Harvey Tattersall, Jr. built, owned, and drove midget race cars in the pre-WWII era. He later assumed the role of an official when he became a handicapper and later, a scorer.
In 1948 he foresaw the increasing popularity of stock cars and formed the UNITED STOCK CAR RACING CLUB along with his father and announcer Tom Galon. They quickly began promoting stock cars at such tracks as Candlelight Stadium in Bridgeport, CT, Savin Rock in West Haven, Plainville, CT, and Longsdale, RI.
In 1949 he took over the promotional reins at the 1\5 mile asphalt speedway at Riverside Park in Agawam, MA. Riverside soon became the lynchpin of his whole operation.
The 1950s saw Tattersall promoting late model racing through the Grand American Division at tracks in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
After being forced out of Riverside Park in 1976, he and his wife Helen bought and operated the Waterford Speedbowl until his retirement in 1988.
Tattersall was instrumental in establishing point funds for drivers, and was one of the first promoters to provide racers with insurance policies. |
