![]() With a track championship for the late Richie Evans, named in 1998 as one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers of all time. ![]() The 1980s arrived! The track's final reconfiguration and repaving to15 degree banking would be added in the mid 1980s. Invaders that raced at "The Park" seeking NASCAR National Modified Championship points included Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, Geoff Bodine, Jim Spencer, John Blewitt Jr and "Captain Sizzle" Mark Malcuit from Ohio, some would go on to become champions in several of NASCAR's top series. The winner of the first NASCAR-sanctioned event was Bob Polverari. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing began sanctioning events at Riverside Park Speedway in 1976. 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. Evonsion, Bob Polverari, Reggie Ruggiero and others. Some of Riverside Park's local stars during the early and mid 1970's included S.J. The bleacher seating surrounding the track was also removed to make way for the 6,200 chair back seats. In 1971 the track's configuration was changed to a bigger 1/4 mile oval, with slightly higher banking in the turns. The 1970s were a decade of change for the facility, as physical and managerial changes were put into place that made the track what it was until its final season. In the grandstands, loyalties to different drivers became fierce, where one sat in the stands was determined by what driver one was rooting for. 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. The 1960s were popular years for stock car racing at Riverside Park. ![]() 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. and the Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Mass. Other tracks in the area - Century Stadium in Springfield, Mass. Drivers such as Ted Tappet, Benny Germano, Jocko Maggiacomo, Jerry Humiston, Ed Flemke and Buddy Krebs were the drivers to beat throughout the 1950s. ![]() The United Stock Car Racing Club events drew 6,000-8,000 fans every Saturday night.īy 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. International sports car racing star Phil Walters, who raced modifieds and midgets under the name "Ted Tappett", won the season championship. The first full season of stock car racing was 1949. The pit area was alongside the Connecticut River with large Grandstands being built on the hill leading from the amusement park down to the race track. Carroll demolished the dance hall that had burned down that year and in its place rose a 1/5 mile nearly flat paved oval track. Riverside Park Speedway ("The Park") was built in 1948. Riverside Speedway was a NASCAR short track that was inside of Riverside Fun Park in Agawam, Massachusetts. ![]()
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