1974 NEMA Championship Car Owner Dewey Cali Passes at 88
August 6, 1924 – April 5, 2013
CALI Dewey J. Cali of Staten Island, NY and Jensen Beach, Florida, passed away Friday in Jensen Beach at the age of 88.
Mr. Cali was born and raised in Dongan Hills, Staten Island where he spent most of his life. He is survived by his daughter, JoAnn Cali of Jensen Beach, Florida. “He had a “BIG” personality”, said his daughter-when he was in a room, you knew it-he was also a very meticulous man who strove for perfection in everything that he did and expected the same from everyone around him.
He proudly served our country in the army during WWII in the European theater and upon his return spent his career in the automotive industry.
During his career, he taught auto mechanics at several vocational schools, and later founded, ATECO a company that designed and built automotive test equipment, with his best friend.
As a child, he loved to tinker with all kinds of cars and engines. Growing up with his uncles, the Stropoli brothers, he was around and involved with race cars all of his life. During the early 1970’s he designed a midget race car, named the “Roadrunner #7”, a bright orange Chevy II, and won numerous championships in both the ARDC and NEMA racing associations. The roadrunner #7, broke a world’s record in its class at Winchester, Indiana, and held that record for 17 consecutive years. He and his wife, the late Grace Cali (nee Assenza) and daughter JoAnn, traveled throughout the east coast every weekend along with many other family members and friends to attend the races. Car racing was a huge part of his life and even until his death last week, Sunday was always race day at the Cali house-watching open-wheel and Nascar races brought great joy to his life.
In addition to racing, boating and fishing were also a big part of his life. After his retirement at the age 50, he bought a house in Jensen Beach, Florida and remained a snowbird until this summer. “I can go on and on forever about my father, but in a nutshell I will say that he was an exceptional man, in every respect. Besides being an automotive genius, he had a brilliant mind and there was nothing he could not dream, design or build. He was the only man that I truly admired and respected my entire life and I will miss him greatly.”
Funeral from Dongan Hills Virginia Funeral Chapel, 1707 Hylan Blvd. on Saturday 9:30 A.M. Mass of Christian Burial St. Ann’s Church 10 A.M. Interment Moravian Cemetery. Visiting hours Thursday and Friday 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. www.SILive.com/obits
Sources: Staten Island Advance, April 10, 2013