NEAR Hall of Fame Adds Galullo, D’Amore, Bardwell

NEAR Hall of Fame Adds Galullo, D’Amore, Bardwell

Pioneering New England modified star the late Danny Galullo, early car owner Louie D’Amore, and the much-celebrated racer Buddy Bardwell have been added to the New England Auto Racing’s Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011 by the organization’s Veterans Committee. The trio will join nine previously selected nominees at the 14th annual Induction Banquet on Sunday, Jan. 30 at LaRenaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT. Ticket forms will be on the NEAR website (www.near1.com) in the near future. The three veterans will be inducted along with the previously selected drivers Punky Caron, Dan Meservey, Russ Nutting and Jerry Dolliver, car owners Rich & Ray Garuti, Stanley “Skip” Matczak, Vic Kangas, and Speedway Scene publisher Val Lesieur.

A multi-time Riverside Park champion, “Dangerous Dan” Galullo was one of the premier players within the former United Stock Car Racing Club. Also on his career resume is the 1962 United Stock Car Racing Club Grand Championship, a feat accomplished by winning at many of the United-sanctioned tracks that once dotted the Northeast. He recorded multiple victories at Plainville Stadium, Waterford Speedbowl, West Haven, Cherry Park, Malta, NY, and Springfield, MA. He also competed in the NASCAR Grand National Division at New Jersey’s Old Bridge Stadium in 1956. Following a serious heart-attack, Galullo retired from the sport while still in his prime. He passed-away in 1974.

Harboring a life-long interest in auto racing, as a young man Louie D’Amore attended automotive trade school in Dedham, Ma. Following graduation, he owned sprint cars from the late thirties through early fifties. His car won the first-ever feature race at Thompson on May 26, 1940. He campaigned at virtually every track in the Northeast featuring sprinters enjoying success at venues such as Reading, Bloomsburg, Williams Grove, Dover, and Flemington. His cars were routinely sought out by the top drivers of the era such as future Indy 500 winner, Lee Wallard and URC champion, Bob Cooney. Today at 92 years-of-age, D’Amore campaigns a replica of his original #10 sprint cart on the Northeast vintage circuit assisted by his sons.

“Blazing Buddy” Bardwell (so-named by young announcer Ken Squire), started his remarkable New England racing career in 1949 at Brattleboro, VT. driving a 1934 Ford coupe for car owner Perley Fielders. From-there, he went on to score many wins at Northeastern haunts such as Keene and Claremont in New Hampshire, Massachusetts’ Rhythm Inn, and Brattleboro, Vermont in naming just a few. A typical racing weekend for the always-active Bardwell started on Thursday and concluded on Sunday evening. Utilizing his familiar Hudson-powered #13 1934 Ford coupe with the distinctive “steer-horns” adorning its roof, Bardwell was not only a crowd-favorite, but a huge winner. In later years, he became an active participant on the vintage circuit with the same car.