The GM 604 “Crate Engine” appears to be the possible savior of the paved track’s Modifieds in the New England area. Cris Michaud of ACT and Tom Mayberry of PASS are banking on this at the 5/8-oval in Thompson, CT that they have leased from the Hoenig Family. In spite of just a under a half-dozen Mods equipped with this engine, they put on a good show at Mid-April’s annual New England Classic at NHMS.
That weekend was also financial success due to over 100 race cars turning out with five different divisions with some under 4,000 fans in the grandstands. No doubt the wet spring weather had a lot to do with it.
A Crate Engine rule, some 20-years ago, helped the late Tom Curley turn around a bankrupt American Canadian Tour at the time consisted of the Pro Stocks/Super Late Models morphing down to an ACT Late Model. Which eventually became the standard for just about every track in New England that featured that type of race car.
Even though it took about ten years to accomplish this impossible task. That is standardizing the same rules at every track which up until then had never been accomplished. This fact reinforces that history continues to repeat itself especially in short track racing.
Speaking of trying to save money in this current inflationary economy, below is a huge and complete list of Cruise Nights in MA and RI. With entertainment money being very tight, these events don’t charge admission. It does take gas to get there and you can bring your own food and drinks and attendees are not forced to buy a 50/50 raffle ticket unless you can afford it. These 91 events are scheduled over seven days a week!
The check mark indicates that the author of this list verified the event.
Monday: √5/20 Acushnet, MA Legendary Street Rods @ Tuttle VFW, 28 Roosevelt St., 4—7 pm √ Bellingham, MA: Bellingham VFW 7272; 940 S. Main St. (Rte. 126) 4-9 PM √ Bridgewater, MA: PCMC Cruise @ Mass Motor Vault; 1221 Bedford St. 3-7 PM √ Burlington, MA: ; 240 Middlesex Tpke & Rte.62, 5 PM Framingham. MA: LaCantina Parking Lot at 920 Waverly St., 5 PM –Dusk √5/27 Phillipston, MA: N. Quabbin Cruisers @ Red Hill Farm, 455 Highland Ave. 4:30 √5/13 Whitman:, MA SSCC Whitman VFW, 95 Essex St. 3:30 PM—Dusk √5/7 Bristol;, RI: Bristol VFW Cruise, 850 Hope St.; 4 PM weather permitting √ Chepachet, RI; Higher Std, CC @ Hill’s Tavern, 417 Putnam Pike; 6-9 pm √5/13 Coventry, RI; DAI Restore monthly cruise, 15 Ctr of New Eng., Blvd; 5 pm Woonsocket, RI: Ye Olde Fish & Chips, 25 S. Main St. 5—9pm
Tuesday: Auburn, MA: Tuttle Post 279 American Legion, 88 Bancroft St.; 5 PM to close √5/7 Billerica, MA: Road Rebels Cruise at Billerica Elks Pavilion; 14 Webb Rd. 5–8 PM Canton, MA: Canton Classic Car Club Cruise Rite Aid Plaza,4 Washington St; 5–8 √ Devens, MA : Clear Path for Vets Cars & Coffee, 84 Antietem St.., 8:30—9:30 AM √5/7 Sandwich, MA: Sham Rods @ Sandwich H.S., 365 Quaker Mtg. Rd. 5 PM Saugus, MA: Fuddruckers parking lot, 900 Broadway (US Rte. 1N) 5-8 PM √5/28 Upton, MA: Cruisin’at the V.F.W, Post 5594, 15 Milford St. (Rte. 140); 5-8 PM √ Walpole, MA: E.C.C.C. Static Cruise at DD, 995 Old Post Rd. (off Rte. 1), 4-6 PM √5/7 Westport, MA : Bristol County C. C. @ White’s, 66 State Rd. 1st Tues. of mo. 4 PM Woburn, MA: Lord Hobo Brewery, 5 Draper St. monthly. 6 PM—Whenever √ Greenville/Smithfield, RI: A&W Rte.44 (I-295 Exit 7); 4-9PM (Bruce P.) √5/21 N. Smithfield, RI: Beef Barn Restaurant, 200 Industrial Dr.. 4 PM √5/14 Pawtucket, RI: Slater Park, Armistice Blvd. or Rte. 1A 5–Dusk √5/14 Warwick, RI: Oakland Beach Cruise Night, Rte. 1A, 4-8pm $2 entry Westerly, RI: Misquamicut Beach, 257 Atlantic Ave. 5:30 PM—dusk
Wednesday: Athol, MA: N. Quabbin Cruisers @ Market Bskt, 147 Tower Rd. (Rte. 2A), 4—8 PM √5/1 Chelmsford, MA: Drum Hill Burger King, Rte. 3 Exit 32, 5 PM til dusk √5/1 Danvers:, MA. Cruising the Tree, NEW 75 Sylvan St. (Rte. 128 Exit 24). 5 pm √5/1 E. Freetown, MA: Downshifters @ VFW, 89 Middleboro Rd.; 4–8 PM √5/1E. Taunton, MA: Star Drive-In, 205 Myricks St. (Rte. 79—Rte.140 x 16 ); 4–9 PM √5/1 Hanover, MA: Silver Lake C.C. @ Shaw’s Market, 35 Columbia Rd. (Rte.53) 2PM √ Hopedale, MA: Hopedale Pizza Market, 1 Menfi Way @ the airport; 5PM Milford, MA: PINZ Bowling, 1st WED. MO. JeepUp 110 s. Main St, Rte. 140 5-8PM √5/8 N. Attleboro, MA: N.A . Elks, 52 Bulfinch St. 5 pm—Dusk: every other Wed. 5/8, 5/22, 6/5, 6/19, 7/3, 7/17, 7/31, 814, 8/28, 9/11, 9/25, 10/9 √ N. Attleboro, MA: Sta. Nation, 1505 S. Washington 6-10 pm: every other Wed. √5/1 Taunton. MA: The Pines @ The Lafayette Club, 18 Lakeview Ave. , 4-8pm √ N. Scituate, RI: Fredrickson Farms, 985 Chopmist Rd.(Rte 102) (Bruce P.) √ Lincoln, RI: East Coast Finest Unicorn Ink, 100 Higginson Ave., 6-9pm
Thursday: √ Brockton: W.O.T. Cruise at Brewster Ambulance, 1555 Main St.; 4-Dusk 5/9, 5/23, 6/8, 6/20, 7/18, 8/1, 8/15, 8/29, 9/28, 10/12 Dartmouth, MA: Dartmouth VFW Post 9059, 144 Cross Rd.4—7PM √ Foxboro, MA: Bass Pro Shops, 1 Bass Pro Pl. (U.S. Rte. 1) (Bruce P) 4:30 PM 5/2, 5/16, 6/13, 6/27, 7/11, 7/25, 8/8, 8/22, 9/5, 9/19, 10,3, 10/17 Milford, MA: CraftRoots Brewing Summer Cruise; 4 Industrial Rd.. 6—8 PM North Dighton, MA: Jessie’s Diner, 2035 Winthrop St.(Rte. 44);4—7:30 PM √ North Reading, MA: Kitty’s Restaurant, 123 Main St.(Rte. 28);4 pm -Dark √ Shrewsbury, MA: Hebert Candy Mansion, 575 Hartford Pike/Rte. 20 5 PM √5/2 Sturbridge, MA: Cruise Burger King, 374 Main St. (US Rte. 20) 4 PM √5/2 Taunton, MA: Bike Nite @ The Pines, Lafayette Club, 18 Lakeview Ave. 4-pm E. Providence RI: Field House Pub Bi-Wkly Car-Bike Meet 305 Lyon Ave 6—9 Portsmouth, RI: Flo’s Clamcakes & Cars, 324 Park Ave. Island Park; 3 pm
Friday: Auburn, MA: Auburn/Webster Elks #2118, 754 Southbridge St. (Rte. 12) 5 PM √5/3 Berkley, MA: American Legion All Wheels Cruise Night, 80 Myricks St. 4—10 PM √5/3 Brimfield, MA: Pioneer Valley Cruise Night, Auction Acres, 35 Main St. 4—8 PM Canton, MA: Trinity Episcopal Church, 1 Blue Hill River Rd. 5 PM √5/3 East Weymouth, MA: Food Truck Friday, 75 Middle St. (Town Hall) 5-8 PM Gardner, MA: Polish/Amer. Club, 171 Kendall Pond Rd. (off Rte. 2A), 5—11 PM √5/3 Halifax, MA: Walmart, 295 Plymouth St. (Rte. 106 at Rte. 58), 5—Dark √6/7 Lancaster, MA: Kimball Farm, 1543 Lunenburg Rd. (Rte. 70) 5-9 PM √5/3 Mattapoiset,MA: Shipyard Park, 12 Water St., 1st & 3rd Fri.,5—9 PM 5/3 ,5/17, 6/7, 6/21, 7/5, 7/26, 8/2, 8/16, 9/6, 9/20 √5/27 Rowley, MA: Todd Farm Auto Swap Meet & Car Show, 275 Main St.: 4th Fri. 3 PM √5/31 Westport, MA, VFW Cruise; 843 State Rd. (U.S. Rte.6) Last Fri. Monthly 5 PM √5/5 Cumberland, RI: MacDonald’s;100 Mendon Rd. Rte. 122, 6 PM (Bruce P.)
Saturday: √5/11 Brookline, MA: Larz Anderson Cars & Coffee, 15 Newton St, 8:30–11:30 AM 5/11, 6/8, 7/20, 8/17, 9/7, 10/5 Falmouth,MA: Falmouth Plaza, 11 Davis Straights.(Rte. 28) Not2Spec A.C. 8-9 √5/4 Millis, MA: Clicquot Cruise (Gold’s Gym), 27 Milliston Rd. (Rte.109); 5 PM Newburyport, MA: Cars & Coff, McD’s Port Plaza ,45 Story Ave.(Rte.113);7-10 AM S. Attleboro, MA: MBTA S. Attle Train Station, 1315 Newport Ave.(Rte. 1A) 5PM √ S. Dennis, MA: Patriot Square, upper Lot, Rte. 6—Exit 9 (Rte. 134) 4:30 — Dusk √5/4 Tyngsboro, MA: Dream Diner Car Show, 385 Middlesex Rd. 8 AM –1 PM 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 6/8, 6/22, 7/13, 7/20, 8/3, 8/10, 8/24, 9/21, 9/28 √5/4 Riverside RI: Crescent Park Carousel, 700 Bullocks Point Ave,4-8 pm √5/18 Smithfield RI: Classic Auto Cars & Coffee, 278 Douglas Pike; 8-11 am 3rd Sat 1 1
Sunday: √ Attleboro,MA: Pleasant AutoCenter Cruise, 676 Pleasant St.(Rte. 123) 2-5PM 5/5, 5/26, 6/2, 6/16, 7/7, 7/21, 8/4, 8/18, 9/1, 9/15, 10/6, 10/27 √ Devens, MA: Clear Path for Veterans Cars & Coffee,84 Antietem St..3rd Sun. 8 AM √6/9 Falmouth, MA: F.C.C.C. Monthly Cruise, Marine Park, Scranton Ave.;9 AM—2 PM 6/9, 7/14, 8/11 (no rain dates—Karen 508-364-0045) √ Plymouth, MA: East Bay Grill, 173 Water St. (Plymouth Waterfront) 7 – 10 AM Seekonk. MA: Pep Boys, 217 Highland Ave. (US Rte. 6) White Wing C.C.; 4 PM √5/5 Taunton, MA: The Pines @ The Lafayette Club, 18 Lakeview Ave.:3-7PM √ Wilmington, MA: Kars N Koffee, As Good As It Gets, 25 Lowell St. 9am– 12 √ Newport RI: Audrain Museum Car & Coffee 8—10 AM register your car online 5/19, 10/20, 11/3, 11/10 ( Sachuest 2nd Beach); 5/26, 8/4 (Park Place—Portsmouth, RI); 6/9 (Salve Regina); 6/16, 8/18 (Newport Mansions TBD); 6/23, 7/28, 8/25, 9/15 (Newport Polo); 7/7, 7/14, 7/21 (Gardner Sports); 5/5, 6/2, 8/11, 9/8, 9/22, 9/29, 10/13, 10/27 (Fort Adams); 10/5 (Easton’s 1st Beach) N. Prov., RI: Dulce Bunny Cars ‘N Coffee; 1527 Smith St,; 10 AM last Sun’s. √ Warren, RI: Laurens Restaurant; 601 Metacom Ave,; 4 PM—Dusk bi-weekly.
Without a doubt the MA Cruisers every other Thursday night Cruise at the Bass Pro Shop in Patriots Place in Foxborough, MA is the biggest in North America. The turnout on a perfect weather day such as 75 degrees with no humidity and no threat of a shower has the capability of drawing 2,400 classic vehicles including motorcycles.
Things get started at 2 pm when various car clubs descend on site to claim a row. And it will continue on right through dusk. We’ve run into motorheads from all over the Six States in New England. Many of them try to make it every scheduled date. For your first time I’d suggest that you wear athletic shoes in order to check every row.
On the horizon are the questions of what’s going to happen to the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck drivers in getting a reasonable percentage of TV money from race teams?
There are also published stories about the Stewart/Haas NASCAR Team may be forced to cut back on their teams.
There are also discussions about selling one or even two of their NASCAR franchises! Tony Stewart’s retirement from NASCAR driving and he’s now focusing on a major effort in the NHRA drag racing which will take a lot of money and time.
