NEAR Hall of Famer Ron Bouchard Passes at 67
Ron Bouchard began his driving career as a teenager at the old Brookline (NH) Speedway driving for his father Bob. Soon he would venture to the old Westboro (MA) and Seekonk (MA) Speedways. Bouchard dominated Class A, winning four consecutive Seekonk championships in his No. 35 from 1968-71. He added another in 1978 driving a Modified.
Beyond his native Massachusetts, he went to Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway and adapted to the flat half-mile oval. He established himself one of the decade’s big Modified winners at Stafford, Thompson, and Westboro.
He drove for team owners like Dick Armstrong, Bob Garbarino, and Bob Johnson. Major victories included the 1980 Thompson 300, multiple 100 and 150-lap races at Stafford, and a 100-lap Late Model race at Seekonk in 1979.
While he continued to race Modifieds in the 1980s for Len Boehler and Bob Judkins, he moved to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now called NASCAR Sprint Cup). Bouchard replaced Harry Gant at the late Jack Beebe’s Race Hill Farm team in 1981. Bouchard became the second of four New England drivers to win a race in NASCAR’s premier series when he won his 11th start, the 1981 Talladega 500. Bouchard passed Terry Labonte and eventual champion Darrell Waltrip in the trioval to win by two feet at Talladega (AL) Superspeedway. He received the Rookie of the Year Award. His former Modified car owner Bob Johnson was the crew chief.
Before New Hampshire Motor Speedway brought NASCAR Winston Cup to New England in 1993, Bouchard helped bring the stars to area short tracks 30 years ago. The Showdown of Champions were a series of Pro Stock races that held at Hudson (NH) Speedway, Lee (NH) USA Speedway, Stafford, and Thompson. Some of the drivers that competed included Dale Earnhardt, Tim Richmond, Cale Yarborough, and Darrell Waltrip. Locals also made up the field like Fran Colson, Pete Fiandaca and Dale Shaw.
https://twitter.com/DaleJr/status/675011044155240449http://sidsview.com/videos/ron-bouchard-tribute/
Bouchard owned auto dealerships in Massachusetts, Ron Bouchard’s Auto Stores. He supported preserving racing history as a member Board of Directors for the Racing History Preservation Group. He was one of the groundbreakers for the North East Motor Sports Museum at New Hampshire Motor Speedway September 25. He hosted events for the New England Antique Racers at his dealership.
He was an inaugural inductee of the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1998) and the Seekonk Wall of Fame (2013). He was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association (EMPA) Hall of Fame in 2014.
According to Bouchard’s brother-in-law Ed Flemke, the wake is Monday from 5 PM – 9 PM at Brandon Funeral Home (305 Wanoosnoc Rd, Fitchburg, MA 01420). The funeral is at St. Joseph Church ( 49 Woodland St, Fitchburg, MA 01420).
Achievements
5-time Seekonk champion (1968, 1969,1970,1971,1978
2-time Stafford Modified champion (1973, 1979)
1978 New Smyrna Modified Speedweeks champion
1978 Thompson Modified champion
1977 Yankee All-Star League champion
Wins
29-Seekonk (Tied for 21st with Leo Cleary, Pop Silvia, and Mike Brightman)
35-Stafford (Tied for 9th with Mike Stefanik)
37-Thompson (11th)
21-Westboro
6-Monadnock, New London-Waterford
3-New Smyrna
2-Darlington, Kingsport
1-Plainville, Pocono, Star, Talladega
TBD-Brookline
I have found 145 wins from 1966-1985 at 13 tracks including Kingsport (TN) Speedway, Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, NH, New Smyrna (FL) Speedway, Plainville (CT) Stadium, Pocono (PA) Raceway, Star Speedway in Epping, NH, New London-Waterford (CT) Speedbowl.
Sources: Nicholas Teto, YankeeRacer.com
Racing-Reference.info
http://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/Ron_Bouchard/Results/World_Series_of_Asphalt_Stock_Car_Racing/1978/Tour-Type_Modified_Division
http://speedbowlhistory.com/special-features/major-events/yankee-all-star-league/
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19485
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19486
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19487
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19488
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19489
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19490
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=17164
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=17165
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=17166
http://www.nemsmuseum.com/the_team.html
http://seekonkspeedway.com/wall-of-fame/
http://www.empaonline.org/Ron%20Bouchard%20bio.html