News Director 
Story By: MATTHEW WIERNASZ / NE RACERS AUCTION – SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Sunoco Race Fuels/Hoosier Tire East Racers’ Auction & Trade Show presented by CARQUEST Genden Auto Parts will be held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA on Saturday December 2nd from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
This will be the first featured event of this kind here in the New England Region. Longtime Promoter, Joe Lewandoski, along with Auction Manager Don Sorel Jr and longtime supporter of racing Rocky Arbitell are putting on the event.
“CARQUEST Genden Auto Parts is excited to be involved in this trade show. Obviously, with the history of Riverside, the local racing community and Stafford Springs being so close many of our customers and associates have been or still are involved in racing,” John Lameroux of CARQUEST Gendon Auto Parts said.
“We are happy to be involved with any kind of buzz we can put on short track racing. This will be a new different event. I am excited about it. I know other parts of the country that have had these racers’ auctions and trade shows and they have been successful,” John Holland of Sunoco/New England Race Fuels stated.
“We’re excited to bring something new to New England. The facility fits us perfect. We have free parking. It’s a concept that’s proven to be successful for racers all over the country. We’re excited to bring it here to the Northeast,” said Auction Manager Don Sorel Jr.
Two auctioneers that will oversee the auction are Gregg McKarns and Dave Derry. Derry was the last general manager at Riverside Park Speedway back in 1999. McKarns owns Madison International Speedway in Oregon, WI. Derry’s family owns Rockford Speedway in Rockford, IL. McKarns and Derry own Midwest Racers Auction. They have been doing auctions in the Midwest for three decades.
Companies from all over New England will be representing their products. Up to 600 new and used race related items will be going up for auction consigned by race teams.
Joe Lewandoski is inviting 25-30 racetracks from the New England Region and parts of Eastern New York. All race tracks will receive a free 10 x 10 booth at the show.
At least six to eight technical seminars will be held at the show. People will get to talk to representatives from different race tracks along with different sanctioning bodies.
There will be a Riverside Park Speedway reunion sponsored by Teddy Bear Pools & Spas, Williams Distributing and SpaceFitters that will be held at the event from 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Riverside Park Speedway closed back on October 17th, 1999. Fans can come down and share memories they had at Riverside Park Speedway as it was the place to attend on Saturday nights where people would watch the Tour Type Modifieds. They would see their heroes such as NASCAR Hall Of Fame Drivers Richie Evans and Jerry Cook. Also the all time winningest driver in tour type modified competition at the quarter mile oval, Reggie Ruggiero, as well as drivers Mike Stefanik, Stan Greger and Bob Polverari. KGM Video will host a movie party in the meeting room that will bring people back to memory lane of the quarter mile oval.
“I had a long time affiliation as a sponsor, car owner and driver of vehicles back in the early 80’s and 90’s at Riverside Park Speedway. I had the opportunity to meet Joe Lewandoski and I thought he did a great job with promotions and helping the drivers and owners. The MassMutual Center is an area we can go to and we can make it happen. I am excited about it. We’re of course going to have the last Riverside pace car there. I am hoping that a lot of the former drivers, owners, fans and sponsors will take the opportunity to attend the reunion along with other activities that day,” Ted Hebert, Owner of Teddy Bear Pools & Spas said
NEAR/New England Antique Racers will be attending. They are going to do a 50/50 raffle for a club fundraiser. NEAR is known for nostalgia of auto racing along with the restoration of antique race cars.
Free Secured Parking will be offered three blocks away from the MassMutual Center for cars, trucks and trucks with trailers. There will also be free parking throughout the Downtown Springfield area. If people would like to park in the MassMutual Center garage it is only $7.
