Northeast Dirt Modified Museum and Hall of Fame

04/12/2026

THE NORTHEAST DIRT MODIFIED MUSEUM AND HALL OF FAME WILL OPEN MAY 3. 2026 .

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04/07/2026

Courtesy of Madsen Motorsports, Brett Hearn’s 2012 Super DIRT Week big-block Modified winner, purpose-built for the Syracuse mile, is now on display in the Northeast Dirt Modified Museum and Hall of Fame, on the grounds of Weedsport Speedway in New York.

The car is in good company: Also on current rotation in the Museum are Kenny Tremont’s 1999 Super DIRT Week winning Troyer big-block; Bob and Michele Faust’s Enders-powered Teo-Pro that Tim Fuller drove to victory at SDW in 2004; Jimmy Phelps’ beautiful HBR Troyer “Mud Buss” that won the final 358 race on the mile in 2015; and a replica No. 22 coupe driven by the late Billy Rafter, who enjoyed great success at Syracuse in the late 1950s and early ’60s. Stewart Friesen’s prizewinning 2015 Teo-Pro, the last car to score on the Syracuse Fairgrounds mile before the track was demolished, will be added to the roster following restoration at Eric Mack’s shop.

Visitors can view these historic race cars, and many others, starting May 3rd when the Museum opens for the season. Hours are Thursdays and Sundays from 12-4 pm, as well as race days at the speedway and during the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on August 13th.

03/26/2026

March 1982 . 44 years ago.

03/26/2026

The Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame joins the racing world in mourning the death and celebrating the life of pioneer driver and fabricator Bob Rossell, who passed away on March 24 after a long illness, with his wife Carol by his side. He was 89.

Rossell, from Jacobstown, NJ, was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in 2018.

Rossell began racing on the paved New Egypt Speedway quarter-mile in 1958, in an old Chevy coupe with an engine out of a junk pile. Working out of NES champion “Stubby” Stevens’ nearby Jacobstown garage, along with his good friend Gil Hearne, Bob was just getting going when the U.S. Air Force took him out of the scene for a year, in 1961.

When Rossell returned, he jumped back in with both feet — barnstorming up and down the Eastern seaboard, tagging along with the infamous “Eastern Bandits,” holding his own with Ed Flemke, Dennis Zimmerman, Rene Charland, Red Foote and the like.

Bob’s big scores include NASCAR’s 200-lap Battle of Bull Run at Old Dominion in 1963, Wall Stadium’s 300-lap Garden State Classic (twice), Langhorne qualifiers at Flemington and Orange County Fair Speedway, five extra-distance events at East Windsor, and a 90-minute timed race on the 1-1/8 mile Nazareth National big track, where he beat the great Frankie Schneider on the last turn of the last lap. After dominating Utica-Rome’s 1963 New Yorker 400, Rossell’s win was protested by Lou Lazzaro, who alleged Bob was pushed across the line. Many months later, NASCAR awarded the win to Lazzaro.

Rossell was a regular in the elite All-Star Racing League from 1967-71.

He was also a sought-after car builder, with top drivers like Will Cagle and Tommy Corellis, among others, finding success in Rossell racers. Cagle ran Rossell cars almost exclusively from 1965-72, arguably some of his best years racing in the Northeast.

It was a great existence until July 1971, when Rossell was critically injured during an All-Star event at Lebanon Valley, almost losing a foot, laid up in Albany Medical Center for 29 days.

Tough and stubborn, Bob was back driving the following spring. By July of ’72, he was back in form, clicking off five wins that summer, including a 100-lap Syracuse qualifier at East Windsor.

Rossell never officially retired — “I put the car on the trailer after a rough night at East Windsor and just never took it off.” — but went on to a second career, building sulkies for Standardbred horses for more than a decade.

03/20/2026

Brian Madsen had Ben drop off this beautiful number 20 to the Northeast Dirt Modified Museum and Hall of Fame. It will be just a few more weeks before we open. Make sure you make time to come and visit us this summer.

03/15/2026

Another nice turnout for the autograph session today. Many younger drivers joined in to get to sit side by side with those that have raced over the years. Today we were joined by Carl Nagel for the first time. Veteran driver that I was fortunate enough to watch race over the years. Photo 2026

03/11/2026

The Dirt Hall of FAME will be doing a Autographs ,this Saturday at the Syracuse Motorsports Expo at the New York state Fairgrounds March 14Th. Hope to see you there .

03/07/2026

The Northeast Dirt Modified Museum and Hall of Fame are at the Fingerlakes Mall this weekend at Fingerlakes Speedworld, stop by and visit with us.

03/03/2026

The Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame sends sincere condolences to the family and friends of “Wild” Bill Rafter, a larger-than-life hero to Western New York race fans since the late 1940s, who died Monday at the age of 96.

Hailing from Clarence Center, NY, Rafter was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1992.

Rafter began building his legendary career as a teenager, back at Buffalo’s Civic Stadium in 1948. Spotting talent, local car dealer John Moran hired the kid to drive his highly-modified ’37 Ford coupe and they proceeded to tear up the record books. When a drivers’ strike shut down the 1951 season, the team followed the racing fumes southward, to Daytona Beach, where Rafter took a credible stab at NASCAR’s newly-formed Grand National series.

Returning north after a military stint, “Wild Bill” picked up right where he left off, winning five extra-distance races in just three days in the fall of 1958—at Monroe County, the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, Civic Stadium, Merrittville and Waterloo. It was the first of four victories he’d score at Syracuse.

Driving a blue and white No. 22 for his brother-in-law Gil Bruss, Rafter was close to unbeatable throughout the 1960s, on both dirt and asphalt.

He was as tough as they come, with no ”give-up” in him: During a 1964 championship event at Merrittville, a rock hit Rafter above his left eye; he continued to two-fist the car to the win, then was immediately transported to the hospital. He had fractured his skull.

Rafter even came back at the end of his career, after a spectacularly fiery engine explosion at Perry Speedway in 1970 landed him in a burn center for a month, where he pleaded with doctors to “let me out for the final race. I just need to run one lap and I’m champion!”

During his 24-year career, “Wild Bill” took titles on both clay and tar, at Civic Stadium, Merrittville, Lancaster, Holland and the NYS Fairgrounds. Rafter was NASCAR’s NYS Sportsman Champion in 1959.

03/01/2026

Come and join The Dirt Hall of Fame at Fingerlakes Speed World at the Fingerlakes Mall , March 7th and 8th . Auburn N.Y.

02/03/2026

Congratulations to second-generation racing icon TIM McCREADIE, whose Modified career was the launchpad for a nation-wide legacy; Southern Tier cyclone MITCH GIBBS, who tore up the New York tracks for more than 40 years; and the late, great BOBBY WILKINS, an honest-to-god hero in his home state of Delaware. These outstanding drivers will be inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame on August 13.

Other honorees in the Class of 2026 are car owner CHRIS LARSEN; mechanic and crew chief JOHN SINE; former promoter and DIRTcar official MIKE PERROTTE; journalist RON HEDGER; and race track safety team leader TERRI MOHRMAN.

The 34th annual event — which will take place in the Museum on the grounds of Weedsport Speedway in New York — is free and open to the public, and will feature pre- and post-ceremony receptions sponsored by the track. So save the date: THURSDAY, AUGUST 13!

Check out the full story in the February 3 issue of AREA AUTO RACING NEWS.

01/16/2026

Please help us get this board filled. We really want to draw the winners!!!

The Northeast Dirt Modified Museum & Hall of fame is doing a raffle for 2 chassis. First place gets to CHOOSE between a 2025 Bicknell, and a 2025 TD5 from Troyer. Second place gets the remainder chassis. Tickets are $100 each. Payment can be made by CC . One of our Members will reach out to you.

There are 200 spots only! Drawing will be held as soon as the raffle board is filled.

Comment the # that you want, and payment MUST be made before that number is secured as yours. It is a first come, to get the # so don’t delay, get yours today.

1 GSR🏁
2 Kelly Smith 🏁
3 Ron Davis Jr 🏁
4 Cole Stangle 🏁
5 John Ferrier 🏁
6 Frank Manitta 🏁
7 Mike Payne 🏁
8 Tracy Doyle 🏁
9 Bob Henry Jr 🏁
10 Anastasia Terrance 🏁
11 Chantarellie 🏁
12 Owen Bird 🏁
13 Doug Reaume 🏁
14 Brian Swarthoat 🏁
15 Jake Davis 🏁
16 Savannah Laflair 🏁
17 Steve Kirkey 🏁
18 Mark Millerd 🏁
19 Jamie Stacy 🏁
20 D Dietrich 🏁
21 RJ Tresidder 🏁
22 Todd Morey 🏁
23 Joey ladouceur 🏁
24 John Ferrieir 🏁
25 Scott Webb 🏁
26 Matt Stangle 🏁
27 Steve Stirling 🏁
28 Stephen Marshall 🏁
29 The Lutinskis 🏁
30 Jim Mahaney 🏁
31 Steven Beckwith🏁
32 Ronnie Davis III🏁
33 Uagh Curtis 🏁
34 George Foley/ Nick Heywood 🏁
35 The Lutinskis 🏁
36
37 Kenny Polite 🏁
38 Alan Weaver 🏁
39 Jordan Kelly 🏁
40
41 Emma Haers 🏁
42 Daryl Nutting 🏁
43 T-Bone 🏁
44 Harry Muphy 🏁
45 Mike Lupold 🏁
46
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48 Dave Rauscher 🏁
49
50 GSR 🏁
51 GSR 🏁
52 Audrey Wight 🏁
53
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55 Andrew Eaton 🏁
56
57 Remmington Hamm 🏁
58 Marnita Reimert 🏁
59 Janick Mathieu 🏁
60 Dan Gill 🏁
61 Alan Weaver 🏁
62 Bob Bennett 🏁
63 Wes Moody 🏁
64
65 Chris Curtis 🏁
66 Audrey Terrance 🏁
67 Michael Sabia 🏁
68 Stew Friesen 🏁
69 Fred Edick 🏁
70 Josh Coonradt 🏁
71 Chris Crane 🏁
72 Hunter Hollenbeck 🏁
73
74 Bobby Schworm 🏁
75 Ron Degroff 🏁
76 Steve Sterling 🏁
77 Nate Sherlock 🏁
78 Patty Madsen 🏁
79 Josh Wilson 🏁
80 Mike Button 🏁
81 Heath Wetzger 🏁
82
83 Tim Sears 🏁
84 Wess Moody 🏁
85 Marnita Reimert 🏁
86
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88 Buzz Chew 🏁
89 Megan Hogan 🏁
90
91 SJP🏁
92 Tristan Ladouceur 🏁
93
94 Rich Crane / 711 Racing 🏁
95
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97 Randy Casselman🏁
98
99 Cole Cobb 🏁
100 GSR 🏁
101 GSR 🏁
102 Joseph Tonnies 🏁
103 Randy Slack 🏁
104
105 Audrey Terrance 🏁
106 Tom Sims 🏁
107
108 Pat Lynch 🏁
109 Matt Sheppard 🏁
110 Ethan Richardson 🏁
111 Chantarellie 🏁
112 Corey Macqueen 🏁
113 Nate Powers 🏁
114 Rocky Warner 🏁
115 Ashton Pierson 🏁
116 Gary Grim 🏁
117 CJ Castelletti 🏁
118
119
120 Stock Car Steve 🏁
121
122
123 Darrell Welty 🏁
124 George Rushlow🏁
125 Amy Holland 🏁
126 Steve Kirney 🏁
127 Randy Murray 🏁
128
129 Michael J Weber Jr 🏁
130
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132
133
134 Taylor Smith 🏁
135 Chris Cutris 🏁
136
137 Denise Mangini 🏁
138 Tim Harris 🏁
139
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143 Mark Oconnor 🏁
144 Taylor Doxlater 🏁
145
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148
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150 GSR🏁
151 GSR🏁
152
153 Johnathan Haers 🏁
154
155
156 Kolin Vanorstrand🏁
157 Tammy Eglin 🏁
158 Marshall Hurd 🏁
159
160
161 James Little 🏁
162 Heath Metzger 🏁
163
164
165
166 Anastasia Terrance 🏁
167
168
169
170 Billy Cook 🏁
171 Nick Ventura 🏁
172 Kevin Zielinski 🏁
173
174
175 Chris Therrien 🏁
176 April May Preston Elms 🏁
177 Mitchell Bard 🏁
178
179
180
181 Josh Mazzorella🏁
182
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184 Tim Millman 🏁
185
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187
188 Dylan Kirkland🏁
189
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194 Jerry Haers v
195
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199 Amelia Wight 🏁
200 GSR