Seekonk Speedway Owner Selected to Auto Racers Hall of Fame

The Venditti family has owned and operated since its opening in 1946, and now Irene Venditti has been selected to join her late husband, Dominic Anthony Venditti, in the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in honor of her years of work promoting the raceway.

“The Venditti family is very proud and honored with this achievement,” said Ed St. Germain of Seekonk Speedway. Dominic Venditti was elected to the NEAR Hall of Fame in 1999, after he owned and operated the track until his death in 1991. Irene took over following his death and currently runs the track with the help of her son, Francis, who is the track’s vice president, and her grandson, David Alburn, the race director.

Venditti will be inducted during the 15th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Sunday Jan. 29, at the La Renaissance Banquet Hall in East Windsor, CT. She will be inducted alongside Donald Hoenig, owner of Thompson Speedway in Connecticut, race team owner Mario Fiore, mechanic Jim Jorgenson, and drivers Reggie Ruggiero, Joey Kourafas, Moe Gherzi, Jerry Humiston and Roland Lapierre, Sr.

The inductees have some intertwined history with Seekonk Speedway as well. Ruggiero won the 1987 Coors 200 at the track in a car owned by Fiore in NASCAR’s Winston Modified Tour and finished 6th in the 2000 CARQUEST 150. Kourafas finished 13th in the 1984 Twin State 100 and 20th in the 1984 Bay State 100, both as part of the Stroh’s Tour. Kourafas also finished third in the 1987 Busch North 150 and fifth in the 1987 Busch Seekonk 150 at the track in NASCAR’s Busch North series.