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| Photo: RacersReunion.com |
Charland won an
estimated 700 races between 1949 and 1984, running on both dirt and asphalt, often
with the same car. He got his start at the now-defunct Riverside Park Speedway
in Agawam, Mass., and eventually branched out to compete on literally hundreds
of tracks in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. He claimed
NASCAR’s National Sportsman championship four consecutive times from 1962-65,
during what is widely recognized as the Golden Era of the series.
He also made nine
career starts in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, with a best finish
of third behind NASCAR Hall Of Famers David Pearson and Richard Petty on the
Fonda (NY) Speedway dirt in 1966.
Known for his
irrepressible humor and penchant for practical jokes, Charland was inducted
into both the New England Auto Racers and DIRT Halls of Fame. He had been in ill
health for some time.
Hell of a racer....and pretty good cribbage player, a good friend Barky
ReplyDeleteWe raced against him in the 60's in the Northeast.always a competitor!
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