The 1980s arrived! The 79-year-old Agawam, MA native began his career at the old. 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. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. It was largely used for picknicking and steamboat excursions along the Connecticut R. S Sharon DiAmore 1k followers More information Riverside Park, Agawam, MA - History With Photos - YouTube Chicopee Riverside Park Golden Oldies Service Trip Amusement Parks Back In The Day 711. There will be a host of Riverside events throughout EXPO, including autograph sessions. Ruggiero told a story that some knew, but others didnt, about a decision that might have changed the face of NASCAR history. 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. Others inducted in the ceremony at La Renaissance were 1950s legend Moe Moneybags Gherzi, 1960s Riverside star Jerry The Springfield Rifle Humiston, Eastern Mass. Moore, the Busch North Series all-time Pole winner, has yet to display his qualifying expertise thus far in 1998. Internal Link . The 1998 Riverside Park Modified Champion was Jimmy Broderick, Driving the Pruchnik Motorsports #42 Modified owned By Denis Pruchnik. 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. The winner of the first NASCAR-sanctioned event was Bob Polverari. 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. View source. 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. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The track closed at the end of the 1999 season. ", 2023 K1Speed Inc. All rights reserved. Later years were with Tom Rosati, Rene Charland, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggerio and Jerry Marquis. History. 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. A / V Equipped Rooms, Franchise Info| Partner Program|Corporate Partnerships|Fundraisers & Donations|Contact|Employees, 2023 K1Speed Inc. All rights reserved. Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts. 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). There was no back gate fee. Looking for something special to get your mom for Mothers Day? Spawned by the popularity of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the Teddy Bear Pools Truck division proved to be an instant success in 1998. Rene Charland, affectionately known to many racing fans simply as The Champ could use some well-wishes from his fans. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Did you miss a thrilling Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, or David Gravels Tri-City triumph? "Wow!!! Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts . 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. I wouldnt be surprised if you see us renting your facility in the future. Paved Oval located in Agawam, MA: Track Status: Razed (Opened: 1948 --- Closed: 1999) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction During this time Six Flags permanently closed the track to make way for a spectacular new roller coaster, Superman: Ride of Steel (was Bizarro from 2009-2015). The fans streamed, literally, straight from the rides to the bleachers. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. Ted Chalmers, a 35 year racing veteran, wrote his name in the history books as the first ever champion in that division. Born in Ludlow to Read more Barbara (Cimino) Stefanik Passes at 69 By admin December 21, 2012 Riverside Park Speedway by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Fans of Fast Name Their Favorite Track of 2014 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. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all In addition to that, the purses were increased. You grabbed food from the concessions and stopped by Shany Lorenzets photo booth before heading inside. I was doing things to the very best of my ability.. 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. TRACK INFO UPDATE? Riverside Park Speedway ("The Park") was built in 1948. 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. It was a cant-miss business proposition, until amusement rides became more profitable than packed pits and stands. Agawam, MA This event marks the tenth annual appearance of the NASCAR Busch North Series at Riverside Park Speedway. Stock Car Racing Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. We Thank You Very Much for making this Carlys You have set the bar pretty high, and the fun factor is off the charts!! 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. Six of the eight people inducted Sunday into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fames class of 2012 had some sort of ties to the old track in Agawam, which closed in 1999. 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. One of them was future FOX Sports broadcaster Mike Joy, who announced at Riverside while still in college. Meet. 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. We never pushed the back gate because you didnt go in through the back gate.. Racing-reference.info is part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network. 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). 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. It needed help to survive. Photo courtesy of John Mahoney, USAC. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The Rollaway, Riverside Park, Agawam, Massachusetts Babb's, Congamond Lakes, W Suffield, Connecticut Clark, Bill This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. 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. We had bigger numbers on a Saturday than the amusement park did. No Reservation Required Auto Racing Research Assoc. Matts father, Mark Wiernasz was a track announcer there, in addition to working for decades as our assignment manager here at 22News. YOUR PARTY AND CELEBRATE NOTE: ANY RACE DATES POSTED ON THIS PROFILE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON WEATHER, TRACK CONDITIONS, AND MANY OTHER THINGS. And for decades, Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., was exactly that. WWLP-22News 57.9K subscribers Subscribe 2.9K views 4 years ago Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the. The first full season of "modified" stock car racing was 1949. 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. Miller, a Twin State (Claremont Speedway) standout for many years before moving on to the Whelen Modified Tour and the NASCAR Busch Series died at the age of 34. 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. The drivers were characterized by maybe the best short-track announcer Ive ever heard, a guy named Tom Galon. by ScottKo in Profile Tips For Users, Interest in Grassroots Racing Grows 40% in 2014 With Great Opportunities Ahead in 2015 Before 1900, most visitors reached the park by steamboat. 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. EAST WINDSOR, Conn. The legacy of Riverside Park Speedway lives on. accommodating. In both cases, few could argue with the results. Due to this variability, ALWAYS check with the tracks DIRECTLY via their individual websites to confirm actual racing before you travel! 44 Modified, much like Martin was fired four times as Steinbrenners New York Yankees manager. Riverside was a fifth back then. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, Top Tips For Online Race Track Promotion 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. I had some AWESOME comments about your facility. Matt Wiernasz is an auto racing journalist and photographer himself, and has fond memories . 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. by ScottKo in Profile Tips For Users, SRW Winternationals Weekend now a Qualifying race for ALL Classes! Drivers such as Ted Tappet, Benny Germano, Jocko Maggiacomo, Jerry Humiston, Ed Flemke and Buddy Krebs were the drivers to beat throughout the 1950s. Instagram Link Sprintcarstats. It was quite a ride for Fiore, who got into ownership in 1969, when he put $300 into a car purchased by a friend. It was exactly what youd hope to have in an announcer. 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. 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. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The 1960s were popular years for stock car racing at Riverside Park. It was more like an adventure.. 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. He started his interest in racing with Leo Matte at. . 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. When amusement park giant Six Flags took over Riverside Park in Agawam, one of the first steps it took was eliminating a local icon - the famed quarter-mile speedway. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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.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. The theory was that an entertainer doesnt pay to walk on stage, he explained. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the Northeast for about 50 years. Riverside Park Speedway was one of the most successful short tracks in America between 1992 and 1996. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. View NASCAR North Tour driver stats at this track. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). 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!! 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. After a rowdy drivers' strike, it became clear that UNITED could no longer hold its own at Riverside Park, and that organization cleared the path for another popular organization to take charge of the track. We will definitely be back in the future. Gary worked for many years at Germano Auto Sales before owning Garys Service Center in Agawam, which he sold two years ago. (Republican file photo) Staff-Shot 20 / 28 Republican file photo Vintage photos:. by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Track Promoters Get FREE Promotion with RacingIn.com's Track Directory and Race Dates Page 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. and the Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Mass. 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. (Dick Berggren photo), The Motorsports Authority - Copyright 2014-2023 - Turn 3 Media, LLC All Rights Reserved. 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. You knew Rene Charland was the bad guy and Buddy Krebs was a good guy. David Allio | Racing Photography Archives, Original motorsports photos from historic archives by David Allio, Riverside Park Speedway | Agawam Massachusetts This page is not available in other languages. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW! What a year as we transition onto dirt racing! He resided in West Springfield and Agawam all his life. My last year, 1996, the paid attendance in the grandstand was 143,000 people. 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. . 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. The track closed in 1999 to make. WITH FRIENDS! Private group 6,043 Members. Next, widening and steepening the corners to a full quarter-mile. Pennsboro 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. best birthday ever!!! Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. 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Use THIS BUTTON to share this track's profile with your friends! 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. Evonsion, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggiero and others. SRW Winternationals Weekend now a Qualifying race for ALL Classes! Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. 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. Discussion. The picnic grove was repurposed as an amusement park and opened its first roller coaster in 1912. 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. The facility is fabulous lots of space to spread out, clean by ScottKo in RacingIn News, TRACK INFO UPDATE? 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. 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.. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Riverside Park Speedway Agawam, MA. 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. Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. 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. In the grandstands, loyalties to different drivers became fierce, where one sat in the stands was determined by what driver one was rooting for. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carlys 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! 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. Route 322 Detour Update. 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. We paid qualifying heat money. The facility was incredible, the staff was engaging, and our entire group had a blast! and well maintained, and the staff was so nice and very helpful and Jerry Marquis and ageless Bob Polverari emerged as big winners in the 1990s, with Polverari taking five titles aboard the Bill Pelly No. Galex Fox, left, and Dave Darland, right. He simply says the owners decided to go in a different direction, which ultimately proved to be selling out. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. He was an avid race car fan, a member of NASCAR. Glossary Tweet. In its place he built a 1/5th mile oval speedway track featuring grand stand seating. NASCAR replaced the Tattersalls in 1973, following what future promoter Ben Dodge described as a drivers strike. Bay Area Modifieds bringing IMCA Racing back to Emerald Coast, Rivalry Renewed: Lanigan & Richards Set To Face Off In 2015 As Richards Returns To Full-Time World of Outlaws Competition, Track Promoters Get FREE Promotion with RacingIn.com's Track Directory and Race Dates Page, Interest in Grassroots Racing Grows 40% in 2014 With Great Opportunities Ahead in 2015, Fans of Fast Name Their Favorite Track of 2014. 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. 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. New Detour. That was when midgets raced seven nights a week in New England. 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. With his good history at the Sacramento Mile, his eyes are set on the May 13th race for another win. Reigning AFT Singles champion Kody Kopp is trying to hit a grand slam this season. Did you miss Kyle Buschs dramatic win at Talladega, or Brandon Overtons $50,000 triumph? - hosted events on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, making it possible for some of Riverside Park's early stars to race in the area almost every night of the week. Adults and Juniors 48 and Up, Junior Birthday Parties However, both men chose to set aside their differences on their special day. SITE DESIGN BY. 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 (Riverside) ROLLAWAY, Agawam, Massachusetts Blunk, Bill RIP 1924-2003 Oaks Park Skating Rink, Portland, Oregon Viking Roller Rink, Astoria, Oregon (1960's) .
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