The 1960s were popular years for stock car racing at Riverside Park. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The Riverside Park track expanded every time Carroll repaved it, first to an almost-quarter with a little banking. It was a cant-miss business proposition, until amusement rides became more profitable than packed pits and stands. The pit area was alongside theConnecticut River with large Grandstands being built on the hill leading from the amusement park down to the race track. Click on the race number to see the results of that race. Our staff cant stop talking about how much fun we had, and they keep asking when we are going to do it again!! I went in there and changed practically everything they did, and thats when Ed Carroll Jr. asked me to become the director of auto racing. 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. Party Rooms and Catering Available, Adults and Teens 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. Use THIS BUTTON to share this track's profile with your friends! Ten years ago. We had bigger numbers on a Saturday than the amusement park did. KGM Video has been the leader in Racing Video Productions since 1981 and has a vast library of videos from 1980's, 1990's to the Present, plus Vintage Videos dating to the 1950's.KGM Video has produced videos of racing action at the Riverside Park Speedway, Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson Speedway and others. The reunion will be held on Aug. 31 at the Polish Club in Agawam. When intermission came, you hit your favorite rides, safe in the knowledge that Galon would call you back in plenty of time. "Wow!!! I was never on a banked track, racing with that caliber of drivers before. And for decades, Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., was exactly that. In addition to that, the purses were increased. 711. David Allio | Racing Photography Archives, Original motorsports photos from historic archives by David Allio, Riverside Park Speedway | Agawam Massachusetts 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. He resided in West Springfield and Agawam all his life. Riverside Park. I came from a little track, Plainville Stadium in Connecticut, a quarter mile, Ruggiero remembered. 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. Paved Oval located in Agawam, MA: Track Status: Razed (Opened: 1948 --- Closed: 1999) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction THE (Riverside) ROLLAWAY, Agawam, Massachusetts Blunk, Bill RIP 1924-2003 Oaks Park Skating Rink, Portland, Oregon Viking Roller Rink, Astoria, Oregon (1960's) . The Serv-U Auto Supply Pro Stocks were also a feature division in the NASCAR's Winston Shortrack Series in 1999. Auto Racing Research Assoc. All rights reserved (About Us). The track closed at the end of the 1999 season. Auto racing legend Rene Charland, of Agawam, dies at 84. It was quite a ride for Fiore, who got into ownership in 1969, when he put $300 into a car purchased by a friend. He was currently employed at Boardwalk Auto Sales in South Windsor, CT. Beckley Speedway USA. Kanawha Valley Dragway. Triad Technologies is an industrial distributor and value added provider. The bleacher seating surrounding the track was also removed to make way for the 6,200 chair back seats. It needed help to survive. Riverside Park Speedway was one of the most successful short tracks in America between 1992 and 1996. Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. In its place laid out a flat 1/5-mile oval track, pit area and grandstand alongside the Connecticut River. Riverside Park Speedway ("The Park") was built in 1948. It could trace its roots to just after the Civil War, when Gallups Grove opened as a picnic area in Agawam, nearly across the Connecticut River from the industrial city of Springfield, Mass. Fiore shared stories of how his team would often struggle to get back home after races they had won, since most payouts were made by check and no banks were open late at night. The great Reggie Ruggiero closed the books with 98 modified feature wins, about a quarter of his career total, leading all drivers. West Virginia Motor Speedway. The flathead-powered stock cars evolved into modifieds; Berggren recalls the great Eddie Flemke gunning down a field of overheads with his flathead during this period. He started his interest in racing with Leo Matte at. The company changed its own name to Six Flags, Inc., and rebranded the park Six Flags: New England for the opening of the 2000 season. Adults and Juniors 48 and Up, Junior Birthday Parties 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. WE MAKE IT EASY TO PLAN 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. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. In 1948, he tore down a bandstand on the property and laid out a flat, fifth-mile oval, just in time to see the midget craze peter out post-war. Did you miss Kyle Buschs dramatic win at Talladega, or Brandon Overtons $50,000 triumph? 01001 (413) 786-3876. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, BMARA RACERS HELP EACH OTHER We will definitely be back in the future. The New England Antique Racers will host a 15-year reunion of the anniversary of the closing of the old Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Massachusetts. . Sprintcarstats. 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. Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. 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 Agawam, MA. Discussion. The spectacles lasted until the late 1970s, with Krebs leading all multiple winners with six triumphs. BRINKMANN RECORDS BEST BMARA FINISH OF SEASON This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. What a year as we transition onto dirt racing! The Rocky Hill, Conn, driver was a crowd favorite at the old Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, where he won three track championships (1979, 1984, 1988) and a record 93 feature races over 23. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. The facility is fabulous - lots of space to spread out, clean and well maintained, and the . My last year, 1996, the paid attendance in the grandstand was 143,000 people. With a track championship for the late Richie Evans, named in 1998 as one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers of all time. We had sponsorship for every race. by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Bay Area Modifieds bringing IMCA Racing back to Emerald Coast Due to this variability, ALWAYS check with the tracks DIRECTLY via their individual websites to confirm actual racing before you travel! Western Mass. 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. Just a heads up, there is a Riverside Park Speedway sponsored car show at Agawam Rotary Club on October 26th, if you're a New Englander like myself. Auto racing legend Rene Charland, of Agawam, dies at 84. Riverside Park in Agawam, Massachusetts began as a trolley park in 1840. A team rich in winning was, as he said, cash poor.. The arrival of NASCAR established Riverside as one of NASCARs big three modified speedways in New England, along with Stafford and Thompson in Connecticut. NASCAR North Tour Race Recaps. History By Decade Riverside Park Speedway ("The Park") was built in 1948. Truex Jr. Ends 54-Race Winless Streak At Dover, WoO LMS Notes: $50,000 To Win In Wisconsin, More Than 60 Hours Of Indy Coverage On NBC Platforms, Perez Leads Red Bull One-Two In Azerbaijan. SPEED SPORTs Alan Cavanna catches you up on that and more in this weeks edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by Cometic Gasket. It would grow to attract the Northeast's best drivers. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carly's 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. Before 1900, most visitors reached the park by steamboat. Things were getting very stagnant at Riverside, so they decided to introduce the pro stocks as the lead division, Dodge explained, adding that the modified seemed a better fit at larger tracks than within Riversides confines. 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. Enter your email address to subscribe to this album and receive free notifications of new posts by email. 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. The first full season of "modified" stock car racing was 1949. In no way deterred, Carroll simply brought in stock cars for Riverside Parks first full season in 1949. However, both men chose to set aside their differences on their special day. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carlys 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! The speedway was closed, and razed, after Polverari copped the final modified feature in 1999. Riverside was a fifth back then. 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 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. 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. One unforgettable element of racing at Riverside was the annual 500-lap races for cars competing as two-car teams. Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. Ruggiero told a story that some knew, but others didnt, about a decision that might have changed the face of NASCAR history. Agawam, MA This event marks the tenth annual appearance of the NASCAR Busch North Series at Riverside Park Speedway. 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. Moore, the Busch North Series all-time Pole winner, has yet to display his qualifying expertise thus far in 1998. Galex Fox, left, and Dave Darland, right. Thank you, K1 Speed!!!! I was given two years to run the race track, produce a positive bottom line and show growth.. 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. 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. "Riverside Park was like Daytona to me," Reggie Ruggiero recalled. Evonsion, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggiero and others. It was a great experience., SPEEDSPORT.com is a part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network, The cars line up for the Riverside 500. The Carroll family added a speedway, brought in musical acts and added many new rides in the decades that followed. . 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Riverside, both the amusement park and speedway, was an institution in its community. TikTok Link. West Virginia International Speedway. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, What a year as we transition onto dirt racing! Route 322 Detour Update. Created with Sketch. This would have been around 1984. The facility is fabulous lots of space to spread out, clean He is a member of the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame . It was like going from a Volkswagen to a Cadillac; Riverside Park was like Daytona to me. The 1999 season featured the NAPA Modifieds as the NASCAR Winston Racing Series feature division, along with the Serv-U Auto Supply Pro Stocks, Teddy Bear Pools Trucks, Sportsman, Super Stocks and Figure 8's. Dodge, who still announces races and owns race cars, opted to take his leave, saying now that my reign at Riverside Park was such an important part of my life that I believed it was mine. The popular competitor, a one time Florida racer and crew chief for noted car owner/builder Mario Fiore, would also win the last Whelen Modified Tour race at the famed Riverside Park Speedway, Agawam, MA., and claim that tracks final championship for the modified division prior to its 1999 closing. WITH FRIENDS! 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. The track's last decade, the 1990s, saw more racing stars earn their stripes on the high banks at Riverside Park, including Marquis, who captured 3 consecutive modified championships from 1991 to 1993, Featherlite Modified Series stars Dan Avery and Chris Kopec and NASCAR Winston/Nextel Cup star Steve Park. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. History. The teams decision to forgo any changes paid great dividends as the Pontiac Grand Prix ran fast and consistent on long runs throughout the evening. There will be a host of Riverside events throughout EXPO, including autograph sessions. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts . He stated to me that the race track was no longer holding its own. I wouldnt be surprised if you see us renting your facility in the future. Dodge streamlined the modified program, marketed the competitors and started an entry-level street stock division. The 79-year-old Agawam, MA native began his career at the old. by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Fans of Fast Name Their Favorite Track of 2014 and well maintained, and the staff was so nice and very helpful and much I appreciate everything you and your staff did for our group. NASCAR replaced the Tattersalls in 1973, following what future promoter Ben Dodge described as a drivers strike. The Carroll family sold out to the Six Flags chain in 1998, two years after Dodge departed and NASCARs Dave Deery became Riverside Parks final promoter. New Detour. One of them was future FOX Sports broadcaster Mike Joy, who announced at Riverside while still in college. WWLP-22News 57.9K subscribers Subscribe 2.9K views 4 years ago Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the. EAST WINDSOR, Conn. The legacy of Riverside Park Speedway lives on. 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). of my heart, thank you! The natural athlete, Gene Bergin, was another star. open to all that raced at riverside park speedway no matter what car-truck demo-enduro-figure 8 & 4 cylinder-strickly-late model-modified ya drove! Check out these great suggestions. This page is not available in other languages. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. Sun, 01/30/2022 . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the Northeast for about 50 years. He was part of a championship crew with Barry Kuhnel, Bill Pelley and Bob Polverari in the 80s and 90s. They had a BLAST! The track closed in 1999 to make. Do you remember Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam? Later years were with Tom Rosati, Rene Charland, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggerio and Jerry Marquis. The 1980s arrived! . Twitter Link by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, Top Tips For Online Race Track Promotion Riverside, both the amusement park and speedway, was an institution in its community. Following the park's 1999 season, Premier Parks, Inc. made several major changes that directly affected the speedway. Pennsboro Speedway. I was just a kid and my favorite was Art Rousseau out of Keene, N.H.. Imagine, instead, a speedway that shared its real estate with an amusement park, giving it a constant stream of potential fans, plus a picturesque location between towering rides and a lazily flowing river. Photo courtesy of John Mahoney, USAC. He declined, citing his growing family, and the seat was offered to an up-and-comer from Missouri named Rusty Wallace. The Rollaway, Riverside Park, Agawam, Massachusetts Babb's, Congamond Lakes, W Suffield, Connecticut Clark, Bill The park was shuttered during the Great Depression, but was reopened by Edward Carroll in 1940. Six of the eight people inducted Sunday into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame's class of 2012 had some sort of ties. I had some AWESOME comments about your facility. Stock Car Racing Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Gary J. Michnovetz, 65, died suddenly on Tuesday. Moore, the Busch North Series all-time Pole winner, has yet to display his qualifying expertise thus far in 1998. 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. 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. He was born in West Spring-field, son of the late John and Mafalda Mich-novetz and graduated from West Springfield High School Class of 1962. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all had a wonderful time. The theory was that an entertainer doesnt pay to walk on stage, he explained. SPEED SPORTs Alan Cavanna catches you up on that and more in this weeks edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by Cometic Gasket. Facebook Link We always seemed hampered by a breakdown in communication, Fiore, of Agawam, said in his acceptance speech. Of those six, two will never be more closely linked to one another than the driver-owner combination of Reggie Ruggiero and Mario Fiore. He simply says the owners decided to go in a different direction, which ultimately proved to be selling out. Riverside Park Speedway memories abound at . Henry J. Perkins. For $1.25 admission, you got to watch battles pitting Moe Moneybags Gherzi against Charland, driving a decidedly non-villainous coupe adorned with pink polka dots. Joys assistant was Dodge, who took over as promoter in 1982. And just that quickly, the track was gone, along with a significant chunk of New Englands stock car history. First, let me tell you how Some of Riverside Park's local stars during the early and mid 1970's included S.J. 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 MassachusettsConnecticut state line. Drivers such as Ted Tappet, Benny Germano, Jocko Maggiacomo, Jerry Humiston, Ed Flemke and Buddy Krebs were the drivers to beat throughout the 1950s. . It seems like just yesterday the laps were being turned for the last time in the shadow of the Thunderbolt roller coaster. Many stars of racing exelled at Riverside Park in the 1980s, including the 2000 NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Champion and Busch North Series star Jerry Marquis, 7 time NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Champion, 4 time NASCAR Busch North Series Champion and 1999 Craftsman Truck Series rookie "Mighty" Mike Stefanik and Featherlite Modified Tour and NASCAR Busch Series star "Magic Shoes" Mike McLaughlin. They were great with the teens and kept things moving along at a comfortable pace. 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. When Riverside closed, Eddy Carroll III, the founders grandson, owned four consecutive pro stock championships. Postcard Pre-Owned $16.50 Was: $22.00 25% off or Best Offer +$4.50 shipping Sponsored We hope that this is just the first of many events we will have with K1 Speed. Looking for something special to get your mom for Mothers Day? His sons then managed the park and speedway while becoming active in racing themselves, with a new crew of helpers. For the 2nd consecutive week Moore was unable to crack the top-10 in qualifying, this evening he was 16th fastest among the 30-car field. [1] In 2000 when the park re-opened as Six Flags New England, the race track was demolished and the DC Universe themed area (including the roller coaster Superman The Ride) was built in its place. While the Daytona 500 took place in Florida Sunday, racing fans in western Massachusetts remembered when racing took place on a much shorter track in Agawam at the Riverside Park Speedway. by ScottKo in Profile Tips For Users, SRW Winternationals Weekend now a Qualifying race for ALL Classes! The winner of the first NASCAR-sanctioned event was Bob Polverari. 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Second place finisher Chuck Bown of Portland, Ore. now drives on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series while third place finisher Dale Shaw of Center Conway, N.H. recently moved to the NASCAR Busch Series.

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