George Summers

Competitor
CLASS OF 2000

George Summers raced from 1952 until his retirement in 1983. He is the winningest driver in Seekonk Speedway history of Seekonk, taking down over 100 features. The track actually put out a bounty for anyone who could beat him in 1974, when he compiled 7 consecutive wins. Summers took down 16 of 24 features that season, on the way to his 2nd Seekonk Championship, the 1st coming in 1966.

The following year, George drove at Westboro Speedway for owner Billy Hood, and again, a bounty was offered. As in the previous year, George had a 7 feature winning streak before finally being beaten.

Summers often traveled north, to compete at the Oxford Plains Speedway. In ’74, he drove a Chevelle to two 100 lap victories. In 1976, Oxford had an eight race open competition series. George won 4, and finished 2nd twice, winning the Governor’s Cup-Maine State Championship. He led much of the Oxford 250 that year, before running out of gas with 2 laps to go.

At the urging of close friend Dick Armstrong, George spent the last part of his racing career driving the #21 for Art Barry, and the two teamed up for many wins. In the middle of 1983, Summers told Barry that he would be retiring at the end of the season. The next to last race was a 100 lapper at Oxford Plains. George took down the win. Driving home after the race, he considered calling it quits then, and ending his career on a winning note. He had made a commitment to Barry, though, so, being a man of his word, he arrived at Thompson to compete in the 1983 World Series race. It’s only fitting the George took down the win, too, bringing down the curtain on his 32 year racing career.

George Summers was a lifelong resident of Upton, MA and was married to his wife Maggie for 63 years. He passed away on January 4, 2019 at the age of 83. That November, he was awarded the Ron Bouchard Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in New England Auto Racing.