D. Anthony Venditti

Track Owner, Promoter
CLASS OF 1999

Dominic Anthony Venditti was an innovator, as well as a successful promoter. He designed and built his own ice skating rink, using a valveless refrigeration compressor which he designed himself. He once owned a semi pro football team. An avid aviator, he built his own airplane. What Venditti is most well known for, however, is the Seekonk Speedway, a race track that he built on the grounds of his family’s chicken farm in 1946 to showcase the then popular midget race cars.

Known as “the Godfather”, Venditti was a man of vision, who recognized that racing was entertainment. He never tired of bringing new types of entertainment to Seekonk fans. Venditti once flooded the infield, to bring boat racing to the speedway. He staged camel races, auto polo, and chain races. He introduced the Mini stock, with the four cylinder Crossleys, in 1954, and helped develop the modifieds in the late 60s. He introduced the country to the Pro Stock division in 1978.

Many NEAR Hall of Famers had great success at the “Cement Palace.” Ron Bouchard, George Summers, Leo Cleary, and Bugsy Stevens are only a few of the stars that honed their racing skills at “The Konk”.

Venditti was named the RPM National Short Track Promoter of the Year in 1978, and was honored by the Charlotte Motor Speedway as Promoter of the Year in 1979. His loving wife, Irene, was very much a part of the success of Seekonk Speedway. He owned, operated & promoted Seekonk Speedway until his death in 1991.