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Modtour4
02-27-2011, 05:32 PM
Got word today that Gene Bergin passed away.

Great write up of Gene: http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Gene_Bergin.htm


Gene Bergin was one of the most versatile drivers in New England auto racing history, having driven Modifieds, Midgets, Sprint cars, Indy cars, and Grand National cars in his career.

Bergin first started racing in the early 50's at the Riverside Park Speedway collecting many feature event wins and the 1962 Modified track championship.

He then in 1964 moved on to the Stafford Motor Speedway winning several features on the still dirt surface driving Sharkey Gaudiosi's #44, and also holds the distinction of being one of only two drivers to win a feature event on both the dirt and asphalt surfaces at Stafford, ( The other being Ernie Gahan).

Gene also holds the honor of being the first Modified track champion on the asphalt surface at Stafford when he drove Beebe Zalinski's M6 to the 1967 crown.

In yet another groundbreaking moment Bergin was the first driver to win a feature event at Stafford in a Pinto bodied race car when he drove Bob Judkins # 2x to victory lane in 1971, thus ushering in the Pinto revolution.

Other car owners who Gene drove for were Bob Garbarino and his Mystic Missile #4 and Billy Simons and the Excavator Special #9.

He was successful in the NEMA Midgets with wins at Thompson in Aug. 1969 and Aug. 1973 at the old Lakeville Speedway in Massachusetts. Gene also attempted several USAC Champ Car races in 1968.

Russ

Howie
02-27-2011, 06:09 PM
RIP Gene. We enjoyed your friendship and watching you race "back in the day".

I'm attaching a few of the many cars we saw Gene race. (Surprised to see so many of my photos in that article. :) ) I'll have to say though Sharkey's 44 was kind of my favorite.

Howie
02-27-2011, 06:10 PM
A few more photos.

JED
02-27-2011, 08:30 PM
I remember Bergin racing at Stafford on the dirt when I was a kid. Gene Bergin was the M-6.

Chris Kopec also ran the M-6 number at the Park. Bebe, Bergins M-6 Car owner, built the motors on Chris's car in the year he won the Park's championship.

Gene and Bebe are now together, once again a team.

Jaws
02-27-2011, 10:59 PM
A few more photos.

Thanks Howie, RIP Gene.