riverside Park in 1988 included 1996 NASCAR Busch Series Champion Randy LaJoie of Norwalk, Conn., and current NASCAR Busch Series drivers Joe Bessey of Scarborough, Me., and Jeff Fuller of Auburn, Mass.
Sources: NASCAR PR.