March 17, Brockton, MA--- Pete Giammalvo of Westminster, Mass. has a been a proponent of flat track motorcycle dirt track going way back to the 60's and 70's. At that time here were just three tracks in New England during those years. The old Bryar Motorsports Park in Loudon, NH, Waterford, Conn. and another track in Alstead, NH. That was it in New England. While in New York State there were several venues during that time. And local riders looked at the Empire State with envy.

In spite of all the limitations New England was able to produce several champions. Among them Ken Coolbeth of Morris, Conn., who took there AMA championships last year. This year will be Pete's 16th year promoting the New England Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Dealers Association's Ben Campanale Laconia 1/2 Mile at the Rochester (NH) Fairgrounds this June during 85th Annual NH Bike Week. The $10,000 purse for the Twins Class is being put up by the New England Harley Dealers. It's set for Friday night, June 13 and Coolbeth will be back with his H-D 750 looking for another win on his home turf. The following night there's also a New England Dirt Track Series event at the Jolly Roger Motorsports Park in E. Lempster, NH and tentatively another short track at the Canaan, NH on Sunday to round out the big weekend.

Pete also owns and operates the NEDTS flagship track, Wachusetts Valley Riders Club in Winchendon, Mass, which hosts a number of NEDTS events during the racing season. The principal had several problems keeping WVR open and expensive permit battles and lawsuits. Not to mention closings of the track for a few years. But, he finally got it reopened two years ago. Giammalvo has also expanded the NEDTS series to other new venues such as the Brockton and Northampton Fairgrounds in Mass. in recent years. He's also involved as an organizer for the ice racing at the Hamilton Sportsman Club in Sturbridge, Mass. and new this year the indoor dirt track racing complex MotoTown in Windsor, Conn. "Looking back on the last 40 years I've seen this sport come a long way,” said Pete.

Casella Waste Management will present a 100-lap stock car race for the NAPA Tiger Sportsman division at Barre’s Thunder Road on Sunday, August 10. The Casella 100 compliments a jam-packed 2008 schedule full of special events, including four appearances by the American-Canadian Tour Championship Late Models, the CARQUEST Governor’s Cup 100, the 24th Annual M&M Beverage Enduro 200, and Vermont’s first open-wheel Modified stock car race in over 20 years – the True Value Modified Racing Series 100 at the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic.

East Montpelier veteran Joey Laquerre, 64, has won each of the last three 100-lap Sportsman events at Thunder Road, including the two previous editions of the Casella 100. He defeated Pete Ainsworth and Shawn Fleury by a car length for the Casella 100 victory in 2006, and last year recovered from a final-turn scuffle to beat Craig Bushey and Nick Sweet by just six feet. He also won the WDEV 100 last June.

The addition of the 100-lap Tiger Sportsman race on Sunday, August 10 creates a slight shuffle in Thunder Road’s 2008 season schedule; the annual Casella Waste Management event was originally slated for Sunday, May 18, but that race date has been cancelled in favor of the mid-summer slot. The Sun., Aug. 10 date will also have a special post time at 5 p.m. Thunder Road’s 49th season opens on Sunday, May 4 with the 10th Annual Merchants Bank 150.

Leading automaker Toyota will begin its entry into grassroots short track stock car racing through its Courtesy Toyota dealership in Berlin, VT with the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model Championship series and at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl in Barre, VT in 2008. Toyota is now the Official Vehicle of ACT and Thunder Road. The new ACT Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma Official Safety Trucks and the new ACT Toyota Camry Official Pace Car will be unveiled at the season’s first event at Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire on Sun., April 20. The Tundra, Tacoma, and Camry vehicles will also be on display at Courtesy Toyota’s home opener on Merchants Bank 150 weekend in downtown Barre City, VT and at Thunder Road. The new vehicles will be on display in the annual Merchants Bank Car Show in Barre City on Sat., May 3, and in action at the Merchants Bank 150 on Sun., May 4.

When the True Value Modified Racing Series rolls into Twin State Speedway, Claremont, NH. in September, the first ever race there for the fifth year series will honor the memory of one of it’s finest competitors.

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. 28 as part of the Twin State Speedway Fall Challenge, a two day event.

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. 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 it’s 1999 closing.

The addition of the September race to the TVMRS schedule has generated a tremendous amount of interest from fans and racers. The opportunity to honor and remember one of the speedways greatest names make’s the event that more special.

Marketing director John Hoyt opined, “The TVMRS and TSS worked very hard to get the series back to where many of the original series drivers called home. We all knew that this event was going to be big, now with the addition of the Miller family as part of this event, it is going to be special. For me this event is now very personal, not only is it being held at my home track but I also get to honor the person that got me involved in racing. The very first racecar I ever worked on was Ricky’s. He and the Miller family provided me with opportunities in this sport that few people ever get. In racing there is no higher honor than to be called a Racer. Ricky Miller was a Racer.”

TSS race director Mike Parks noted that the late racer was a big part of the tracks long history. “We wanted to make this event as special as we can, so with the help of the TVMRS and Donnie and Barbara Miller, what a way to bring the Mods back. Ricky cut his teeth racing at the Thrasher Road oval from the start of his racing career, racing in the street stocks with his AMC Javelin. From that point he made the jump to the pro stock class again with many feature wins to his credit. The Miller family has a long history at TSS as Ricky’s dad Donnie “The Golden Jet “Miller was a multi time track champion at the speedway. TSS is proud to be able to honor Ricky with this event.”

Series founder Bateman fondly remembered Miller who passed away in 2004. “I am really happy that the TVMRS and Twin State Speedway have been able to put this together. Donnie Miller is a longtime friend who I raced with for many years. Donnie was one of Claremont’s modified hero’s, known as” The Golden Jet”. His son Ricky followed in his footsteps racing on the local short tracks. He was a strong competitor and became a good friend to me and many in the local racing fraternity. I know that we are all going work really hard to make the series’ inaugural visit to Twin State a huge success. I want to thank track owner Dennis Fleury and everyone involved for making this happen.”

The legendary “Golden Jet” Donnie Miller was emotionally overwhelmed to learn that his late son was going to be remembered in front of many of the drivers he raced with and is hoping for a big turnout from modified fans from all over New England. “Ricky’s mother, sister, brother, and I are so honored to have a racing tribute in Ricky’s memory. He would be very proud and so humbled to have a modified racing event to include his name and memory. Ricky was a true racer and the now Twin State Speedway (formerly Claremont Speedway) was where he cut his teeth in racing at a very young age. It is also where he raced his last race. He raced from Maine to Florida in many different divisions and was moving up racings ladder of success when he was taken from us in the prime of his life.”

The New England racing great added that this race has an additional meaning for him and his family. “I want this event to mean something special and that is why I have decided to make it a fund raiser for Kyle and Patty Petty’s Victory Junction Gang Camp located in North Carolina. Kyle and Patty Petty also lost their son Adam Petty at a very young age. They founded this camp to help chronic and terminally ill children in Adam’s memory.

Out of all tragedy comes some good and if we can raise some money to help give some chronic and terminally ill children a little happiness in their lives it will sure help us. I hope we can get support from all of the businesses in and around the Claremont area and the race fans to make this a great success. It would be great to be able to make a nice sized donation to the Victory Junction Gang Camp.”

Miller closed saying, “I would like to say thank you very much from the bottom of my heart to all those involved in making this happen. You know who you are and it is greatly appreciated.”

Jeff Wood of Winchendon, MA ended up ninth in the Superstock race aboard his Suzuki at Daytona during Bike Week. In the Superbike event Shane Narbonne of Lowell, MA came in 20th.

Let's see what's happening in northern New England this weekend. Spud Speedway up in Caribou, Maine offers Vintage Sled racing starting at noon Saturday. On Sunday Winterport Dragway in Maine will hold a competitors meeting at 10 a.m. Sunday at The Boathouse in Belfast, Maine. Caribou Speedway comes back Sunday with SnowX racing stating at 9 a.m.

    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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