Riverside was a fifth back then. Instagram Link Matt Wiernasz is an auto racing journalist and photographer himself, and has fond memories . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. It would grow to attract the Northeast's best drivers. Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. Check out these great suggestions. We always seemed hampered by a breakdown in communication, Fiore, of Agawam, said in his acceptance speech. Later years were with Tom Rosati, Rene Charland, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggerio and Jerry Marquis. 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. . We will definitely be back in the future. Auto Racing Research Assoc. Our staff cant stop talking about how much fun we had, and they keep asking when we are going to do it again!! 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. It needed help to survive. 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 Party Rooms and Catering Available, Adults and Teens Reigning AFT Singles champion Kody Kopp is trying to hit a grand slam this season. Use THIS BUTTON to share this track's profile with your friends! David Allio | Racing Photography Archives, Original motorsports photos from historic archives by David Allio, Riverside Park Speedway | Agawam Massachusetts Following the park's 1999 season, Premier Parks, Inc. made several major changes that directly affected the speedway. 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. 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. We had sponsorship for every race. 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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In its place he built a 1/5th mile oval speedway track featuring grand stand seating. 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. They had a BLAST! He was an avid race car fan, a member of NASCAR. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carlys 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! Photo courtesy of John Mahoney, USAC. It was exactly what youd hope to have in an announcer. And for decades, Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., was exactly that. TRACK INFO UPDATE? Rights Managed (RM) original photography 1983 David Allio. Gary J. Michnovetz, 65, died suddenly on Tuesday. No Reservation Required 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. Before 1900, most visitors reached the park by steamboat. And just that quickly, the track was gone, along with a significant chunk of New Englands stock car history. Agawam, MA This event marks the tenth annual appearance of the NASCAR Busch North Series at Riverside Park Speedway. He was currently employed at Boardwalk Auto Sales in South Windsor, CT. I was never on a banked track, racing with that caliber of drivers before. 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. North Riverside Park Mall, Broadview Village Square Shopping Center, Immaculate Heart of Mary High School, St. Joseph High School, Oakbrook Center and Yorktown Center. - 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. Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. We paid qualifying heat money. (Mass Appeal) - Built in 1948, Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam was home to some of the most exciting local auto racing for more than 50 years before the track closed down in 1999. He simply says the owners decided to go in a different direction, which ultimately proved to be selling out. 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. Meet. 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. 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. 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 Riverside Park Speedway memories abound at . I had some AWESOME comments about your facility. 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. You have set the bar pretty high, and the fun factor is off the charts!! Glossary Tweet. Riverside Park Speedway was built in 1948 at Riverside Park, now the site of Six Flags New England. BRINKMANN RECORDS BEST BMARA FINISH OF SEASON, KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI. 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. The facility is fabulous lots of space to spread out, clean 77 Peros Dr., Agawam, Mass. Due to this variability, ALWAYS check with the tracks DIRECTLY via their individual websites to confirm actual racing before you travel! First, let me tell you how With a track championship for the late Richie Evans, named in 1998 as one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers of all time. A team rich in winning was, as he said, cash poor.. 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 RacingIn News, TRACK INFO UPDATE? You grabbed food from the concessions and stopped by Shany Lorenzets photo booth before heading inside. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, BMARA RACERS HELP EACH OTHER 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. In a joint announcement, track owner Dennis Fleury and series president Jack Bateman, the principals responsible for the inaugural event, advise the 1st annual Ricky Miller Memorial 100, presented by New England Outdoor Furnaces, will be held on Sunday afternoon Sept.28th as part of the Twin State Speedway Fall Challenge, a two day event. 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. 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. 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. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. While Riverside Park Speedway is gone, local racing fans do have plenty of options to see live racing. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Riverside Park Speedway Demolition Derby & Figure 8 Racing Agawam Mass has 514 members. This one is Riverside Park, Agawam, Ma. Twitter Link In 1983, he was offered a ride in what is now the NASCAR Nationwide Series. 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. 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. 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 Massachusetts - Connecticut state line. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. I was given two years to run the race track, produce a positive bottom line and show growth.. View source. Other tracks in the area - Century Stadium in Springfield, Mass. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Riverside Park Speedway | Agawam Massachusetts. Rene Charland, affectionately known to many racing fans simply as The Champ could use some well-wishes from his fans. The track's final reconfiguration and repaving to15 degree banking would be added in the mid 1980s. Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts. Pennsboro Speedway. 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. Bobby Dragon of Milton, Vt. won the first NASCAR Busch North Series event at Riverside Park Speedway on August 29, 1988. 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. Created with Sketch. I had my own groove, right on the bottom. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carly's 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! 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. Riverside Park Speedway was one of the most successful short tracks in America between 1992 and 1996. WE MAKE IT EASY TO PLAN . Looking for something special to get your mom for Mothers Day? 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. of my heart, thank you! 01001 (413) 786-3876. Ten years ago. Riverside, both the amusement park and speedway, was an institution in its community. Agawam, MA Gary J. Michnovetz, 65, died suddenly on Tuesday. Next, widening and steepening the corners to a full quarter-mile. One unforgettable element of racing at Riverside was the annual 500-lap races for cars competing as two-car teams. NASCAR replaced the Tattersalls in 1973, following what future promoter Ben Dodge described as a drivers strike. Youtube Link 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). The picnic grove was repurposed as an amusement park and opened its first roller coaster in 1912. He is eighth on the track's all-time win list. May 16, 1983 - Agawam - A newly-constructed Riverside Park roller coaster is shown from a nearby potato Farm. "Wow!!! SRW Winternationals Weekend now a Qualifying race for ALL Classes! We are going to have an extremely hard time getting our team to agree to anything else but K1 Speed for our future events. 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 was more like an adventure.. I think I just ran the car too hard and Im very fortunate that I didnt end up in the qualifying race. Moore and his team checked everything on the car after qualifying to ensure that nothing was wrong with the chassis setup. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He resided in West Springfield and Agawam all his life. 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. 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. Riverside Park Speedway Formerly Known As: Riverside Park Stadium.250 mi./0.402 km. In its place laid out a flat 1/5-mile oval track, pit area and grandstand alongside the Connecticut River. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, Top Tips For Online Race Track Promotion Ed Carroll died in 1979. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the Northeast for about 50 years. 711. He started his interest in racing with Leo Matte at. 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). Rights Managed (RM) original photography 1983 David Allio. by ScottKo in Profile Tips For Users, Interest in Grassroots Racing Grows 40% in 2014 With Great Opportunities Ahead in 2015 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. Ruggiero told a story that some knew, but others didnt, about a decision that might have changed the face of NASCAR history. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all had a wonderful time. They were great with the teens and kept things moving along at a comfortable pace. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Henry J. Perkins. NASCAR North Tour Race Recaps. You knew Rene Charland was the bad guy and Buddy Krebs was a good guy. Jerry Marquis and ageless Bob Polverari emerged as big winners in the 1990s, with Polverari taking five titles aboard the Bill Pelly No. 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. The 1960s were popular years for stock car racing at Riverside Park. Adults and Juniors 48 and Up, Junior Birthday Parties 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. Spawned by the popularity of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the Teddy Bear Pools Truck division proved to be an instant success in 1998. by KyleBrinkmannRacing in KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI, What a year as we transition onto dirt racing! West Virginia International Speedway. 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! 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 fans remember Riverside Park Speedway WWLP-22News 58.1K subscribers 12 2.4K views 4 years ago While the Daytona 500 took place in Florida Sunday, racing fans in western. NOTE: ANY RACE DATES POSTED ON THIS PROFILE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON WEATHER, TRACK CONDITIONS, AND MANY OTHER THINGS. by ScottKo in RacingIn News, Bay Area Modifieds bringing IMCA Racing back to Emerald Coast 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. by ScottKo in Profile Tips For Users, SRW Winternationals Weekend now a Qualifying race for ALL Classes! 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. History. We Thank You Very Much for making this Carlys Riverside Park in Agawam, Massachusetts began as a trolley park in 1840. It was a great experience., SPEEDSPORT.com is a part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network, The cars line up for the Riverside 500. Ruggiero had four separate stints driving Fiores No. (Dick Berggren photo), The Motorsports Authority - Copyright 2014-2023 - Turn 3 Media, LLC All Rights Reserved. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all Henry J. Perkins transformed the picnic grove into an amusement park more than 100 years ago with the addition of mechanical rides like The Giant Dip, an early roller coaster. 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. FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW! much I appreciate everything you and your staff did for our group. 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. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement. had a wonderful time. and well maintained, and the staff was so nice and very helpful and NEAR To Host Riverside Park Speedway Reunion, Candidates Named for 2024-25 IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship, Trackhouse Announces Ownership Of NC Karting Motorplex. The reunion will be held on Aug. 31 at the Polish Club in Agawam. 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. Galex Fox, left, and Dave Darland, right. . MattWiernasz is an auto racing journalist and photographer himself, and has fond memories of watching the races at Riverside. Discussion. In the grandstands, loyalties to different drivers became fierce, where one sat in the stands was determined by what driver one was rooting for. 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 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. We had bigger numbers on a Saturday than the amusement park did. Paved Oval located in Agawam, MA: Track Status: Razed (Opened: 1948 --- Closed: 1999) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction 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. Rt 305, 307 and 322 streets will detour due to an event in Forest Park. I wouldnt be surprised if you see us renting your facility in the future. 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. Veteran NASCAR driver and current spotter Tim Fedewa joined this weeks episode of Fast Car 2 NASCAR with Mike Wallace to talk more about his current role. The fans streamed, literally, straight from the rides to the bleachers. Internal Link . Everything was perfect and from the bottom For all the victories the two had together at tracks from Riverside to Florida they were also, in a sense, New England racings version of Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner. Dodge streamlined the modified program, marketed the competitors and started an entry-level street stock division. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. EAST WINDSOR, Conn. - The legacy of Riverside Park Speedway lives on. 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.
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