Impressive List of Presenters at NEAR Fete
Two of the most familiar voices in motorsports broadcasting and one of the sport’s premier authors will head up the list of presenters at the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame 18th induction banquet Sunday, Nov. 8 at Maneeley’s in South Windsor, CT.
Ken Squier, the “play-by-play” man for CBS’ Daytona 500 telecasts for 20 years, and Jack Arute, a pit reporter at the Indianapolis 500 for ABC for several seasons, will induct owner/driver Joey Laquerre and road racer Sam Posey respectively. Award-winning writer Bones Bourcier will do the honors for one time modified star and 1985 Daytona Firecracker 400 winner Greg Sacks.
Ticket information for the banquet will soon be available on the New England Antique Racers website (NEAR1.org).
Also making presentations will be 1993 National NASCAR Modified Champion Rick Fuller (the late Jim McCallum), announcers Pete Falconi and John Spence Sr. (promoter Red MacDonald and car owner the late Paul Dunigan respectively), writer Peter VanderVeer (driver Stan Greger) and long-time racing participant Bruce Cohen (the multi-faceted Lew Boyd).
“All the presenters have distinguished themselves and, like the inductees, reflect the position New England holds,” said New England Antique Racers President Rich Masse. “They are New England products who have impressive accomplishments.”
Squier and Arute started their careers in Vermont and Connecticut and remain icons in their respective states. It is fitting Squier inducts fellow Vermonter Laquerre while Arute and Posey were both ABC broadcasters. Bourcier, who cut his teeth writing for local media outlets in Connecticut, has won a host of awards, including two Miller Racing Award of Excellence prizes and authored several books.
VanderVeer, part of the racing scene for over 25 years, has been honored by both NEAR and the Connecticut Sportswriters Alliance. Fans hear Falconi, the play-by-play voice of the Northeaster Midget Association at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Spence handles the microphone at Lee USA Speedway and is the voice of the Valenti Modified Tour.
Like Falconi, Fuller is part of a racing family. A Modified Tour competitor for over 20 years, he was a model of consistency. In addition to the ’93 title, he had 146 top fives, including 20 wins, and finished in the top five in tour points 10 times. He will be inducting his father-in-law.
Cohen has a long relationship with auto racing and with Boyd, the pair forming a winning owner/driver combo and both (along with Dick Berggren) were part of the initial Spring Sizzler promotion team. Cohen has been a writer and radio host as well.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEAR PR