| Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement. It needed help to survive. Did you miss a thrilling Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, or David Gravels Tri-City triumph? The drivers were characterized by maybe the best short-track announcer Ive ever heard, a guy named Tom Galon. 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. navigation, search. Riverside Park Speedway - Wikipedia We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all had a wonderful time. This would have been around 1984. And for decades, Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., was exactly that. 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. YOUR PARTY AND CELEBRATE 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). In 1983, he was offered a ride in what is now the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I was given two years to run the race track, produce a positive bottom line and show growth.. The bleacher seating surrounding the track was also removed to make way for the 6,200 chair back seats. Evonsion, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggiero and others. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. THE (Riverside) ROLLAWAY, Agawam, Massachusetts Blunk, Bill RIP 1924-2003 Oaks Park Skating Rink, Portland, Oregon Viking Roller Rink, Astoria, Oregon (1960's) . 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. Ruggiero had four separate stints driving Fiores No. Ed Carroll died in 1979. Born in Ludlow to Read more Barbara (Cimino) Stefanik Passes at 69 By admin December 21, 2012 Riverside Park Speedway Later years were with Tom Rosati, Rene Charland, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggerio and Jerry Marquis. Pennsboro Speedway. He simply says the owners decided to go in a different direction, which ultimately proved to be selling out. Private group 6,043 Members. much I appreciate everything you and your staff did for our group. Use THIS BUTTON to share this track's profile with your friends! Veteran drivers like 5 time Riverside Park Speedway Track Champion Bob Polverari and Riversides All Time winningest driver John ("Reggie"/"The Reg") Ruggiero continued to earn wins and championships throughout the decade. Riverside Park Speedway memories never die - masslive.com 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. TRACK INFO UPDATE? Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carlys 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! and well maintained, and the staff was so nice and very helpful and The facility was incredible, the staff was engaging, and our entire group had a blast! 711. Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut and Monadnock Speedway in New Hampshire are just some of the local options within driving distance. Ruggiero told a story that some knew, but others didnt, about a decision that might have changed the face of NASCAR history. 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. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all Riverside Park Speedway Agawam, MA. That was when midgets raced seven nights a week in New England. The picnic grove was repurposed as an amusement park and opened its first roller coaster in 1912. His sons then managed the park and speedway while becoming active in racing themselves, with a new crew of helpers. The facility is fabulous - lots of space to spread out, clean and well maintained, and the . Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. 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. Racing-reference.info is part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network. Rights Managed (RM) original photography 1983 David Allio. 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. The winner of the first NASCAR-sanctioned event was Bob Polverari. Postcard Pre-Owned $16.50 Was: $22.00 25% off or Best Offer +$4.50 shipping Sponsored 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. Home page [www.triadtechnologies.com] Of those six, two will never be more closely linked to one another than the driver-owner combination of Reggie Ruggiero and Mario Fiore. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, MA - RacingIn.com 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. 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. Drivers such as Ted Tappet, Benny Germano, Jocko Maggiacomo, Jerry Humiston, Ed Flemke and Buddy Krebs were the drivers to beat throughout the 1950s. Kanawha Valley Dragway. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing began sanctioning events at Riverside Park Speedway in 1976. 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Under the sanction of the UNITED Stock Car Racing Club, Gene Bergin, Ed Patnode, Danny Galullo, Billy Greco and others emerged as contenders, Krebs and Greco piled up victories. We will definitely be back in the future. Enter your email address to subscribe to this album and receive free notifications of new posts by email. You have set the bar pretty high, and the fun factor is off the charts!! 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. Ten years ago. He is eighth on the track's all-time win list. Riverside Park. - Gallery - Ron Wetzler | racersreunion.com Facebook Link Riverside Park. The track closed at the end of the 1999 season. 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. Internal Link . by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Bay Area Modifieds bringing IMCA Racing back to Emerald Coast We are going to have an extremely hard time getting our team to agree to anything else but K1 Speed for our future events. Riverside Park Speedway - YankeeRacer.com "Riverside Park was like Daytona to me," Reggie Ruggiero recalled. Thank you, K1 Speed!!!! The 1960s were popular years for stock car racing at Riverside Park. The United Stock Car Racing Club events drew 6,000-8,000 fans every Saturday night. Despite the gathering fiscal clouds, the Dodge era at Riverside was spectacular, with Stan Greger, John Rosati and Mike Stefanik capturing track titles in the modifieds. The theory was that an entertainer doesnt pay to walk on stage, he explained. It was exactly what youd hope to have in an announcer. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Our qualifying has been just terrible, Moore admitted. 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. While the focus of the auto racing world will be on Daytona Beach, Florida this weekend, there is plenty of racing heritage here in western Massachusetts. Route 322 Detour Update. Auto racing legend Rene Charland, of Agawam, dies at 84. 01001 (413) 786-3876. Photo courtesy of John Mahoney, USAC. Paved Oval located in Agawam, MA: Track Status: Razed (Opened: 1948 --- Closed: 1999) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction 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. 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. He was an avid race car fan, a member of NASCAR. Created with Sketch. . best birthday ever!!! 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. Tracks - Racing-Reference The Park was what got me noticed everywhere. Bobby Dragon of Milton, Vt. won the first NASCAR Busch North Series event at Riverside Park Speedway on August 29, 1988. You grabbed food from the concessions and stopped by Shany Lorenzets photo booth before heading inside. History. He was currently employed at Boardwalk Auto Sales in South Windsor, CT. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. But it's been 15 years since Riverside Park Speedway disappeared from the Southern New England Racing landscape. The Serv-U Auto Supply Pro Stocks were also a feature division in the NASCAR's Winston Shortrack Series in 1999. 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. The tiny, flat confines forced drivers to bump and bang their way to the front, which often triggered fisticuffs in the pit area, jammed between the backstretch and the river. He resided in West Springfield and Agawam all his life. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, What a year as we transition onto dirt racing! 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. riverside park speedway - masslive.com BRINKMANN RECORDS BEST BMARA FINISH OF SEASON, KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI. 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. Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts. Looking for Riverside Park Speedway Photos - YankeeRacer.com Berggren recalls seeing the same stock cars that dotted garages and gas stations in his hometown of Manchester, Conn., flailing away around Riversides diminutive oval. NEAR To Host Riverside Park Speedway ReunionPerformance Racing Industry Jocko Jr., followed a different path, racing sportscars with the SCCA. We Thank You Very Much for making this Carlys 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. by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Track Promoters Get FREE Promotion with RacingIn.com's Track Directory and Race Dates Page Organists - Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past 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 Gallups Grove before that). He declined, citing his growing family, and the seat was offered to an up-and-comer from Missouri named Rusty Wallace. 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. New Detour. To tell us about track being opened or closed, re-named, or anything else, please, If you know this track to still be in operation or under a different name, please. He later was a crew member with Bill Pelley and Reggie Ruggerio before moving on to 44 racing with Jerry Marquis and Mari Fiore and was part of their National Modified Championship of 2000. . Riverside Park - YankeeRacer.com Others inducted in the ceremony at La Renaissance were 1950s legend Moe Moneybags Gherzi, 1960s Riverside star Jerry The Springfield Rifle Humiston, Eastern Mass. Road to Daytona: Meet Riverside Park Racing Legend Bob Polverari Everything was perfect and from the bottom This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. The speedway was closed, and razed, after Polverari copped the final modified feature in 1999. Dodge streamlined the modified program, marketed the competitors and started an entry-level street stock division. The track closed in 1999 to make. 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. Riverside Park Speedway Demolition Derby & Figure 8 Racing Agawam Mass In 1971 the track's configuration was changed to a bigger 1/4 mile oval, with slightly higher banking in the turns. He resided in West Springfield and, He was an avid race car fan, a member of NASCAR. We never pushed the back gate because you didnt go in through the back gate.. I had some AWESOME comments about your facility. Jerry Marquis and ageless Bob Polverari emerged as big winners in the 1990s, with Polverari taking five titles aboard the Bill Pelly No. American Legion Fairgrounds dirtpulltrack, Christian County Fairgrounds dirtkartoval, Christian County Fairgrounds dirtpulltrack, Clark County Speedway dirtmotocrosstrack, Decatur Macon County Fairgrounds dirtpulltrack, Edwards County Fairgrounds dirtpulltrack, Lincoln Trail Motosports dirtmotocrosstracks, Macoupin County Fairgrounds dirtpulltrack, Schuyler County Fairgrounds dirtpulltrack, Montgomery County Fairgrounds motorsportstrack, Northern Kentucky Fairgrounds demolitionderbytrack, Northern Kentucky Fairgrounds dirtpulltrack, Powell Co Lions Club Park dirtpulltrack, Deseret Peak Complex dirtoutdoormotocross, Rocky Mountain Raceways dirtoutdoormotocross, Russell Co Fairgrounds dirtdemolitionderbyoval, Va-Ky District Fair dirtoutdoormotocross, Virginia Motorsports MuseumandHallofFame. (Dick Berggren photo), The Motorsports Authority - Copyright 2014-2023 - Turn 3 Media, LLC All Rights Reserved. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. EAST WINDSOR, Conn. - The legacy of Riverside Park Speedway lives on. Before I had my license, my dad would drive me to the races and the big deal on my birthday was when I would have my friends over to the house for my moms spaghetti and meatballs, and then wed go to Riverside Park and cheer for our favorites, Berggren said. The 1998 Riverside Park Modified Champion was Jimmy Broderick, Driving the Pruchnik Motorsports #42 Modified owned By Denis Pruchnik. It was more like an adventure.. Invaders that raced at "The Park" seeking NASCAR National Modified Championship points included Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, Geoff Bodine, Jim Spencer, John Blewitt Jr and "Captain Sizzle" Mark Malcuit from Ohio, some would go on to become champions in several of NASCAR's top series. First, let me tell you how . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. No Reservation Required We carry brands such as Parker, Enerpac, NoShok, Daman, Hiwin, UR Robot, Robotiq, Schunk, Rechner Sensors, SICK sensors, Weidmuller, Dixon and many more! NASCAR North Tour Race Recaps. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, BMARA RACERS HELP EACH OTHER The natural athlete, Gene Bergin, was another star. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Vintage photos: Riverside Park in Agawam - masslive.com Riverside Park Speedway ("The Park") was built in 1948. It was quite a ride for Fiore, who got into ownership in 1969, when he put $300 into a car purchased by a friend. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The Carroll family added a speedway, brought in musical acts and added many new rides in the decades that followed. We hope that this is just the first of many events we will have with K1 Speed. North Riverside Park Mall, Broadview Village Square Shopping Center, Immaculate Heart of Mary High School, St. Joseph High School, Oakbrook Center and Yorktown Center. 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 1980s arrived! The park was shuttered during the Great Depression, but was reopened by Edward Carroll in 1940. had a wonderful time. 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. Twitter Link Agawam, MA Gary J. Michnovetz, 65, died suddenly on Tuesday. 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! YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts . SPEED SPORTs Alan Cavanna catches you up on that and more in this weeks edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by Cometic Gasket. Gary worked for many years at Germano Auto Sales before owning Garys Service Center in Agawam, which he sold two years ago. 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. Instagram Link 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. 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. Ladies and gentlemen, tonight, Jocko Maggiacomo has a new engine in his car! I cant think of any race track where the drivers exhibited themselves as well as they did at Riverside.. Birthdays, Mitvahs, Bachelor(ette), Team Building, Catered Lunches 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. We had sponsorship for every race. West Virginia Motor Speedway. SPEED SPORTs Alan Cavanna catches you up on that and more in this weeks edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by Cometic Gasket. View source. Riverside Park Speedway Formerly Known As: Riverside Park Stadium.250 mi./0.402 km. Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. Meet. He was part of a championship crew with Barry Kuhnel, Bill Pelley and Bob Polverari in the 80s and 90s. 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. 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. A local entrepreneur named Ed Carroll began a family dynasty at Riverside Park by buying it in 1939. When Riverside closed, Eddy Carroll III, the founders grandson, owned four consecutive pro stock championships. Jackson County Speedway. SRW Winternationals Weekend now a Qualifying race for ALL Classes! Riverside was a fifth back then. The track's final reconfiguration and repaving to15 degree banking would be added in the mid 1980s.