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NEAR Hosts Busy Agenda With Movie Party |
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(WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA) Saturday evening November 10, the New England Antique Racers (NEAR), present their annual Movie Party at the Dante Club, 1198 Memorial Ave in West Springfield, Mass. (across from the Big E Fairgrounds). Admission is just $15.00 with tickets available at the door. Things get underway at 6:00 PM. The event is open to the public. Appetizers are up at 6:00, and a hot and cold buffet will be served at 6:30. There will be a cash bar throughout the evening. The evening features historical videos and slide shows from a variety of New England speedways. As-always, it’s expected that many rare images from the early days of New England auto racing will be present for viewing, some of-which have not been seen for decades. The Movie Party is the primary fundraiser for NEAR. This year’s proceeds will go to funding maintenance on the van that houses the NEAR Mobile HOF Museum which will be on display outside in the Dante Club for the evening. Many of New England’s most-revered racing personalities are expected to attend, giving fans a chance to rub-elbows with those that helped build the sport. Customarily, many Hall of Fame members are present, so it’s the perfect opportunity to break out those vintage scrapbooks to get a few autographs and relive some racing memories. Then on Sunday, November 18 at the Speedway Clubhouse located on the grounds of the Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Connecticut twenty racing pioneers considered central to the success of the sport in New England during its formative era will be inducted into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame. Included in the 2012
Pioneers Class are stock car drivers Tony Mordino, Sparky Belmont,
Hank Stevens, Ed Patnode, Johnny Georgiades, Wally Silva, and Ray
Brown. Midget racing standouts Eddie Casterline, George Rice, Al
Pillion, Billy Tibbert, Frank Simonetti, Charlie Ethier, and George
Monson round-out the open-wheel inductees. Completing the list are
car owners Anthony “Beebe” Zalenski, Ed Stone, Wen Kelley, Bob
Oliver, Gordon Ross, and owner & promoter of Connecticut’s former
Plainville Stadium, Joe Tinty. Tickets for the Pioneers Induction Ceremony are economically-priced at $35.00. Order forms may be downloaded from the NEAR website at www.near1.com Purchase deadline is November 1. No tickets will be available at the door. Payment is to be sent to NEAR Pioneer Banquet, Box 172, Milldale, Connecticut, 06467. For additional information, contact NEAR President Val LeSieur at 508.238.7797 or email vallesieur@aol.com Since 1998, NEAR has inducted over 100 individuals into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame. The New England Antique racers are a non-profit organization that supports the history of New England auto racing. NEAR has been in existence since 1981 and has a growing membership of approx. 350-400 members and 80 antique race cars. Members reside throughout New England and are available on a no-charge basis for exhibition events at raceways in New England and several tracks in the New York area, with both original and historical replica race cars. For more information on all NEAR events, visit www.near1.org or www.near1.com |
