, 51, who grew up in Danbury, started racing at the Racearena when he was 21. He died of a heart attack during the August 21, 1965, race. , who despite having chest pains, wrapped himself in bandages so he could drive. Wearing an old helmet, ran into another race car and spun around into a tree fracturing his skull. "I took "Campi" to the hospital," said Wells of a race in the mid-1960s where He used a different alias every week so his wife wouldn't find out he was racing.īut she did find out and he gave up racing and drove the ambulance for 20 years. Sandi Cole's father, Bob Wells, raced from 1950 to 1954. "It is wonderful to see all this support," said Cole who gave up every event except her prom to attend the races. "In this organization, we have become a family," said We reviewed hundreds of pages of police reports, criminal case filings and court data related to intimate partner violence in Connecticut. It was a one-of-a-kind place.ĭoug Cole of Bethel met his wife, Sandi, through the Racearena. "When people opened the gates, people could be seen running to get their seats," said Broderick. He is a five-time NASCAR champion racing Featherlike Modifieds. He is the only one from the modified car division at the race arena, who continues to race. , 46, of Brookfield who raced at the track in 19.
Here we are 20 years later and look around at all these people." There was a lot of rivalry, but it was a big family. "A standing crowd was 8,000 to 10,000 people. "Every Saturday night during the summer, you knew where everyone was going to be," said , 72, of Ridgefield, who raced from 1953 to 1975 at the Racearena. , started racing for NASCAR North in 1983. "Nothing today has come close to our racing," he said.Īt the last race in 1981, he took second place. "I was what you would call a rabbit," said LaJoie, 66, of Norwalk, who runs LaJoie's Auto Wrecking. Driving the Ford, #711, LaJoie was the SNYRA's point champion in 1974, 1975, 1976, 19. It took Bob Scott 13 years to build the race car with a beer keg in the trunk that served as its gas tank, said LaJoie. "If a fight broke out here, we'd feel right at home," joked Tomasini of the enthusiastic race fans.Ī copy of the 1935 Ford that Don LaJoie raced at the race arena was on display for people to check out. "It was a place to socialize," recalls Pettit. People sat by the same people - their Saturday night family." "I have came and saw people I haven't seen in 20 years," said Tomasini. , 44, of Danbury, who attended races from age 5 into his 20s. The red and blue Pinto body #42 race car driven by Carmine Bennicasa of Norwalk was on display.Įveryone used called to call Bennicasa "the reindeer killer."ĭuring warm ups before a race at the Racearena, Bennicasa he ran into a race car sending his car flying out of the park and into a giant plexiglass reindeer at the Danbury Fair.Ī stuffed reindeer could be seen under the Pinto race car Sunday. "It's nice to see the old cars again," he said. Their father Mark Trester, 45, used to attend the races at Danbury Racearena. Adults and children had the chance to see how fast they could change the tires with a power screwdriver. Near Szegedy's race car, Bethel Power Equipment demonstrated how quickly a pit crew changes tires during a race. Nadeau was also at the reunion signing autographs. , grew up in Danbury, and later moved to North Carolina.
"It goes to show how important this track was in the beginning of racing," said Szegedy. He has talked to people in North Carolina who have heard of Danbury's Racearena. "Danbury is that hidden sleeping giant," where race fans still remain. "It's nice to see so many supporters of racing in general. "This is a lot bigger than I expected," said Szegedy. "It was so different than any other track," said Mockovak. On the day she was born, her father drove that night at the Danbury Racearena. , 36, of Newtown, grew up around racing and raced her own car at a New Hampshire track from 1990 to 2001. "It was the drivers, the cars, the excitement," said Frede said he loved "the drivers, the cars, the excitement" of the races.Īn estimated 2,500 people came to ogle at the cars Sunday, talk to former Racearena drivers, get autographs and to swap stories and remember. He collected several which make up the scrapbook. At every race, his father would give him $1 to buy three racing pictures. asked Stevens to sign near the picture.įrede started going to the races when he was 12.