Reggie Ruggiero

Competitor
CLASS OF 2012

John “Reggie” Ruggiero had no weakness as a modified racer. From his bullring hometrack Plainville Stadium to the mile track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the New Britain, CT native won over 200 races during his career.

His rise from weekly warrior status at Plainville is a part of New England lore. Lacking a steady ride in 1975, Ruggiero subbed for the injured Don Moon and grabbed 9 wins. That caught the eye of car owner Mario Fiore who hired the youngster. They won their second race together, the 1976 Riverside Park 150. By 1979, the captured the Modified Championship at both Riverside Park and Monadnock speedways.

“The Reg” spent 1980 driving Bob Judkins‘ #2x car, scoring 2 wins at the Park. But when Fiore bought a Richie Evans car the following off-season and asked the legendary driver for advice on who to put behind the wheel, Evans was blunt – “Get Reggie back!” Aboard Fiore’s #44 car, Ruggiero won numerous races at Stafford, Thompson and Riverside Park plus the 1983 Modified Championship at Stafford. Outside of New England, they also scored wins at Oswego, Pocono and Shangi-La.

After the birth of the NASCAR Modified Tour in 1985, Reggie had 3 stints with Fiore (1985, 1987-1990 and 1996-1997), winning at Martinsville, Stafford, Riverside Park, Thompson, Seekonk, Riverhead, Jennerstown, New Hampshire, Monadnock and Rougemont. They won track championships at Riverside Park (1984, 1988), Monadnock (1988) and were a dominant force at the New Smyrna World Series, winning 28 features and 3 Modified Championships (1986, 1987, 1989).

From 1991-1995 drove Ed Cloce’s car to glory at New Hampshire, Riverside Park, Richmond, Stafford, Thompson and Lee. He also won at Riverside Park driving for Mike Greci and Bill Pelley and on the NASCAR tour for Tony Moffo and Dick Barney from 1998-2006. While never a NASCAR tour champion, he finished runner-up an incredible 7 times.

Reggie has 93 wins at Riverside Park, good enough to be the track’s all-time career wins leader. Other career highlights include 6 wins at New Hampshire, 2 Spring Sizzler wins and the 1988 Race of Champions at Pocono Raceway. He also made a handful of starts on the Busch Grand National Series (now Xfinity Series) scoring a top-10 finish in his first race during the 1987 season.

After hanging up the helmet, he continued building race cars with Ed Flemke Jr at Race Works before moving down south to work for Stewart-Haas Racing.