NEAR Hall of Fame Class of 2015
Victories at LeMans and Daytona International Speedway are among the hundreds of checkered flags owned by the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame’s class of 2015.
Sam Posey, one of America’s top road racers, and Greg Sacks, the winner of the 1985 Daytona Firecracker 400, are part of the class that will be honored at the NEAR Hall of Fame 18th induction banquet Sunday, Nov. 8 at Maneeley’s in South Windsor, CT.
The class also includes owner/driver Joey Laquerre, car owner the late Paul Dunigan and drivers the late Jim McCallum and Stan Gregor, a quartet that collectively has 27 track championships.
The multi-faceted Lew Boyd, presently a book seller and publisher, and Lee USA Speedway promoter Red MacDonald will also be inducted.
Ticket information for the banquet will soon be available on the New England Antique Racers website (NEAR1.org).
Still to be announced are the Veterans Committee picks, the Pardi Memorial Award and the Mitchell/Ratta (media) Award winners.
A long-time Sharon, CT resident, Posey was a top runner in road racing with strong finishes in Formula A, Can-Am, and Trans-AM. He had a fifth at Indianapolis in 1972, scored at LeMans and Sebring and drove some Formula I before moving to TV with ABC Sports. He is an award winning writer and artist.
In addition to Daytona, Long Island native Sacks has a number of New England victories, notably at Stafford and Thompson but also at Westboro. His 1982 season, which included the Stafford championship, ranks with the best performances in New England racing history.
Vermont’s Laquerre has been a winner over five decades as both an owner and driver. The top winner at the old Catamount Stadium, his resume includes several wins on the ACT Tour and championships at Thunder Road (6) and Catamount (2).
The colorful Dunigan, who passed away in 2004, burst on to the International Super Modified Association scene and won six titles in eight years, adding an Oswego crown as well. His drivers included Bentley Warren, Russ Wood, Mike Ordway, and Joe Gosek.
MacDonald, over six decades, was a successful car owner – drags, cutdowns, Supermodifieds, even an Indianapolis car – before taking over the Lee USA Speedway operation in 1986. He has brought the best in the business to his track often overcoming great obstacles.
Conservative estimates put McCallum’s win total in various categories at around 200 throughout New England. Often an owner/driver, his championships came at Stafford, Westboro, Riverside Park, Thompson, Monadnock, and Lee along with a couple United Grand American Laurels.
A racer (33 victories), promoter (The inaugural Spring Sizzler), writer, marketing consultant before his present position as a book seller and publisher (Coastal 181), Boyd’s contributions to auto racing are incredible. The Bay State is among the sport’s most admired participants.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEAR PR