News

The annual New England Racers Reunion presented by Autopac Gallery is set to feature a variety of race cars and race motorcycles for outdoor display at the New England Racing Museum (922 NH Route 106, Loudon, NH) on Saturday May 4th. The event will showcase racing exhibits from the Ron Bouchard Museum, Fred Harbach Mobile Museum, Ollie Silva Mobile Museum and the Maine Vintage Race Car Association. ACOT, STAR and NEAR will have car corrals. New for this year will be a historic drag racing cackle. The event is the season opening fundraiser for the nonprofit museum.

For the second time the Jim Martel Best of Show Trophy supported by Seals-It will be presented by son Scott Martel. “Gentleman Jim” Martel raced across New England for four decades in cutdowns, supermodifieds, sprint cars and stock cars. He won feature races across the region from the quarter mile Hudson Speedway to the ultra-fast Thompson Speedway. We are pleased to name the best of show trophy in memory of hall of famer, restorer and former board member Jim Martel.

New for this year is the historic drag racing cackle. The cackle display will feature historic drag racing cars from multiple eras. The engine cackle is set to shake and rumble the earth at noon and again at 1pm. This display is supported by the Orientals Hot Rod Club, Ty-Rods Hot Rod Club and independent car owners.

Notable first time displays include Armand Boisvert’s big block supermodifieds, Jomar road racers owned by Tony Leeds and Alex Saidel, Ray Boissoneau’s 1948 Kurtis-Kraft KK2000 Indycar, Pat Wood modified owned by Jim Smith, Kevin LeCompte’s 1966 Dodge A 100 and Alex Kitzen’s X90 Fred Harbach Pinto Modified. Circle track race cars will roar to life at 12:30 with our annual start your engine command.

Best appearing awards sponsored by Autopac Gallery of Laconia, NH will be presented at 1:30pm. The awards will be the Jim Martel Trophy for best of show, Mary Lima best appearing modified, best appearing open wheel race car, best appearing stock car race car, best appearing drag race car, best appearing race motorcycle and best appearing road race car. Judging team will consist of Jim Lowrey Jr, Scott Martel and Tom Netishen. Vehicle owners may arrive starting at 7:30am with the show opening to the public at 9am. The cost to enter a race car or race motorcycle in the event is $20 per entrant, which also provides you two tickets to view the museum. The event is supported by Seals-It, The Martel Family and Hart’s Turkey Farm.

The museum will be open from 9am till 4pm the day of the event. The New England Racing Museum is the regions premier motor racing museum and displays 30+ historic race cars and motorcycles. Admission to view the outdoor fundraising event is $5 per adult. Admission to view the indoor museum is $15 for adults with kids under 12 free to view both outdoors and indoors. As always museum members view the museum for free. An onsite food truck will be available and a 50/50 raffle will take place. The event is a fundraiser for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit New England Racing Museum. A rain date is set for Sunday May 5th.