Monthly Archives: September 2017

Woodle defends Bubba Burger Junior Hydroplane Series titles

Eden Deware

Eden Deware of Easton beside her outboard hydroplane.

 

Kingston, NH –  Pre-season favorite and 2016 Champion, David Woodle of Groton MA, lived up to the preseason expectations as he successfully defended both the Junior and AX(Novice) hydroplane titles with wins in both the Junior and AX Classes at the 10th annual Kingston Fall Classic in Kingston, NH. Continue reading

Here’s what’s going on at Lime Rock Park in western Connecticut

 



 On Thursday, October 19, two very accomplished race car drivers are coming to the track.

That’s not unusual, of course; Lime Rock has always been about famous, iconic drivers.

What is unusual is that they’ll be here so they can instruct you on how to drive your high-performance car on Lime Rock’s world-famous 1.5-mile circuit.

The drivers are prototype and GT racing stars Didier Theys and Eric Curran.

Belgian Didier Theys won the Rolex 24 at Daytona twice, including his Grand-Am championship year of 2002, and in 1998 he won the Mobile 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Didier has the most victories of anyone who raced the Ferrari 333SP prototype, winning 10 times in that iconic car.

Eric Curran’s home track is Lime Rock (he’s from nearby South Deerfield, Mass.), so last year’s IMSA WeatherTech champion – he races the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi, and in 2017 he’s tied for third in points with one more race to go – knows LRP like the back of his hand. Eric has won more than 25 major professional races in his pro career.

If you own a high-performance car – and want to drive it the way it was meant to be driven – for $795 you can bring it to Lime Rock October 19 and be instructed and coached by Eric and Didier, thanks to Speed Club. You must register ahead of time, of course.

Even the most experienced track-day enthusiasts can benefit from Speed Club’s dynamic format: Group and individual debriefs take place after every session providing you with immediate and valuable feedback. For newer drivers, they offer a “lead-follow” format with two-way radio contact.

Doing this Speed Club Track Day with Didier and Eric is a once in a lifetime opportunity, a full day of excitement, learning and hobnobbing with racing stars. Needless to say, the day’s hospitality and catering is a five-star experience, too.

If you’re interested, you can learn more – as well as register, if you already know this is right up your alley – at www.speedclub.net.

Think fast…
Lime Rock Park

News from the Northeast Motorsports Museum

VOLUNTEERS

Close friends Steve Locke and Sandy MacPherson had been volunteers doing a variety of chores when landscaping was completed. With grass that required constant watering and flowering plants and shrubs in the ground, suddenly there was a lot more outdoor work to do than there had been. As is the case with so many of the things volunteers do at the museum, neither Steve nor Sandy was appointed as the museum’s gardeners. They simply volunteered for the job and they are good at it.

Sandy is the one with the green thumb. Her grandmother was Sandy’s inspiration for all things agricultural.

Steve’s the mechanical one. With only two outdoor faucets, there’s a lot of routing of hoses and sprinklers to get the grounds watered and Steve’s the guy who does it.

Steve clearly enjoys his work at the museum and encourages others to volunteer as he does. “There’s plenty of jobs to go around,” he says. “Moving cars, dusting cars, watering, airing tires….”

You’d enjoy working alongside Steve, Sandy and the museum’s other volunteers. To become a museum volunteer call the museum’s curator Ray Boissoneau at 603-566-5770 or email NEMSmuseum@gmail.com.

LEGENDS

On November 4, beginning at noon, the North East Motor Sports Museum will honor two of New England’s finest racers, Bugs Stevens and George Summers. The Legends Day event at the Museum will include an entertaining roundtable with the honoree superstars that includes audience participation. There will be free food and a cash beer and wine bar.  Ceiling banners featuring both drivers will be unveiled at the event as well as a surprise ceiling banner featuring a third honoree. Tickets for Legends Day are $25 each with net proceeds going to benefit the museum. Order your tickets by October 27 from North East Motor Sports Museum, 922 NH Rt., 106 N., Loudon, NH 03307.

 

ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual Meeting of the membership of the Racing History Preservation Group, parent of the North East Motor Sports Museum, will be held at the museum on November 4 at 4 pm. All paid members are welcome to attend. The meeting is an opportunity for members to have a powerful influence over the way the museum will be run in the weeks and months ahead.

VIP VISITORS

ABOVE LEFT: Bobby Allison, NASCAR Champion Driver, Member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame came to the museum in July.ABOVE RIGHT: Ray Caldwell ran Autodynamics in Marblehead, MA, when it was the largest manufacturer of race cars in the US. Focused primarily on Formula Vee and Formula Fords, the company also participated in Trans Am and Can Am with driver and firm partner Sam Posey. Caldwell came to the museum in late August and immediately sat in the Can Am car he built for Posey which is on the floor.
Ronnie Ryczek was a crew member on the 888 coupe. He came to the museum to donate his team jacket not knowing the car was on display. The surprise of finding it provoked many pleasant memories of days gone by.

Bobby Gahan, son of Ernie, and his wife Carol visited the car Bobby’s father drove to NASCAR’s 1966 National Modified Championship.

YOUR NAME AT THE MUSEUM

You can sponsor a library bookcase for $300 or the entire library for $100,000. Get your name on a bronze plaque attached permanently to a library chair for $250. Put your name on a section of the trophy display for $1,000 or buy a brick for the lobby wall for $300. Express your interest in supporting the museum at NEMSmuseum@gmail.com or call us at 603-783-0183.

BOISSONEAU HILLCLIMB

Some guys just won’t act their age. When the Mount Washington Hillclimb took the green flag this year, museum curator Ray Boissoneau, age 78, was one of the participants driving this powerful rear engine race car. Ray frequently enters vintage events and unusual racing competitions. The race up that mountain certainly qualifies as one of the latter.

BOOK GIFT

Florida’s Dave Holway sent five boxes containing 39-high-end racing books to the museum. Included were rare photo books of vintage F-1 racing. Another box brought old racing magazines, posters and literature. Mr. Holway’s gift enriches the museum’s library and we are grateful.

BARN FIND IN THE WOODS

This is the way many beautifully restored race cars are initially found. The car sits in the woods behind a house in a small town north of Boston. Included in the find are the midget’s radiator, two V8-60 engines which have been garaged, the rear end complete with wheels and slicks, and other parts. Not found is the car’s history. We don’t know who built or drove it or even if it was ever finished and raced. One of the engines comes with headers (that were once chromed but the plating has largely fallen away) and an aluminum Edmunds intake. That engine will be restored and displayed at the North East Motor Sports Museum.

VERY OLD
HELMET/TROPHY

Frank Sivret gave Pete vonSneidern his helmet and 1948 New England Big Car Champion’s trophy before he died. The two are among vonSneidern’s most treasured possessions. But in early August, Pete donated both to the museum where they are now displayed together.

LIBRARY TABLE
& CHAIRS

Frank Manafort picked up the cost of a new solid-oak library table and six matching chairs. They are not only nice to look at and the chairs comfortable to sit on, they are the only new furniture in the museum with the exception of steel folding chairs purchased for less than $10 each at WalMart.

MARTEL

Jim Martel has restored more New England race cars than anyone in the past 30 years. His latest project is to put Bentley Warren’s #44 sedan together again.  Bentley was very successful with the car, winning several races before it was sold to become a dirt track car. Don Diffendorf won Syracuse with the car which made it the image on the poster for the first Spring Sizzler in 1972.

Martel found the remains of the car in New York and brought them home where he has spent several months turning it into a faithful reproduction of the original. The car runs.

LINING UP
Race week at NHMS has brought huge crowds to the museum. Credentials are now distributed at the museum and NASCAR’s credential trailer is parked beside the museum.
GLAZIER
Dick Ainsworth is a glazier, an expert with glass. So when Ricky Craven arrived at the museum with his glass Darlington win trophy in pieces, Ainsworth put it all back together again. He has also contributed glass to the museum’s shelving and display cases as well as cut and ground glass for our shelves. His company in Ipswich, MA is Northern Glass. Ricky’s trophy is on display in the library along with his driving uniform and photos from his career.
KIDSWe love hosting kids at the museum. This group from Vermont was especially delighted to try on the rear-engine supermodified. This is how race car drivers begin their careers.
TULONEN
All these people are connected to the late Reino Tulonen whose blue midget is on display. Since opening, there have been multiple family gatherings at the museum but this one was the biggest.
TY RODSThe museum has hosted several car clubs, most recently one of the oldest, Ty Rods.

CLASSIFIEDS

Wanted:


 The museum is looking for a set of Firestone dirt track tires such as were run on sprint cars and supermodifieds Beech Ridge in the 1970s. The right rear is called a “Big Jaloney” and the other three positions had a similar tread pattern but were more narrow across the tread.  978-471-9161.


The museum is missing the following issues of Trackside. Please let us know if you have them and are willing to donate them to the museum:  2000-January, June to August; 2003-combined Jan/Feb, July and September. Call 603-783-0183 or email NEMSmuseum@gmail.com if you can help.

MUSEUM OF THE MONTH

The Miles Collier Auto Museum in Naples, FL, is one of American auto racing’s most important museums. If you have just one race car museum to visit (besides ours), this is the one. Its collection is without rival. The museum is so popular that you must buy your ticket in advance to see it. No tickets are sold at the door. Requiring advance ticketing ensures that there will never be so many people on the floor that you wouldn’t be able to see everything.

The Collier’s library of racing photos, books and magazines is the most extensive in the world. It is protected by a fire-control system that uses no water but evacuates oxygen from the library which instantly would extinguish any fire.

 

Many of the cars Sterling Moss drove in his career are here including this one. This monstrous  Mercedes is worth millions.
The last American to win a Formula 1 race driving a car he built himself was Dan Gurney. That car is on display at the Collier
The entire Briggs Cunningham collection was purchased by the Collier and is on display.
This car won Italy’s Targa Floria. The race was ten laps on a 44-mile course over public highways and was profoundly dangerous.

NEW DIRECTORS

The museum’s Board of Directors has grown. Bob Bianchi, who has been one of our most dedicated and expert volunteers, has become our Vice President. Bianchi is a serious race fan with season tickets to Thunder Road. He’s a retired firefighter who maintains his Masonic Lodge building in Nashua in addition to playing a major role at the museum. He has strong electrical, carpentry and people skills. Bob is fond of slot car racing and owns a company that markets slot car parts all over the world.

Dave Swenson came to us through the New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s Speedway Children’s Charities. There, Dave pours time, energy and a keen business sense into raising money to help children in need. He owns a local Snap-on franchise and lives in Loudon. Dave raced SCCA for 15 years and hill climbs for 20.

Bob Bianchi
Dave Swenson
Our mailing address is:

SIMES GRAPHIC DESIGNS

414 WEST MAIN STREET

MANDAN, ND 58554

Here’s what’s happening at Seekonk Speedway

 

Check whats happening to end the season at Seekonk Speedway!
 

Big Time racing as the Weather cools down at Seekonk!

Action packed schedule highlighted by The D.A. Venditti Fall Classic, The Pumpkin Smash Spooktactular and the Tri Track Haunted Hundred Open Modified Race

October 7th  – The D.A. Venditti Fall Classic Pro Stock 150
Check out the best Pro Stock / Super Late Model drivers in New England compete over 150 laps for $5000 plus lap bonuses.The Late Models, Sportsman and Sport Trucks will also be in action. Check out the Fast Friday divisions on September 29th. Don’t forget to sponsor a lap for your business or favorite driver…100% of lap funds go directly to the drivers!
October 14th 2 pm
The Pumpkin Smash Spooktactular! 
Check out the Troy City Tactical Spectator Drags, Powder Puff race, Car and truck enduro racing and Crazy Figure 8 races through over 10,000 pounds of pumpkins!  Pre event costume contests for cars , kids and the young at heart.
October 28th… 1 pm
The Haunted Hundred presented by Tri Track Open Modified Series
Don’t miss the last BIG race of the season in New England! 100 lap open Tour Type Mods, late Models and Legends stack the deck for a great day of racing!
November 11th  6pm
2017 Seekonk Speedway Awards banquet
Seekonk Speedway presents awards for top competitors at the Venus De Milo. Cocktails at 6…dinner at 7. Awards to follow. Tickets are $45 pp or $350 per table of 8.
https://www.parkwhiz.com/seekonk-speedway-parking/
Our mailing address is:

Seekonk Speedway

1710 Fall River Ave

Seekonk, Ma 02771

Bobby Santos looking to return to winning ways at Stafford

NASCAR Whelen Modfiied Tour

 

(Stafford Springs, CT)—Bobby Santos comes to Stafford for Sunday October 1st NAPA Fall Final on the heels of a big win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  With winning momentum on his side, Santos is looking to recreate the magic he enjoyed at Stafford from 2010-2014 when he won 6 times at Stafford, including 3 NAPA Spring Sizzlers and 2 NAPA Fall Finals. Continue reading

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour News & Notes: Stafford

 

It's not very often that a driver like Tom Fearn can back up another  Late Model Championship after 18 years.

Coby Heading Back To Stafford In Championship Lead

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — When it comes to NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competition at Stafford Motor Speedway, it’s been hard to bet against Doug Coby in his career. The Milford, Connecticut, driver has 10 career wins at the half-mile, along with nine Coors Light Pole awards In the last two years, Coby won the Fall Final at Stafford and went on to capture the championship in the season finale at Thompson. And this season, he is heading back to Stafford in position to do the same exact thing. He enters Sunday’s NAPA Fall Final 150 with an 11-point lead in the championship standings over Justin Bonsignore.

Lee USA Speedway in southern NH prepares for huge Oktoberfest weekend

Hot Friday night action in southern NH can be found at the Lee USA Speedway.

Oketoberfes at the Lee USA Speedway on Rt. 125 in southern NH is set for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8

 

 

 

LEE, NH:  Plans continue to develop for the season-ending 34th annual Oktoberfest of Racing here at Lee USA Speedway with a $50,000 purse announced this week for the 10-division program Saturday and Sunday, October 7th-8th.

Continue reading

Exit Reality Modified Racing Series adds a special Shoot Out race at Waterford on Sunday, Oct. 22

 

The EXIT REALTY Modified Touring Series is going to have a special race for the 10 teams on the series that came up short on making the Sunoco Quest for the Cup. This race is going to be a 15 -lap Shoot Out paying $1000 to win on our Championship weekend at the Waterford Speedbowl. We at the EXIT REALTY Modified Tour Series  would to thank Bill Petroff for making this Shoot-Out race possible. Bill Petroff, Alichia Ford Knight and myself are going to be working together on bringing some the best short racing to the East coast in 2018 with that said I would like to give you the name’s of your top 10 driver’s in this year’s Triple Crown Championship Shoot Out  scheduled for  Sunday, Oct. 22.

1. 25#Rowan Pennink
2. 43#Kirk Alexander
3. 21#Les Hinkley
4. 15# Chris Pasteryak
5. 15N.H Tj Bleau
6.35# Andrew Molleur
7.6 N.Y. Ryan Preece
8.M6# Dylan Chris Kopec
9.0# Mike Holdridge
10.4#Jeff Gallup

Source: Gary Knight-Tour Director/Exit Reality Modified Touring Series

Connecticut’s Ryan Preece finishes fourth in VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Motor Speedway

 

Popular NASCAR Modified driver Ryan Preece gets a full time ride in NASCAR's Xfinity Series for the 2016 season  (Credit NASCAR Home Track photo.)

Popular NASCAR Modified driver Ryan Preece of Berlin, CT has become a driver to watch by various NASCAR Xfinity Teams during the 2017 racing season.  His strong efforts this season could land him a seat in one of the top teams in that series(Credit NASCAR Home Track photo.)

 

As the laps wound down, and his lead in Saturday’s VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 continued to grow, Tyler Reddick kept waiting for something to slow him down.

Continue reading