Bob Judkins

Car Owner, Car Builder
CLASS OF 2003

If you asked Bob Judkins who all the drivers who piloted his racecars over the years, you’d hear a who’s who of auto racing legends. Jerry Wheeler first drove Judkin’s ’37 Ford Coupe at Plainville Stadium, followed by Tony Mordino and then Billy Harman. It was Ed Flemke who first asked Bob to paint the number 2x on his car. At that time, Flemke was running with the Eastern Bandits, and there was a 1x, a 3x, and a 4x. “Put 2x on the car, and I’ll drive it”, Flemke told him. Judkins & Flemke began competing at the Norwood Arena. Mario “Fats” Caruso, Rene Charland, and Gene Bergin also drove the ’37 Ford.

Judkin’s second coupe was a ’36 Chevy, and he continued to hire a host of notable drivers, including Kenny Shoemaker and Maynard Forette. In later years Reggie Ruggiero and Brett Bodine took their turns in the 2x.

In 1971, Judkins introduced a new style of race car, hanging a Ford Pinto body on the famous 2x. NASCAR was not ready to do away with the pre-war coupe bodied racers, and they refused to allow the Pinto-bodied car to compete. Stafford’s Jack Arute tried to convince NASCAR to allow the 2x to run, telling Bill France that the new body style was the “future of racing”. When he was not able to convince France through letters & phone calls, Arute made the trip down to Daytona Beach to persuade France face to face, clearing the way for Judkin’s 2x to be the first Pinto bodied NASCAR modified. With Gene Bergin behind the wheel, they won the Stafford 200 lapper over Labor Day weekend in 1971 in dominating fashion, and the Pinto Revolution was born.

With Ed Flemke piloting the 2x, Judkins won the 1973 Spring Sizzler. He won the New Smyrna World Series in 1978 with Ron Bouchard piloting the 2x.

Judkins went on to excel at Riverside Park Speedway, with the late Dave Caruso, and then Jerry Marquis. With the latter, they won 3 straight Modified Championships at The Park from 1991-1993.

After Bob relocated to Florida in his later years, he not only stayed active, he won track championships at both the Orlando Speedworld & New Smyrna Speedway. His grandson Ryan Preece went on to become a NASCAR Modified Tour Champion and a winner in NASCAR’s national series. Bob Judkins passed away on October 25, 2018 at the age of 83.