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The 15th annual New England Auto Racing Hall of
Fame Induction Banquet takes place on Sunday Jan. 29 at the
LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT.
Traditionally a sold-out affair, more information on this year’s
event including details on ticket purchase, can be found at
www.near1.com
Driver Reggie Ruggiero and car owner Mario Fiore, at one time a
powerful force on the modified scene, head up the New England Auto
Racing Hall of Fame class of 2012. Drivers Joey Kourafas, car
owner/mechanic Jim Jorgensen and track owner Irene Venditti are also
members of the class. A trio of modified racing pioneers – Moe
Gherzi, Jerry Humiston and Roland Lapierre, Sr. are the 2012
Veterans Committee inductees.
Starting at Plainville Stadium, Ruggiero went on to score well over
200 feature wins, including 44 on the Modified Tour and a record 93
at Riverside Park. Between The Park, Stafford, New Smyrna and
Monadnock Speedways he claimed 10 championships. In addition to
Fiore, “The Reg” drove for the likes of Mike Greci, Ed Close, Bill
Pelley and Tony Moffo compiling a resume that included a Race of
Champions triumph and wins at some 20 different tracks including New
Hampshire International, Martinsville and Oswego Speedways.
The 200 NASCAR Modified crown with Jerry Marquis aboard tops Fiore’s
statistics. The list of drivers, in addition to Ruggiero, includes
Greg Sacks, Rick Fuller, Mike Stefanik, Mike Ewantitsko and Doug
Heveron and among the 200 plus victories are two Race of Champions,
two Spring Sizzlers, and a Thompson 300. In addition to wins at
Oswego, and NHIS, the Riverside Park product claimed nine track
titles.
Tabbed “The Kid” after winning the prestigious Oxford 250 at age 21,
Bay Stater Kourafas went on to an outstanding career. Coming out of
Norwood Arena, he became a NASCAR North stalwart with championships
at Airborne and Thunder Road Speedways. The 1974 NASCAR Late Model
Sportsman North championship and the 1987 Busch Grand National title
and some 50 victories up and down the Atlantic Coast top his list of
accomplishments.
Irene Venditti, one of New England’s grand ladies, joins her late
husband D. Anthony in the Hall. “Mrs. V” was, in fact, at her late
husband’s side since the track beginning in 1946, handling duties
like publicity and handicapping in the pre-computer days. Laboring
in the interests of the “cement place” into the mid 1990s, she has
an incredible rapport with generations of competitors.
A near-miss at the Indianapolis 500 in 1969 capped Jorgensen’s
career. “Jorgy” took an impressive list of achievements to the Indy
car circuit including success with the Flying Zero Modified at
Riverside Park in the late 1950s and early 1960s with drivers Buddy
Krebs and Gene Bergin. He moved on to the URC sprints winning with
driver Bill Brown before teaming with Buzz Harvey to form the
Bulldog Stables in 1968. The team was first alternate at Indy in
1969.
The colorful Gherzi was one of Southern New England’s first racing
stars. Driving for a number of owners including the Scambato and
Garuti families, Gherzi, who started in the Midgets, built an
impressive stock car resume in the formative years at Plainville
Stadium, Riverside Park and the Waterford Speedbowl. Following his
25-plus years in the cockpit, Gherzi was racing director at
Plainville.
Humiston was one of the United Stock Car Club’s brightest stars for
over two decades driving both Modifieds and Grand American cars.
While the Bay State native is usually associated with Riverside Park
(three championships, two 500 wins), his prowess stretched
throughout the northeast with wins as far away as Utica-Rome
Speedway.
The popular Lapierre is associated with the number 134 which he
picked up when he was the 134th car in line at Lonsdale Arena during
the late 1940s. “Pappy” scored his first victory at Lonsdale in 1950
and his last at Norwood Arena in 1969, four years before he retired.
In between the Rhode Island native raced at over 25 venues finding
success at now legendary ovals like Keene, NH, the Medford Bowl, and
Westboro, West Peabody and Seekonk Speedways.
Since 1998, NEAR has inducted over 100 individuals into the New
England Auto Racers Hall Of Fame, which is administered by the New
England Antique Racers. Some very notable inductees include Richie
Evans, Ron Bouchard, Bugs Stevens, Rene Charland, Pete Hamilton,
Fred DeSarro, Ed Flemke, Sr. and Billy Greco.
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