Best yet 11th Norwood Arena/New England Dragway South Reunions at Bezema Motors
Norwood, MA — It was perfect weather and there was a great turnout of vintage race cars at Bezema Motors on the Auto Mile for the 11th Annual Norwood Arena/New England Dragway South Reunions. Both the New England NEAR and STAR clubs and other non-aligned vintage race cars joined the yearly celebration including Midgets, Super-Modifieds, 1/4 Midgets, Legend Cars, Cutdown (pre-Super Modifieds) as well as drag racing vehicles of all types. Along with various collectable vendors, the Norwood Arena Movie group was there complete with a ’64 Dodge Coronet R/T Norwood Arena pace car. There were also many classic cars, hot rods and antique motor vehicles as well as motorcycles from various eras vying for trophies and dash plaques. About 75 vehicles turned out for the event and were on display for large group of attendees.
Many drivers, crew members and officials from the Norwood Arena/New England Dragway South were on hand. They included; Al Segrini of Canton, who won his share of NHRA National events at the wheel of several drag racing machines. The most famous was the Super Brut Funny Car. Also, Jerry Capazzolli of Stoughton who drove Mini Stocks and Modifieds, Bugs Stevens of Rehoboth, winner of several NASCAR National Modified Championships, Needham’s Jack Malone and Bob Bachiochi of Dover, both Modified drivers, Cape Cod’s Billy Singerson, who raced in the Mini Stocks, Modified driver Jack Glockner, formerly of Canton, and one of the only surviving famed Eastern Bandits ,Denny Zimmerman of Glastonbury, Conn. Zimmerman was also an Indianapolis 500 competitor in 1972 finishing fifth in the 500 that year earning Rookie of the Year honors.
Other drivers in attendance included Dave Dion who came up from Florida, and was a NASCAR Late Model track champion as well as a NASCAR Busch North Champion and ACT Tour titlist, Modified driver Fred Mancini of Needham, Late Model driver Bobby Glass of Revere, midget driver Jeff Horn of Ashland, Super-Modified driver Jimmy Martel of Essex, Paul Silvia, Lew Boyd of Newburyport, midget driver Bobby White of Scituate, Ric Mariscal of Pawtucket, RI, owner of the Pro Nine Racing Museum in his home town, Late Model driver Darrell Stampfl of Norwood, Modified pilot Don McCollough of Walpole, Late Model, ACT, Oxford 200 winner as well as NASCAR Busch North champion, Joey Kourafas of Randolph, Pro 4 Modified and Modified driver George Savary of Westwood, flagmen Bill Ryder of Wrentham and Maury Dumas of Quincy along with one of his sons John Dumas, a Mini Stock driver. Also in attendance were race engine builders Harry Kourafas of Randolph and Tuck Hoffman of Norwood.
Trophy winners were judged by Mike Galvin of Sharon and Ed Dornig of Medfield. The winners were Classic Cars: 1st, Don Nuhlman, 2nd, Rick Tacuihis, 3rd, Jack Lane. Drag Racers: 1st, Jack Pilnsi. 2nd, Jim Gagliardi, 3rd, Ed Mulligan. Motorcycles: 1st, Dennis Bates, 2nd, Paul Spender, 3rd, Isem Harliwai. Oval Race Cars: 1st, Charlie Lima, (Modified), 2nd, Ed Mulligan, (Super-Modified), 3rd, Pete Newsham (Modified). Classic Cars: 1st, Dan Mulligan, 2nd, Jack Lane, 3rd, Jerry Capazzolli.
All attendees were offered a free lunch courtesy of the Bezema family via Boston Baddest Burgers in their adjacent cafe.
Many attendees commented to the organizers that the 11th annual event was the best yet. All look forward to next year’s 12th Annual Norwood Arena New England Dragway South.
Sources: Lou Modestino/Norwood Arena/New England Dragway South Reunion PR