1972 was the first time I had heard of the Rosati family, from Agawam. It was no surprise that a racing concern might come out of that town that was known by the vast majority of New Englanders as the place with the Riverside amusement park because of the fantastic run that then - Agawam resident Rene Charland had in his runs for the NASCAR National Sportsman Championships from 1962 through 1965.

        But, neither the name of Rosati racing or that of John's Trucking were at all familiar to us in northern Vermont. When Ken Squier and his management group had scrapped the famed modifieds from Catamount Stadium in 1968 in favor of the development of his Flying Tigers to limited sportsman and then to late model sportsman cars had attracted a number of outside teams hitherto unseen by those of us who did not range far and wide to watch racing. I didn't realize I had seen a Rosati car in a photo from Eastern States Expo racing, being driven by Bobn Stefanik. In retrospect, it was a 1956 Ford version of Little John's Fords that would arrive at Northern NASCAR later.


Russ Bergh Photo  Ladabouche Collection
Rene Charland during his four year run as national champ.

       We pretty much knew that many of the local hobby class teams [former B Class cand Flying Tiger cars] would be either upgrading their cars or buying or building late models. Hometown hero Bob Dragon, having returned from a two - year self - imposed exile to Devil's Bowl, had taken the proactive route of going South and coming back with a Bobby Allison Chevelle. Others, like Clem Despault, would simply do what he could with his existing car. Yet others, like Tom Tiller, would construct a NASCAR late model sportsman.

       Into this situation came not only returning Canadian stars like Jean - Paul Cabana and Andre Manny, but there arrived a teenaged Massachusetts driver named Little John Rosati. The Rosati operation seemed like another example of a big buck out - of - state bunch coming to grab the glory. They came with two matching 1967 Ford Fairlanes, matching haulers, a paid crew chief in the person of the great Fred Rosner, and a noteworthy amount of flair. As it turns out, the Rosatis really didn't have hugely deep pockets, John's Trucking was a modest operation, and they had spent much of what the family could manage for the campaign by then.


Ladabouche Collection
Bob Stefanik, at the Eastern States Expo track, with one of the first Rosati cars.

       I was suitably impressed with the team's success and their friendliness with fans to often get around the operation, particularly enjoying conversation with John, Sr. I took over eighty hours constructing a model of John's first car[s], the only year they went with black top, blue body, and red and while numerals. The Rosati campaign would rougly last through the 1975 season, I think. Not only did John give us many excellent races to watch but the team once put the great Ed Flemke, Sr. in the bakup car [bald tires and all] and he nearly won a major long - distance race at Catamount.

       John would become the senior memeber of the Mod Squad, the long - haired trio of himself, Robbie Crouch, and Joey Kourafas. Just like Ricky Crouch was to Robbie, Tommy Rosati, John's younger brother, was a popular fixture at the tracks. Tom woulde go on to have his own successful racing effort a few years later, even including an Oxford 250 win. Both Rosati brothers ended up going back nearer to home to race enventually, but their time up here was strongly cherished.

 


Courtesy of Steve Pecor
John, with one of the first Fairlanes, in 1971.


Courtesy of Mr. Chevy Black
 John - at the Sanair flat track in 1971.

 


Courtesy of Cho Lee
Big John [right] with the 36 crew, Little John [3rd from right] and the Russ Ingerson crew at T Road in 1971.

 


Courtesy of Wayne Bettis
This wreck at T Road happened in 1971.

Courtesy of Andy Boright
The aftermath of the wreck at T Road in 1971. 

Courtesy of Cho Lee
The gang,including John Barrette, son of a local Ford dealer and sponsor from
Swanton.
 
Courtesy of Mr. Chevy Black
 John chases Cabana and Barcomb at Airborne.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
 John [ctr] with the 1971
crew, including my friend
Steve McKnight at right.
 
Courtesy of Chris Companion
This thrash to change an engine happened at
Catamount.
 
 
Courtesy of Chris Companion
More of the thrash to change an engine at
Catamount.
 
 
Courtesy of Steve Pecor
John, with one of the first Fairlanes, in 1972.
 
Paul Michaud Photo
Courtesy of Christian Genest
Entering Catamount in 1971. 
 
Courtesy of Wayne Bettis
More engine woes  at
Catamount.
 

 
Courtesy ofSteve McKinght
John poses with Bob Dragon, Cabana, and Dion at Thunder Road. 
 
From Wayne Bettis
John, Rookie if the Year for the 1971 season.
 
From Christian Genest
John, posing in 1972 at Catamount.
 
From HAMB Message Board
A snafu at Sanair's flat track. 
 
From Steve Leavitt
via Walter Newell
John, in the stands, with
adoring fans. Not all drivers would to this.
 
 
From Andy Boright
The familiar hauler.
 
From Wayne Bettis
In this Free Press photo, John was described as "the 17 year - old speed merchant from Massachusetts.


Ladabouche Photo
The model -
Dust and all.
 
Ladabouche Photo
The model 2.
 
Ladabouche Photo
The model 3.
 
Ladabouche Photo
The model -
lousy view of interior.
 
Ladabouche Photo
The model -
motor compartment.
 
From Wayne Bettis
I found one final photo of that T Road wreck in 1971.

 


Courtesy of Andy Boright
 The car, at Barre, with an unknown man.


Courtesy of Chris Companion
John, Big John, and Tom pose with Dave and Roger Dion at Thunder Road.


From Vintage Mod Site
John, posing in 1972 at Thunder Road.


 
Ladabouche Photo
The 1972 cars arrive at Catamount in tandem.
 
From Andy Boright
John, posing in 1972 at unknown location.
 
From Cliff Haynes
The tandem hauler arrangement arrivng at Devil's Bowl on a Sunday afternoon. 

 
Dick Britain Photo
John is in front as they line up at Devil's Bowl in '72. 
 
Bob Mackey Photo
From Mike Watts, Sr.
The 36, at speed on
Devil's Bowl with Bernie Griffith.

From Mark Dean
Another 1972 pose.
 
From Chris Companion
Catamount pits - either
1971 or 72.

From Cho Lee
John is caught in a pensive moment at Catamount.
 
From Wayne Bettis
John is passed by JP
Cabana on lap 41 of the Permatex 50.
 
From Chris Companion
Running strong at T Road.

From Chris Companion
This might be Pete Hamilton at Catamount - passing Jim Roberts.
 


Shany Lorenzent Photo
John, with one of the last Fairlanes.

 
Shany Lorenzent Photo
A win close to home at Riverside.
 
L. A. West Photo
Latest car; same old hauler.

From Andy Boright
With Maine drivers Stan Meserve and Dick McCabe.

From Chris Companion
Ok, what's with the hat ?.
 

 

 
Denis LaChance Photo
Tom Rosati, arguably, had a more impactful late model career up here - but I have far fewer available photos of him.


Norman Morley Photo
At speed on the Sanair
flat track.
 
Denis LaChance Photo
Same Nova, on the
track in Quebec with
Gardiner Leavitt.


Norman Morley Photo
In the Catamount pits.

From Phil Smith
Another Nova.

From Mr Chevy Black
Tom, by CLaude LeClerc
at a Quebec venue.



Denis LaChance Photo
Same Nova, entering Catamount at a Spring race.
 
Denis LaChance Photo
The highly successful
Pontiac - at Ste. Eustache.

Ladabouche Collection
The Pontiac, at speed. Note the E.A. Grandfield ad on the side. That's the only sign painting of mine that was ever on an Oxford 250 winning car.

Denis LaChance Photo
The Ventura, just before the Oxford 250 win - at
Catamount.

Word Press.como
The highly successful
Pontiac Ventura.
 


Word Press. com

 

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