NEAR Hall of Famer Chick Stockwell Dies
Nine-Time Danbury Champion was 85
Charles ‘Chick’ Stockwell of Woodbury, CT passed away Monday at age 85.
Stockwell began his driving career in 1949. He raced throughout New England at tracks such as Eastern States Expo, Lime Rock, Plainville, Riverside Park, Seekonk, Stafford, Thompson, Waterford, West Haven and Westboro. He also raced at Albany-Saratoga, Arlington, Empire, JFK Stadium, Langhorne, Lebanon Valley and Middletown.
Stockwell will best be remembered for his home track, Danbury Fair Racearena. Stockwell raced there from 1952 to 1981. In that span, he won nine track championships (1954-55, 1960-63, 1968, 1970-71) and 51 features (1955-80). He was voted the Most Popular Driver six consecutive times from 1976 to 1981.
Beyond Danbury, Stockwell was the 1957 Rhinebeck (NY) Speedway champion and won two consecutive United Grand American championships in 1963 and 1964. He won a SNYRA race at Bridgeport’s Candlelite Stadium in 1954.
He was inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 2001.