Henry J. Perkins. The track closed in 1999 to make. Riverside Park Speedway | Agawam Massachusetts. He stated to me that the race track was no longer holding its own. Other tracks in the area - Century Stadium in Springfield, Mass. 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. Riverside, both the amusement park and speedway, was an institution in its community. It was a great experience., SPEEDSPORT.com is a part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network, The cars line up for the Riverside 500. Road to Daytona: Meet Riverside Park Racing Legend Bob Polverari 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. 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. Following the park's 1999 season, Premier Parks, Inc. made several major changes that directly affected the speedway. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Rights Managed (RM) original photography 1983 David Allio. 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. We Thank You Very Much for making this Carlys 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. The facility is fabulous lots of space to spread out, clean Riverside Park Speedway memories abound at . by ScottKo in RacingIn News, TRACK INFO UPDATE? We will definitely be back in the future. Due to this variability, ALWAYS check with the tracks DIRECTLY via their individual websites to confirm actual racing before you travel! FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW! The first full season of "modified" stock car racing was 1949. Looking for something special to get your mom for Mothers Day? New Detour. 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 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. In 1983, he was offered a ride in what is now the NASCAR Nationwide Series. 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 MassachusettsConnecticut state line. Auto racing legend Rene Charland, of Agawam, dies at 84. Click on the race number to see the results of that race. History. Bobby Dragon of Milton, Vt. won the first NASCAR Busch North Series event at Riverside Park Speedway on August 29, 1988. Our qualifying has been just terrible, Moore admitted. . TikTok Link. "Wow!!! Facebook Link 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 Gallup's Grove before that). Did you miss a thrilling Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, or David Gravels Tri-City triumph? Ruggiero told a story that some knew, but others didnt, about a decision that might have changed the face of NASCAR history. 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. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing began sanctioning events at Riverside Park Speedway in 1976. 711. Galex Fox, left, and Dave Darland, right. Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. Others inducted in the ceremony at La Renaissance were 1950s legend Moe Moneybags Gherzi, 1960s Riverside star Jerry The Springfield Rifle Humiston, Eastern Mass. 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). There was no back gate fee. 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 its place he built a 1/5th mile oval speedway track featuring grand stand seating. I had my own groove, right on the bottom. My last year, 1996, the paid attendance in the grandstand was 143,000 people. 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. Riverside Park, Agawam, MA - History With Photos 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. 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. Did you miss Kyle Buschs dramatic win at Talladega, or Brandon Overtons $50,000 triumph? Glossary Tweet. Some of Riverside Park's local stars during the early and mid 1970's included S.J. and the Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Mass. Stock Car Racing Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. By admin January 26, 2013 Riverside Park Speedway Charlie Jones, 1941 - 2013 Charles Ernest Jones, 71, lifelong Agawam resident, passed away Wednesday January 23rd at the VA Boston Healthcare in West Roxbury, MA. All rights reserved (About Us). He simply says the owners decided to go in a different direction, which ultimately proved to be selling out. of my heart, thank you! ", "We had what I would call one of the most successful team events at K1 Speed Austin just last night. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. It seems like just yesterday the laps were being turned for the last time in the shadow of the Thunderbolt roller coaster. The track's final reconfiguration and repaving to15 degree banking would be added in the mid 1980s. (Republican file photo) Staff-Shot 20 / 28 Republican file photo Vintage photos:. Born in Ludlow to Read more Barbara (Cimino) Stefanik Passes at 69 By admin December 21, 2012 Riverside Park Speedway TRACK INFO UPDATE? It was a cant-miss business proposition, until amusement rides became more profitable than packed pits and stands. After the Wall Street crash drove Riverside Park into foreclosure, one of New Englands first drive-in theaters opened on the property in 1937. THE (Riverside) ROLLAWAY, Agawam, Massachusetts Blunk, Bill RIP 1924-2003 Oaks Park Skating Rink, Portland, Oregon Viking Roller Rink, Astoria, Oregon (1960's) . Organists - Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Auto Racing Research Assoc. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 77 Peros Dr., Agawam, Mass. Triad Technologies is an industrial distributor and value added provider. View NASCAR North Tour driver stats at this track. 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. 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. Rights Managed (RM) original photography 1983 David Allio. BRINKMANN RECORDS BEST BMARA FINISH OF SEASON, KyleBrinkmanRacing, a racer from Elkhorn, WI. 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. ", 2023 K1Speed Inc. All rights reserved. Discussion. 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. . Twitter Link It was exactly what youd hope to have in an announcer. 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. Route 322 Detour Update. We paid qualifying heat money. 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. One unforgettable element of racing at Riverside was the annual 500-lap races for cars competing as two-car teams. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the Northeast for about 50 years. Another exciting development in 1997 was the acquisition of the park by Oklahoma-based Premier Parks, Inc., parent company of Six Flags, the world's largest regional theme park company. NASCAR replaced the Tattersalls in 1973, following what future promoter Ben Dodge described as a drivers strike. I was given two years to run the race track, produce a positive bottom line and show growth.. Party Rooms and Catering Available, Adults and Teens 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. Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the Northeast for about 50 years. 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. Dodge streamlined the modified program, marketed the competitors and started an entry-level street stock division. 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. Race Date . [1] In 2000 when the park re-opened as Six Flags New England, the race track was demolished and the DC Universe themed area (including the roller coaster Superman The Ride) was built in its place. Of those six, two will never be more closely linked to one another than the driver-owner combination of Reggie Ruggiero and Mario Fiore. He was part of a championship crew with Barry Kuhnel, Bill Pelley and Bob Polverari in the 80s and 90s. Pace Bus - Route 322 David Allio | Racing Photography Archives, Original motorsports photos from historic archives by David Allio, Riverside Park Speedway | Agawam Massachusetts Do you remember Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam? I came from a little track, Plainville Stadium in Connecticut, a quarter mile, Ruggiero remembered. I was just a kid and my favorite was Art Rousseau out of Keene, N.H.. SPEED SPORTs Alan Cavanna catches you up on that and more in this weeks edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by Cometic Gasket. "I would like to Thank You so much for making Carly's 17th birthday party GREAT!!!! Birthdays, Mitvahs, Bachelor(ette), Team Building, Catered Lunches 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 arrival of NASCAR established Riverside as one of NASCARs big three modified speedways in New England, along with Stafford and Thompson in Connecticut. That place was just so exciting and so dramatic, Dr. Dick Berggren, a longtime attendee and recipient of the NASCAR Hall of Fames Squier-Hall Award, remembered. 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 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. He resided in West Springfield and, He was an avid race car fan, a member of NASCAR. 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. SITE DESIGN BY. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. Jerry Marquis and ageless Bob Polverari emerged as big winners in the 1990s, with Polverari taking five titles aboard the Bill Pelly No. 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. Paved Oval located in Agawam, MA: Track Status: Razed (Opened: 1948 --- Closed: 1999) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction 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 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. 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. Joys assistant was Dodge, who took over as promoter in 1982. In addition to that, the purses were increased. He declined, citing his growing family, and the seat was offered to an up-and-comer from Missouri named Rusty Wallace. He was currently employed at Boardwalk Auto Sales in South Windsor, CT. Later years were with Tom Rosati, Rene Charland, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggerio and Jerry Marquis. Riverside Park Speedway - Facebook 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. 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. WWLP-22News 57.9K subscribers Subscribe 2.9K views 4 years ago Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam drew in racing fans from throughout the. much I appreciate everything you and your staff did for our group. It was more like an adventure.. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. riverside park speedway - masslive.com Ruggiero had four separate stints driving Fiores No. SPEED SPORTs Alan Cavanna catches you up on that and more in this weeks edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by Cometic Gasket. - 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. Riverside Park Speedway - The Third Turn Pennsboro Speedway. The natural athlete, Gene Bergin, was another star. Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts. 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. It was quite a ride for Fiore, who got into ownership in 1969, when he put $300 into a car purchased by a friend. Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut and Monadnock Speedway in New Hampshire are just some of the local options within driving distance. Gary J. Michnovetz, 65, died suddenly on Tuesday. Home page [www.triadtechnologies.com] The winner of the first NASCAR-sanctioned event was Bob Polverari. Western Mass. racing fans remember Riverside Park Speedway - WWLP Agawam, MA This event marks the tenth annual appearance of the NASCAR Busch North Series at Riverside Park Speedway. Adults and Juniors 48 and Up, Junior Birthday Parties 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. Sprintcarstats. I had some AWESOME comments about your facility. 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. MattWiernasz is an auto racing journalist and photographer himself, and has fond memories of watching the races at Riverside. The drivers were characterized by maybe the best short-track announcer Ive ever heard, a guy named Tom Galon. Jocko Jr., followed a different path, racing sportscars with the SCCA. With a track championship for the late Richie Evans, named in 1998 as one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers of all time. 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 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. Western Mass. That was when midgets raced seven nights a week in New England. The 1980s arrived! The United Stock Car Racing Club events drew 6,000-8,000 fans every Saturday night. History By Decade Riverside Park Speedway ("The Park") was built in 1948. It would grow to attract the Northeast's best drivers. View source. Our qualifying has been just terrible, Moore admitted. The facility was incredible, the staff was engaging, and our entire group had a blast! 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. I wouldnt be surprised if you see us renting your facility in the future. 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. Reigning AFT Singles champion Kody Kopp is trying to hit a grand slam this season. Ed Carroll died in 1979. We carry brands such as Parker, Enerpac, NoShok, Daman, Hiwin, UR Robot, Robotiq, Schunk, Rechner Sensors, SICK sensors, Weidmuller, Dixon and many more! by ScottKo in Profile Tips For Users, Interest in Grassroots Racing Grows 40% in 2014 With Great Opportunities Ahead in 2015 Sun, 01/30/2022 . In 1971 the track's configuration was changed to a bigger 1/4 mile oval, with slightly higher banking in the turns. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. We were there last Wednesday, with 25 teenagers, and they all had a wonderful time. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. A local entrepreneur named Ed Carroll began a family dynasty at Riverside Park by buying it in 1939. Riverside Park Speedway - Wikipedia BRINKMANN RECORDS BEST BMARA FINISH OF SEASON This would have been around 1984. And just that quickly, the track was gone, along with a significant chunk of New Englands stock car history. Enter your email address to subscribe to this album and receive free notifications of new posts by email. Moore, the Busch North Series all-time Pole winner, has yet to display his qualifying expertise thus far in 1998. Private group 6,043 Members. 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. . You knew Rene Charland was the bad guy and Buddy Krebs was a good guy. It needed help to survive. NASCAR North Tour Race Recaps. Created with Sketch. Everything was perfect and from the bottom Rene Charland - AKA "The Champ" - won three NASCAR national Modified titles in the 1960s. 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.. navigation, search. I was doing things to the very best of my ability.. Auto racing legend Rene Charland, of Agawam, dies at 84.