Mario Fiore

Car Owner
CLASS OF 2012

One of New England’s premiere car owners, Mario Fiore saw his modifieds parked in victory lanes from New England to Florida. In the process, the #44 became one of his division’s most iconic cars, and as closely linked to Fiore as the #3 was to Len Boehler or the #2x to Bob Judkins.

A native of Springfield, MA, Fiore gained notoriety at nearby Riverside Park Speedway with his “Screaming Yellow Zonker” driven by rising star Gary Colturi. Though Colturi’s fatal motorcycle accident in 1973 rocked Fiore, his #44 remained a force to be reckoned with. In 1974, driver Bobby Bard partnered with Ron Wyckoff to win the Riverside 500 team race. When Reggie Ruggiero took over as his driver in 1976, he and Fiore proved a formidable pairing. In the 1980’s, they grabbed major wins at Stafford, Thompson, Seekonk, Oswego, Shangri-La, Jennerstown. They won 37 races together on the NASCAR Modified Tour from 1987-1997. They also won 3 Modified Championships at New Smyrna Speedway’s World Series of Asphalt Racing (1986, 1987, 1989).

Among some of Fiore’s most notable victories include the Spring Sizzler with both Ruggiero and Rick Fuller, the Race of Champions at Pocono Raceway with Ruggiero and Flemington Speedway with Billy Pauch, Martinsville Speedway wins in 1987 and 1990 (both with Ruggiero), the Thompson 300 and Icebreaker (both with Fuller), the Stafford 300 with Jerry Marquis. His cars also won at Orange County Speedway (NY), South Boston (VA), Richmond (VA) and New Hampshire Speedway.

His earned Modified Championships at Riverside Park (1979, 1984, 1988), Monadnock Speedway (1979, 1988) and Stafford Speedway (1983) all with Ruggiero. After 6 runner-up finishes with Reggie, Mario finally won the NASCAR Modified Tour Championship with Jerry Marquis as his driver in 2000. Ruggiero finished 2nd that year for the 7th time as a driver.

In his later years, he became a mentor to driver Tommy Barrett Jr during which the teenager won several open competition and Modified Racing Series events throughout southern New England.

Mario Fiore was a lifelong resident of Springfield, MA. He passed away on June 23, 2016.