racing fans remember Riverside Park Speedway WWLP-22News 58.1K subscribers 12 2.4K views 4 years ago While the Daytona 500 took place in Florida Sunday, racing fans in western. North Riverside Park Mall, Broadview Village Square Shopping Center, Immaculate Heart of Mary High School, St. Joseph High School, Oakbrook Center and Yorktown Center. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 711. With his good history at the Sacramento Mile, his eyes are set on the May 13th race for another win. Racing-reference.info is part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network. and the Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Mass. As Riverside Park Speedway joined NASCAR to celebrate the past 50 years of auto racing in 1998, a new division was rolled out onto the Speedway. We will definitely be back in the future. by ScottKo in Profile Tips For Users, Interest in Grassroots Racing Grows 40% in 2014 With Great Opportunities Ahead in 2015 Ruggiero had four separate stints driving Fiores No. Some of Riverside Park's local stars during the early and mid 1970's included S.J. Stock Car Racing Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. It was common to have up to 60 modifieds in the pits, all vying for spots in a 50-lap feature that started only 20 cars because the track was so small. Of those six, two will never be more closely linked to one another than the driver-owner combination of Reggie Ruggiero and Mario Fiore. WE MAKE IT EASY TO PLAN The United Stock Car Racing Club events drew 6,000-8,000 fans every Saturday night. "Riverside Park was like Daytona to me," Reggie Ruggiero recalled. I had some AWESOME comments about your facility. I came from a little track, Plainville Stadium in Connecticut, a quarter mile, Ruggiero remembered. He was part of a championship crew with Barry Kuhnel, Bill Pelley and Bob Polverari in the 80s and 90s. SPEED SPORTs Alan Cavanna catches you up on that and more in this weeks edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by Cometic Gasket. We had bigger numbers on a Saturday than the amusement park did. Henry J. Perkins. This would have been around 1984. Auto Racing Research Assoc. The theory was that an entertainer doesnt pay to walk on stage, he explained. West Virginia Motor Speedway. There will be a host of Riverside events throughout EXPO, including autograph sessions. He is eighth on the track's all-time win list. Its been a long journey to get here to the NEAR Hall of Fame, said Fiore, who had been selling race photographs at Riverside while studying at Western New England College. He resided in West Springfield and Agawam all his life. Moore, the Busch North Series all-time Pole winner, has yet to display his qualifying expertise thus far in 1998. NASCAR adopted the tour-type format and Riverside was a regular stop for 200-lap modified mains. "Wow!!! Ed Carroll died in 1979. A local entrepreneur named Ed Carroll began a family dynasty at Riverside Park by buying it in 1939. The great Reggie Ruggiero closed the books with 98 modified feature wins, about a quarter of his career total, leading all drivers. It needed help to survive. Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts. Jerry Marquis and ageless Bob Polverari emerged as big winners in the 1990s, with Polverari taking five titles aboard the Bill Pelly No. by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Rivalry Renewed: Lanigan & Richards Set To Face Off In 2015 As Richards Returns To Full-Time World of Outlaws Competition . The Rollaway, Riverside Park, Agawam, Massachusetts Babb's, Congamond Lakes, W Suffield, Connecticut Clark, Bill To capitalize on the nation's new attraction to auto racing following World War II, park owner Edward J. Carroll demolished the dance hall that had burned down in 1948. By the 1950s, modified stock cars had taken hold as the prevalent form of racing in the area, replacing the midgets as the featured division at Riverside Park Speedway. and well maintained, and the staff was so nice and very helpful and What a year as we transition onto dirt racing! Park owner Edward J. Carroll demolished the dance hall that had burned down that year and in its place rose a 1/5 mile nearly flat paved oval track. Riverside Park Speedway Agawam, MA. ", "We had what I would call one of the most successful team events at K1 Speed Austin just last night. Beckley Speedway USA. WITH FRIENDS! The future international sports car star Phil Walters, still racing under his midget pseudonym of Ted Tappett, captured 14 of the 28 features, a record that still stood when Riverside finally closed. Much of the coaster's second half (essentially everything north of, and including, the station and entrance queue), as well as more than half of the park's "D.C. Superhero Adventures" section, now sit on land once occupied by the track's racing surface. We hope that this is just the first of many events we will have with K1 Speed. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the Northeast for about 50 years. I think I just ran the, NASCAR Busch North: New England Ford Dealers 125 Notes, Kelly Moore Earns 2nd Place Finish at Riverside Park Speedway. The track's final reconfiguration and repaving to15 degree banking would be added in the mid 1980s. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). The reunion will be held on Aug. 31 at the Polish Club in Agawam. It could trace its roots to just after the Civil War, when Gallup's Grove opened as a picnic area in Agawam, nearly across the Connecticut River from the industrial city of Springfield, Mass. Riverside Park in Agawam was a gathering spot for fun as far back as the late 19th century when it was known as Riverside Grove (and Gallup's Grove before that). Courchesne, Shawn (June 17, 1999) "Final Lap for Riverside Speedway", Last edited on 30 December 2022, at 17:44, Riverside International Speedway (West Memphis, Arkansas), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Riverside_Park_Speedway&oldid=1130538742, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 17:44. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, MA - RacingIn.com NOTE: ANY RACE DATES POSTED ON THIS PROFILE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON WEATHER, TRACK CONDITIONS, AND MANY OTHER THINGS. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}42217.7N 723642.96W / 42.038250N 72.6119333W / 42.038250; -72.6119333. We never pushed the back gate because you didnt go in through the back gate.. FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Rollie Jacobs (left), former public address announcer at Riverside Park Speedway, inducted legendary car owner Mario Fiore (right) into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame on Sunday in East Windsor, Conn. Others inducted in the ceremony at La Renaissance were 1950s legend Moe Moneybags Gherzi, 1960s Riverside star Jerry The Springfield Rifle Humiston, Eastern Mass. The first full season of stock car racing was 1949. International sports car racing starPhil Walters, who raced modifieds and midgets under the name "Ted Tappett", won the season championship. Gary J. Michnovetz, 65, died suddenly on Tuesday. Riverside Park Speedway ("The Park") was built in 1948. From seventhto secondTO THE LEAD Dale Nottestad is our featured driver on this weeks Fight For The Flag for his rebound performance at the Big 8 Late Model Spring Classic at Rockford Speedway. EAST WINDSOR, Conn. - The legacy of Riverside Park Speedway lives on. SITE DESIGN BY. Click on the race number to see the results of that race. . Everything was perfect and from the bottom It was a great experience., SPEEDSPORT.com is a part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network, The cars line up for the Riverside 500. A / V Equipped Rooms, Franchise Info| Partner Program|Corporate Partnerships|Fundraisers & Donations|Contact|Employees, 2023 K1Speed Inc. All rights reserved. YOUR PARTY AND CELEBRATE The spectacles lasted until the late 1970s, with Krebs leading all multiple winners with six triumphs. Race Date . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Another exciting development in 1997 was the acquisition of the park by Oklahoma-based Premier Parks, Inc., parent company of Six Flags, the world's largest regional theme park company. Did you miss a thrilling Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, or David Gravels Tri-City triumph? If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. Auto racing legend Rene Charland, of Agawam, dies at 84. . WWLP-22News 57.9K subscribers Subscribe 2.9K views 4 years ago Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the. In its place he built a 1/5th mile oval speedway track featuring grand stand seating. The first full season of "modified" stock car racing was 1949. Jocko Sr. won 31 feature races and multiple championships at Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., and won the track's biggest event, the Riverside 500. NASCAR North Tour Race Recaps. You have set the bar pretty high, and the fun factor is off the charts!! In its place laid out a flat 1/5-mile oval track, pit area and grandstand alongside the Connecticut River. |. Dodge is credited with improving the payout to Riversides racers during the same time when the year-round profitability of amusement rides was increasingly threatening the future of auto racing. I wouldnt be surprised if you see us renting your facility in the future. Riverside Park Speedway memories abound at . They had a BLAST! I had my own groove, right on the bottom. And just that quickly, the track was gone, along with a significant chunk of New Englands stock car history. Galons excited monologue kept fans filling Riverside Parks 7,200 bleacher seats, creating a cast of white hats and villains that variously included Bill Greco, Dick Dixon and Danny Gallulo. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Five-time track champion Bob Polverari won the final race, after which participants started digging up pieces of the track asphalt for souvenirs. We Thank You Very Much for making this Carlys We carry brands such as Parker, Enerpac, NoShok, Daman, Hiwin, UR Robot, Robotiq, Schunk, Rechner Sensors, SICK sensors, Weidmuller, Dixon and many more! They were great with the teens and kept things moving along at a comfortable pace. This page is not available in other languages. We always seemed hampered by a breakdown in communication, Fiore, of Agawam, said in his acceptance speech. If there were two worms crawling out of a hole, he could turn it into a race that had you on the edge of your seat. It was the place to be on Saturday nights, fans would come in and watch the modifieds, and theyd have their favorites to cheer for, said Matt Wiernasz. RIVERSIDE PARK STADIUM STOCK CAR RACING Agawam MA Admission Ticket 1.25 +.25 tax Pre-Owned $25.00 or Best Offer Free 4 day shipping Sponsored Enjoying The Day At Riverside Park, Agawam, Massachusetts, Posted VTG. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all by ScottKo in RacingIn News, TRACK INFO UPDATE? NEAR To Host Riverside Park Speedway Reunion, Candidates Named for 2024-25 IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship, Trackhouse Announces Ownership Of NC Karting Motorplex. Riverside Park Speedway was a 1/4-mile oval paved race track, located at the present site of Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts, one mile north of the Massachusetts - Connecticut state line. Riverside Rides Again will feature fascinating displays dedicated to the proud history of Riverside, complete with race cars from every era, photos, videos, memorabilia and many of the people who raced there. He resided in West Springfield and, He was an avid race car fan, a member of NASCAR. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carly's 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! Riverside Park Speedway Formerly Known As: Riverside Park Stadium.250 mi./0.402 km. Ted Chalmers, a 35 year racing veteran, wrote his name in the history books as the first ever champion in that division. Our qualifying has been just terrible, Moore admitted. Gary worked for many years at Germano Auto Sales before owning Garys Service Center in Agawam, which he sold two years ago. The first top-5 finish for the Tic-Tac Pontiac Grand Prix team pushed Moore, the 1995 Busch Grand National North Series champion, up 14 spots to 13th in the championship point battle, a mere 88 points out of the top spot. Veteran NASCAR driver and current spotter Tim Fedewa joined this weeks episode of Fast Car 2 NASCAR with Mike Wallace to talk more about his current role. 1960's. The drivers are as listed: #12 Skip Barna, #111 Ronnie Mayer,#2x Charlie Brayton, #20 Jack Lecuyer, #98 Ray Sharron, #83 Al Jansing. SRW Winternationals Weekend now a Qualifying race for ALL Classes! My last year, 1996, the paid attendance in the grandstand was 143,000 people. Ruggiero told a story that some knew, but others didnt, about a decision that might have changed the face of NASCAR history. In no way deterred, Carroll simply brought in stock cars for Riverside Parks first full season in 1949. Born in Ludlow to Read more Barbara (Cimino) Stefanik Passes at 69 By admin December 21, 2012 Riverside Park Speedway Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. To be chosen with one of my famous car owners, Mario, was unbelievable, said Ruggiero, who was elected in his first year on the ballot. Route 322 Detour Update. Triad Technologies is an industrial distributor and value added provider. Ruggiero, who drove for 19 different car owners in a career that began in the late 1960s, noted the special bond the two will have as driver and owner and as Hall of Famers. That was when midgets raced seven nights a week in New England. This scenario was played out Saturday evening at Riverside Park Speedway, where Kelly Moore put on a superb display of racing enroute to a 2nd place finish. All rights reserved (About Us). Riverside Parks stock car era essentially existed in three phases, the first promoted by Harvey Tattersall, senior and junior, through their United Stock Car Racing Club that sanctioned tracks across New England and New York through the 1960s. Riverside Park Speedway memories abound at . Rene Charland, affectionately known to many racing fans simply as The Champ could use some well-wishes from his fans. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Reigning AFT Singles champion Kody Kopp is trying to hit a grand slam this season. However, both men chose to set aside their differences on their special day. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Sign Up For The PRI eNewsletter to get the latest in racing industry news, special events, new product information and more directly to your inbox. By admin January 26, 2013 Riverside Park Speedway Charlie Jones, 1941 - 2013 Charles Ernest Jones, 71, lifelong Agawam resident, passed away Wednesday January 23rd at the VA Boston Healthcare in West Roxbury, MA. Paved Oval located in Agawam, MA: Track Status: Razed (Opened: 1948 --- Closed: 1999) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction Later years were with Tom Rosati, Rene Charland, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggerio and Jerry Marquis. legend Roland Pappy Lapierre Sr., car and engine builder Jim Jorgenson, 1987 Busch North Series champion Joey Kid Kourafas and Irene Venditti, widow of Seekonk Speedway founder D. Anthony Venditti. Birthdays, Mitvahs, Bachelor(ette), Team Building, Catered Lunches EAST WINDSOR, Conn. The legacy of Riverside Park Speedway lives on. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Joys assistant was Dodge, who took over as promoter in 1982. Agawam, MA Racing on a tight track for 150 laps with 25 veteran competitors can sometimes be an unmistakable comparison to a championship boxing match, toe-to-toe for 15 rounds. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. navigation, search. BRINKMANN RECORDS BEST BMARA FINISH OF SEASON, KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI. 1948 - RIVERSIDE PARK SPEEDWAY To capitalize on the nations new found attraction to Auto Racing following the 2nd World War, Riverside Amusement Park owner Richard J Caroll demolished a dance hall in 1948. When intermission came, you hit your favorite rides, safe in the knowledge that Galon would call you back in plenty of time. As Berggren recalled, Riverside had an inspired business plan: Getting inside the park was free, you only paid admission for individual rides or to enter the speedway. best birthday ever!!! Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023).
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