60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

JBull, me thinks that was a captioning error by a trade paper on that shot of Don Stives and that #61 coupe at Wall Stadium. I don't believe that's an Evans car. If it is, it's one I haven't ever seen. Of course, I've been wrong before!

 

From what I have seen throughout this thread Richie Evans must have had at least fifty different cars during his career or at least fifty different paint schemes. There must be thirty different paint schemes on the coupes alone. The later modifieds have at least ten or twelve. Its amazing he would have to repaint the cars so often. Allstarracing

 

Found more mods with super wings. These were posted back on page 42.

 

Terry1, both those shots are from the Modified Madness event at Stafford on a Tuesday night in the summer of '76. Two Modified legends sporting wings borrowed from two Supermodified legends, Troyer with Jim Shampine's green one and Evans with the 10-Pins wing of Nolan Swift. Both photos, I suspect, were originally snapped by talented Mike Adaskaveg.

 

By the way, that's Geoff Bodine glancing over at Maynard's car from the black (actually unpainted) Armstrong Pinto. And deep in the background, I see Ronnie Bouchard checking out his ride, the Judkins #2X. Some real heroes in these pics!

 

I used to love the " Run what ya brung " shows.

 

Lou Funk Mopar. I always thought this was a late model forced to run with the mods at Thompson. I know a few used to tag the rear of the field now and then. They'd just throw on some 15" tires.

 

That Funk #58 was a Chrysler Kit Kar. Lots of guys used 'em as Late Models, and in Northern New England they had great success in the hands of Joey Kourafas and Ralph Nason. Funk ran his only as a Modified, never as a Late Model, as far as I know. I never could figure that one out, because they seemed a bit big (and maybe heavy) for a Modified. But those cars were fairly cheap and very well engineered, with Pete Hamilton doing a great deal of the R&D. (By the way, a struggling young guy named Dale Earnhardt did much of the dirt-track R&D for Chrysler, logging many laps in a Kit Kar on the OLD Concord Speedway.)

 

Lou Funk was a Danbury guy, who only raced at Thompson when Danbury closed and the SNYRA raced at Thompson. I don't know of any Nascar races he was involved in (of course I may be wrong).

 

Zoera, Lou did run occasionally in those wonderful Sunday-night small-block events at Thompson in the mid-'70s, before NASCAR's return to Thompson and before SNYRA ventured there, as well. Those were great events, bringing in small-block guys from Waterford, Plainville, Claremont, Monadnock, Westboro, and Seekonk, as well as NASCAR heroes like DeSarro, Stevens, Flemke, Cleary, and the Bouchards. A handful of Danbury guys showed up at Thompson occasionally, including Funk, Dave Smeriglio, and Bones Stevens. Cool memories.

 

The 61 is Bob Finger, a Wall regular.

 

I stand corrected. I thought SNYRA didn't allow their members running different sanctioned shows, like Nascar did for a number of years. Great thing about this forum is learning new information about modified racing history.

 

Well, Zoera, that may have been the case at one point, so we may both be half-right. But in the mid-1970s, SNYRA had no need to be over-protective, since their members probably realized that had a sweet deal at Danbury. Even if a few SNYRA guys went to Thompson, or a Plainville open-comp show, they'd certainly be back at the Racearena come Saturday night!

 

Thanks for setting the record straight 4everblue. I didn't think it was an Evans car, either.

JBull

 

Johnnyone,

I don't recall Geoff Bodine ever winning at Islip or Riverhead. I checked a few programs with all time win lists in them and do not see him listed as a winner at either track. However, you might have been thinking about the Sutz & Sutz 200 at Freeport back in 1974. Charlie Jarzombek set a track record in time trials and sat on the pole. Bodine was on the outside pole and Richie Evans was third. At the drop of the green Jarzombek just sped away and dominated and had at least a half a lap lead on Bodine and Evans who were second and third. Unfortunately, Charlie was trying to lap "three lane Wayne" Anderson when they tangled. Charlie got a flat and bent his tie rod. Bodine inherited the lead and held on for the win over Evans, Bugsy Stevens and Maynard Troyer. Charlie lived up to his name, as after changing the flat tire and losing a lap, the charging one roared up through the field like a man possessed to finish fifth with a bent front end on Maynard Troyer's back bumper.






Regards.

JBull

 

Some more early shot of the Rapid Roman....


in the pits with possibly Maynard Troyer and or Jerry Cook behind him







Richie in fast company chasing Bobby Merz in what I believe is the Turner Brothers Corvaire. The coaches of Roger Treichler #74 and Mike Loescher #88 blanket Richie at Spencer Speedway




Richie besting Lou Lazzaro #4 and Sonny Seamon #50 in a 100 lapper at Utica Rome





Richie chasing Andy Romano #97 and Lou Lazzaro #4 at Utica Rome. The caption says to note the new window safety nets mandated by Nascar.




Richie trying to avoid the spinning #25 of Andy Haley with Bob Hudson #10 and Gary Iulg in the #56








Richie slugging it out again with his rival Geoff Bodine in his #99 valiant





Here is a rare one: Richie on the dirt at New Brewerton Speedway. I don't think it is an all star event, possibly a Genessee Beer point race event. Didn't Genessee Beer have a big point fund? Back in the late 60's early 70's I believe they crowned three champions: the asphalt champion, the dirt champion and a combined champ. I though I remember seeing Richie Evans run for that along with Lou Lazzaro, Dave Lape, Harry Peek, Merv Triechler...




a familiar spot

 

battling Merv Trichler in the #58

 

2 shots of Richie at Islip Speedway











a win at Weedsport...I would think this is another rare shot...note they called him the "Little Roman" not the Rapid Roman






and at Wall Stadium....winning on all surfaces and at all tracks....











Richie in a coupe (probaby around 1972) racing the Armstron 1 with Ray Hendrick in it and the Nick Ronka in the #7




Stacking them up at Shangri-La.
Richie in the #61 amd Ed Flemke in the #09






Thanks, John

 

I was wondering if anyone had any pics of Richie on dirt. I'm guessing that's 1973 at Brewerton. I'm not sure if Brewerton would have been part of the Genesee Point fund. Brewerton went dirt in 1972, but only had a couple races. They did have a Schaefer Qualifier in '73 though. Richie did have a win at Weedsport in 1971.

Edit: Oh sure, you posted the Weedsport win while I was typing. That was June 20, 1971. It was his only win at Weedsport.

 

A bit of a long shot, but would anyone know anything about this race?
I believe this was 1971.

Thanks.

 

You're right Bones, I remember seeing Lou Funk Jr., Don LaJoie, Corky Cookman, Bob Riley, and Bones Stevens at Stafford and Thompson back in those years at special shows though (Sizzler, Stafford 200, Ice Breaker, Thompson 300, etc.)

Great pics JBull!

 

Wow, they only ran two races that year, both in July. This had to be the first race. The second only had a seven car field. That's a great pic. I know he ran Weedsport a few times. That's where my sister became a Richie fan.

From Brewerton's website:

1972 David Snyder of Baldwinsville took over the promotional duties at Brewerton Speedway and converted the 1/4-mile paved track into a 1/3-mile D-shaped dirt track throughout May and June. Snyder ran Modifieds on Thursday and Saturday nights, with Barry Harrington as the track manager. The first race on the new dirt was run on Thursday July 20, with Will Cagle the winner. On Saturday July 22, George Ely won a Dirt Modified race with just a seven car field, which ended racing for the year.

 

I wonder if that's a nickname track announcer Jack Burgess gave him. Jack was a legend, but he could come up with some awful nicknames.

 

o.k. i have been off the island for 30 yrs. can any body tell me what ever became of bethpage's billy auer?

 

Jbull, great pictures of Richie, thanks for sharing..... One that got my attention is the top photo of post 10491, the one with the "Amishman" beard/goatee........That is the spittin' image of the Richie Jr., at least the last time I saw him...............kt

 

KT, that's the very same thought I had.

 

another danbury racerarena legend has pass on.
jimmy smith 5 time track champ.

 

RIP, Mr. Smith. An accomplished racer and a fine guy, for sure.

 

If you have a chance, Gary Danko's recent interview with Richie Evans former crew chief Billy Nacewicz is very interesting and he talks about some things that may surprise many of you.

One of the things I found fascinating is that he always refers to him as "Rich."

The interview with Billy starts at ~ 30:00 minutes

Here is the link: http://garydanko.speedwaylinereport.com/

Regards,

Moselli (Richie)

 

According to this, Bob Judkins wasn't the first Pinto bodied modified. Or should I say, NASCAR legal Pinto. Just an interesting observation. The 2X got credit for the Pinto revolution. 1971 ?
Seen here leading the pack in his trend-setting Pinto is the Speedbowl’s Seabury Tripler. This car arguably set the standard for the “modern-era” of Modifieds, pre-dating the Judkins #2X which is widely-acknowledged as the first-ever NASCAR-legal Pinto. (Mercury Photo).