Bobby Santos

Competitor
CLASS OF 2001

Bobby Santos began racing in 1952, driving a ’47 Plymouth at the Norwood Arena. The venture was shortlived, and Bobby quit racing for several years.

One night, however, Don MacTavish asked Bobby if he would take his wrecked race car home and repair it. He did, with the help of friends George Colwell, and Ira Tucker. Santos took that car to Norwood Arena, and won 3 Sportsman races and 23 Hobby Division races between 1961 and 1967. He mounted dirt tires and drove the same car at Stafford, winning back-to-back Hobby Championships in 1964-1965.

In 1968, Bobby was so dominant in the Norwood Hobby Division that he was “invited” to leave. He, Colwell, and Tucker returned to Norwood, however, after building themselves a modified, which he quickly managed to park in victory lane.

Over the next several years, Bobby drove for Ray Spognardi, Ray Stonkis, Billy Simons, and Joe Brady. He then went to work for Art Barry, driving the Preston, CT based #09 and then the #21. “Bobby was the king up in New Hampshire”, remembers Barry. “There was one year nobody could touch him up there. He won 7 consecutive races up there once. Win, lose, or draw,” states Barry, “Bobby was a ton of fun. We won a lot of races. The thing about Bobby was that he drove his heart out, from the first lap to the last. He drove for me for 7 or 8 years, and we won a LOT of races.”

In addition to Norwood and Stafford, over the course of his career Santos also won races at Thompson Speedway, Waterford Speedbowl, Utica-Rome Speedway, Lee USA Speedway, Monadnock, Westboro and Seekonk Speedway.