A LITTLE MORE OF THE
BEST (PHOTO PEOPLE), AND THOSE OF US
THAT WISH WE WERE, and are trying to
be.
I don't know
if being an
original
contributes to
being the best,
but I think it
helps. John
Grady and Russ
Bergh were
taking photos at
Fonda when
flashbulbs and
large black and
white negative's
were the hot
ticket. John
traveled
everywhere
taking photos of
racers going
about their
dangerous
business, and
today if you're
writing a book
about early
stock car racing
in the north
east, and need
photos, John
will be the guy
you go to first.
John's photos
have been in
everything, from
"Speedway
Illustrated" to
the now missing
"Speedway
Scene".
Guys like
John Grady, Russ
Bergh, Ace Lane
and others took
the pictures
that gave life
to the printed
racing stories
of the day.
Thanks fellas.
I've been
taking action
photos since
1983, mostly
school sports
and motocross in
the early days.
Ten years ago
stock cars were
added to my
agenda (I have a
web site that
currently
features local
kids playing
ball, and local
motocross). I
guess most of us
that photograph
motor sports
dream of working
for a racing
magazine, making
big bucks and
being in the big
time. Nice
dream, but in
reality 99.9
percent of us
have the big
bucks invested
in our
equipment, and
do the job for
no bucks (other
than free entry
to the event).
We do it because
we enjoy it,
plus the
challenge of
capturing
interesting
sharp images of
the action going
by at high
speed. I can
speak for all of
us, we don't
want to see
anyone injured,
or wreck their
cars during high
speed flips, but
if it's got to
happen, please
let it happen in
front of me.
John Grady
taking a photo
of "Da Champ"
Rene Charland.
Here he is
again, scouting
out his next
photo. Don't let
that "I'll bite
you if you even
think about
saying hi" look
fool you, John's
a good guy, he's
cool as some
would say.
.
(L-R) John
Grady, Dick
Berggren, Carol
Donato, Bob
Lansing, Derak
Covey, Bubba
Post, Chris
Carpenter, and
GT Smith.
Check out Carol
trying to make
points with
Berggren.
Joe
Alexander took
this photo of
Rich Post and I
during a
delightfull
September shower
at Utica Rome
Speedway. I
don't smoke,
that's a lolly
pop stick.
THE TWO PHOTOS
BELOW WERE TAKEN
AT THE TRACK OF
CHAMPIONS DURING
ONE OF LEW
BOYD'S "FONDA"
BOOK SIGNINGS.
(L-R) Bill
Wimble, Joel
Canfield, John
Tallini (starter
at Utica-Rome
and others),
Don't know, and
"Doc" Blanchard.
(L-R) John
Tallini, Rene
Charland talking
to Lew Boyd, and
Mimi Lazzaro.
In our trip
back in time, it
must be
somewhere in the
mid sixties at
the Track of
Champions by
now, the
changeover from
Sportsman to
Modified was
happening, and
the newly formed
All Star League
was getting it's
start.
The founder
of the All Star
league was Larry
Mendelsohn,
Islip Speedway's
promoter at the
time, and
inventor of the
"Demo Derby"
(1958). The
league was
launched with
participating
dirt and asphalt
speedway's
within the north
east that would
field three-man
teams to compete
in midweek
events. Fonda
Speedway's first
three man team
consisted of Lou
Lazzaro, Dick
Clark and Ronnie
Narducci. Louie
was the league
champ the first
year.
Here's an
All Star group
photo taken at
Fonda. I
recognize Buzzy
between Pete and
Buck, Rene, Bill
Wimble and
Ronnie Narducci
are there. Who
do you
recognize?
Dick Clark
represented
Utica-Rome
Speedway in the
All Star League
(1968).
Photo courtesy
of the Clark
family.
SPORTSMAN TO
MODIFIED IN THE
LATE SIXTIES
NEXT TIME. |
