May 15--- Norwood Arena Speedway may be just a memory to those who raced there form 1948 to 1973.  But, drivers Bill Slater of Manchester, CT, Jerry Capozzolli of Stoughton and car owner Joe Brady of Brockton plan on being present and accounted for at the 3rd Annual Norwood Arena Reunion at Bezema Buick, Pontiac, GMC on Sunday, June 3.
 
      "I'm definitely going to be there. I've been there since this thing started," said Slater who won several championships at Norwood Arena and the big season ending Modified race at the one-mile Langhorne Speedway in PA back in the 60's.  Slater's exploits driving the V8 black Modified Coupe visited victory lane at the now shuttered quarter-mile oval countless times.
 
     Joe Brady, a noted car owner of that era and still fielding Modifieds currently on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with Jerry Marquis, put Leo Cleary of Hanover in his car which turned out to be a winning combination in '68. Together the Cleary/Brady tandem went onto win the 1968 NASCAR Modified title at the Rt. 1 oval that year.  "I don't have anything on the schedule that day and you can count on me. I'm looking forward to it just like the last two years," revealed Joe.
 
     Jerry Capozzoli who started in the Mini Stocks at Norwood Arena and later the Mini Modifieds won back-to-back championships at that oval back in '71 and '72. In '72 Jerry also won another title at the Lee (NH) Speedway. He went on in 1974 to take a National Mini Modified Title. From that point on he moved up to the Modifieds at other tracks in the New England area.  "It's always nice to meet old rivals and friends at this get together.  I wouldn't miss it," he said with a grin.
 
     Both the NEAR and STARS Antique race car clubs will have their historic racing machines on display. Also, the NEAR traveling Hall of Fame will be in the center of all this activity. Don Thomas the webmaster of the Norwood Arena Speedway webpage will be on hand with another great presentation.  Lew Boyd's  Coastal 181 publishers of some great books about racing will have a complete library there including the latest release STEADY EDDIE, MEMORIES OF ED FLEMKE, MODIFIED RACING'S FASTEST PROFESSION EDITED BY BONES BOURCIER will be available for sale among many others.
 
      There will also be a pair of car shows held in conjunction with this event. One for the antique racing cars and another for street worthy antiques, muscle cars and classics. A winner's trophy will be awarded for the best antique and street worthy machines by peer judging.
 
      All competitors, officials and fans should plan to bring all scrap books, pictures and any other memorabilia to this event which will jog the memories of many who show up that day. Host Marty Bezema, Sr. will offer a complimentary light lunch. It all goes rain or shine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 6.  If you missed the last two Norwood Arena Reunions you
have another opportunity to take it in. And if you have attended the two other previous editions your welcome to come down to Bezema Buick, Pontiac, GMC on the Rte. 1 Automile in Norwood, MA and say hello again. For further information call the dealership at 781.769.4700.
 
    Canton's Rick Savary has been racing off and on for about 20 years. He's had some decent driving assignments during those two decades. But, his current ride in the Art Barry NASCAR Whelen Modified out of Preston, CT has to be considered his best opportunity for getting some notice as a top driver in that division. At the Icebreaker in Thompson (CT), one of the fastest track on the circuit, Savary was in the hunt all afternoon to take that 150 lapper. "I've been racing a long time and this could be a very good year for me," said Rick.  Savary lived in Avon and then Holbrook before relocating to Canton.
 
      Stafford Motor Speedway in CT will host the AMA SuperMoto Series this summer. The date is Sunday, August 19.  Jeff Ward, who won his first Supermoto title in 2004, earned back the title last year over Doug Henry of Avon, CT riding  Graves Yamaha by a margin of 36 points (429-393). Ward lost the 2005 title in the final round to Jurgen Kunzel. Chris Fillmore finished 2006 ranked third with 356 points. Fillmore will ride for Monster Energy/Litz Racing/Kawasaki in 2007.
 
       Former AMA Superbike and Busch North driver Dale Quarterley, a Rockland native,  will be working with John Salemi of Nashua, NH this year on the NASCAR Busch East circuit. The BES circuit moves to far flung venues with less than a half-dozen races in New England. The Selemi/Quarterley tandem will see action at the Elko Speedway in MN and the Iowa Speedway this weekend,  May 18 and 20.
 
       Stafford Motor Speedway returned to action with a 5-division card of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action last  Friday night.  Driving to victory lane were Keith Rocco in the 40-lap SK Modified feature, Tom Fearn in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Chris Matthews in the 20-lap SK Light feature, Andrew Durand in the Limited Late Model feature, and Bill Dunn in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
 
     The 40-lap SK Modified feature event several drivers all take a swinging shot at Keith Rocco, but Rocco was able to fend off all challengers to pick up his first feature win of the 2007 season.  Rocco moved to the lead on lap-5, passing early race leader Woody Pitkat.  Pitkat would spend the next 30 laps trying to get around Rocco, with several caution periods slowing the action and giving Pitkat multiple opportunities to take the lead back. Pitkat held tough on the outside groove, but was unable to get around Ruocco.  The final caution came out with 4 laps to go, setting up a dash to the finish.  Rocco again got the drop on the field, with Willie Hardie moving past Pitkat for second.  Rocco was able to pull away from Rocco in the closing laps to take the win.  Hardie finished second with Pitkat, Kerry Malone of Needham, and Jeff Malave rounding out the top-5.
 
       The 30-lap Late Model feature saw several great battles at the front of the pack.  First, Tom Fearn and Jim Peterson battled wheel to wheel with Fearn taking the lead from Peterson on lap-23.  Several late caution periods allowed both Tom Butler and Mike Quintiliano to take a run at Fearn for the lead, but Fearn proved to be too strong on the restarts and he took the
checkered flag for his first win of the 2007 season.  Quintiliano outlasted Butler for second, with Butler, Jim Mavlouganes, and Mark Lewis rounding out the top-5.
 
        The 20-lap SK Light feature saw Chris Matthews outclass the field en route to his second feature win of the season.  Matthews moved out front quickly and pulled away from the field in the early stages, opening up nearly a full straightaway lead by the half-way point.  The battle for second was hot and heavy with Glen Reen and Glenn Griswold contesting the spot.  Reen would eventually move past Griswold to take the spot, but no one was able to catch Matthews.  Rounding out the top-5 behind Matthews, Reen, and Griswold.
 
        The 20-lap Limited Late Model saw Andrew Durand drive to his second consecutive victory in dominating fashion.  Pete Cayer held the early race lead, but surrendered the lead to Paul Conte on lap-4.  Conte then held the lead until lap-13 when Durand completed his charge through the field.  Once Durand got to the lead, he was never challenged as he took his second consecutive checkered flag.  Rick Lanagan finished second, with Sean Foster, Conte, and Bill Davis rounding out the top-5.
 
      The 15-lap DARE Stock feature saw Bill Dunn take the checkered flag to come home a first time career winner at Stafford.  Dunn started the race from the outside pole, and he and Tom Stirk ran door to door with Dunn coming out on top.  By the midway point of the race, Dunn had the lead firmly in his grasp, and he drove away from Stirk, who was locked in a battle with Jim Brice for second.  Brice got by Stirk in the closing laps, but no one had anything for Dunn as he took the checkered flag.  Brice took second, with Stirk, Gil Main, and Norm Sears rounding out the top-5.
 
     We ran into the the Stampfl Clan from Norwood, Foxborough and Plainville at the All-Star Speedway in Epping, NH last weekend for the Modified Open. Daryl races a Pro Stock up there every week while cousin Henry competes in the Modified Division. Denny was also there and told us that he's racing in selected Late Model events at Seekonk Speedway. Denny
just bought a Pro Stock from Jimmy Rosenfield of Middleboro and he'll be in action in some upcoming Pro Stock races such as the $10,000 to win Open at the Wiscasset Speedway in ME on Sunday, May 27. We also understand that Bridgewater's Dick Houlihan sold his Pro Stock which had been parked for over two years to Jimmy Rosenfield. Because Houli is calling it quits after the end of this racing season. Rosenfield plans an active campaign this year racing in Outlaw Pro Stocks in the north country.
 
     Some 19 Modifieds showed up for the All-Star Open. Raynham's Tom Cravenho towed up his SK Modified and ended up seventh in the 150 lapper. Jerry Marquis, driving the Brady #00 out of Brockton, recovered after some mechanical problems and ended the night in eighth.    Henry Stampfl was 17th in that one going out after 35 laps. Robbie Summers of CT survived and took the win along with the four grand plus lap money.
 
     All-Star Speedway has a new track owner Bob MacArthur and he seems determined to bring the track back to prominence. One of his plans is to develop the mid-May Modified Open into a marquee event by paying a strong purse and lap money as an incentive for drivers to fight it out for the lead rather than lay back until the last ten laps.
 
       From Wednesday, May 16 to Sunday, May 20, history will come alive as legendary racing machines from around the world gather to compete at the Seventeenth Annual Vintage Celebration at NHIS.   On Wednesday, May 16 and Thursday, May 17, many of the most famous Midgets, Sprint Cars, Champ Cars, Roadsters, and NASCAR stock cars will fill the Speedway’s 1.058 mile oval.  Fans will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the drivers and car owners who wrote early racing history.
 
            From Friday, May 18 to Sunday, May 20, the 1.6 mile road course at NHIS will challenge veteran competitors from the world of roadracing.  The action will be friendly, but fierce as these vintage sports cars, formula cars, and motorcycles compete for bragging rights.   To add to the excitement and beauty of the celebration, “The Elegance Invitational” will showcase some of the finest automotive restorations in the world on Saturday, May 19. Gates will open every day at 9 a.m.  General admission tickets are $10 per day, with children age 11 and under admitted free.  Tickets will be available at the Speedway Main Gate each day of the show.  Admission to the infield is available for an additional $10 per day.
 
      A pair of Bay State drivers did very well in last weekend's ARCA stockcar event at the Kentucky Motor Speedway. Erin Crocker’s runner-up run tied her career-best giving the Wilbraham, driver her third career ARCA RE/MAX Series second place finish. She also had a shot at winning this event until the closing laps of the race. Bobby Santos, III from Franklin finished third in the Bill Davis Trucking Toyota, marking the highest finish by the Toyota nameplate in ARCA RE/MAX Series history. “I’m pretty happy,” said Santos. “It’s the first time we finished a race so we have something to work with now. We’re just looking forward to the next couple of races. The pit strategy changed a bunch along the way. I felt like we had a fifth place car but awesome pit strategy by the crew chief got us a third place finish.”  This report came from the stockcargazette.com webpage.
 
       At Seekonk Speedway last Saturday night, Vinnie Annarummo of Swansea made it to victory lane in the Pro Stock main.  Assonet's Dean Pettey came in sixth followed by Taunton's Ken Spencer, Rob Murphy of Rochester and John Debrowski of W. Bridgewater. Raynham's Todd Henshaw was 12th, Scott Fournier of Berkley was next and then Scott Dion of Taunton.  Somerset's Kevin Casper took the checkered flag in the Late Models with Holbrook's Barry Shaw cracking the top five. Mark Hudson was eighth with Dick Benoit of Middleboro finishing right behind him. Ron Morgan of Holbrook was 15th while Mike Becker of Avon took 17th overall.  Adam Murphy of Wareham won the Sport Truck main with Hugh Bowser of Taunton taking a third. Andy Jeffery of Middleboro was fourth and Zach Tucan pulled off a sixth place.   Taunton's Mike Lema won the Street Stock feature while Lakeville's Elmer Wing, III cracked the top five. 
 
      Out in Haydenville, OH Ryan Thibault of Tiverton, RI took a fifth place in the AMA National Hillclimb and goes into the next event in Jefferson, PA, fifth overall in the point standings.
 
       Let's see what's happening in southern New England this weekend. Stafford goes Friday night with a NASCAR card. On Saturday it's Armed Forces Night at the Seekonk Speedway and the NEMA Midgets are on the card. Whip City in Westfield has dirt track Mini Sprints and 4 Cyl. Street Stocks. Sunday's offerings include the Tri-State Kart Club at the Pomfret (CT) race course at noon while the Quoboag Riders plan a motorcycle hillclimb early in the morning.  The New England Dirt Track Series holds flat track motorcycle racing at at noon at the Wachusetts Valley Riders Club in Winchendon.   More for the bikers at the Capeway Rovers MotoX track in Middleboro all day Saturday. Lime Rock Park in CT has endurance karting and a SCCA Regional road race on Friday and Saturday. More for the karters at the Shelton (CT) Raceway all weekend. Draggers can head to the New England Dragway in Epping, NH for 1/4 mile racing on Saturday and Sunday.

    Lou Modestino is a long-time columnist and Public Relations person, working for numerous tracks in the northeast, and now writes for The Enterprise in Brockton, MA.  He may be reached at lmodestino@hotmail.com.

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