#LSN_Outdoors #LSN_CircleTour Tom Nesbitt with his 1965 Studebaker 1969 & 70 Late Model Champ
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO - August 16, 2019 (LSN) When one thinks of Studebaker, though they had Indy 500 entries, most usually don’t think of race car. Studebakers did however win a lot of races on our local tracks! When the Late Model class was formed, cars had to be no older than 10 years. The popular choice had been the 55-57 Chevy’s, with spark plug lining up with the ball joint, was considered a natural race car. By the late 60’s, they became too old, creating a dilemma for those racing them. The newer Chevrolet’s of 1958 on were unsuitable, with the newer Camaro and Firebirds too expensive, and in rare supply at local wrecking yards, the source of most race cars of that era. In those wrecking yards, there were several Studebakers! Studebaker stopped building cars in their south Bend IN factory in December 1963, leaving the Hamilton ON plant as their lone car plant. During those final years of Studebaker production, they came with the coveted Chevrolet V8, a shorter wheelbase 109”, weighed 2700 lbs (about 1000 lb lighter than most of the other cars) and perhaps the biggest advantage, not many knew a lot of their specs. The first Studebaker Late Model in our area, was built by Andy Riorden of Duluth MN. Tom Nesbitt helped in its contruction . Riorden ran Buick power, Tom would vouch for him that, in Canada Studebakers also had Buick engines. For the 1967 season, Tom built his first of two Studebakers. With the tech specs being not widely known, “modifications” were made. Tom won 5 Features at Riverview in 1967 in the Stude. In 1968 Scott Nesbitt purchased Andy Riordan’s original Studebaker. Tom went on a tear at Riverview in 1968, winning 19 of the 21 Late Model Features at Riverview, along with numerous other Feature wins at several tracks, including Murillo, Rice Lake WI & Superior WI. 1969 saw a 1965 Studebaker replacing Tom’s 1959, and Scott Nesbitt took the most Riverview Features in 1969 with in his Stude. Tom’s Studebakers took season point titles in Late Model at Riverview, Rice Lake & Superior. In 1971, Tom left the Studebaker, he took the 1969 & 70 points with, moving into a Nova with a big block Chevy the Studebakers never had. Allan Brescia then took over the wheel of the 65 Stude . Scott built two more Studebakers, as did Trev Wheeler, winning some Heat races, but no more features. Though Riverview was without weekly racing 1973-75, the Studebaker was not done on local tracks.
In 1979, Stu Crawford built a 1963 Studebaker Lark for the Street Stock class, racing it again in 1980. For the 1981-82 racing seasons, a 1964 replaced the 63 Stude. 1983 Stu built a third Studebaker, a 1958 Studebaker Hawk winning “Body Beautiful” in the Street Stock class. Stu hauled his Hawk to Crawford County Arkansas, to compete in the “World Classic 2” for Street Stocks. The car was featured in the centerspread of Stock Car Racing Magazine. Wayne Hari, who pitted for Stu, took over the wheel of the 1964 Studebaker in 1988-89, winning 6 Bomber Class Features and, the 1989 Bomber Class points.
The Studebaker lived on, racing at Mosquito. The car would be raffled off to race, each week the winner also had to do ten push ups to pilot the car that week. Stu’s 1963 Stude became a sign for Mosquito Raceway, greeting fans attending. The Hawk was restored and in 2018 served as the pace car, with Stu at the wheel, during the fall championship races. In all, Studebakers won 46 Features, and 51 Heat races in the Late Model class at Riverview, between 1967 & 72, and 6 Bomber class Features. All these victories came after Studebaker ceased building cars, closing its remaining factory in Hamilton ON, in March 1966. © JMC 2019
Visit the “100 Years of Thunder Bay Racing” , and Dave Cano’s “Hot Rods and Jalopies” in the CLE Coliseum this weekend, August 17-18 as part of “Thunder at The Bay” Car Show at the CLE Fairgrounds!
Tom Nesbitt with his 1965 Studebaker 1969 & 70 Late Model Champ
The Studebakers
by Jeff Caldwell
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Thunder at the bay 2019
Saturday, August 17th & Sunday, August 18th, 2019 | CLE Grounds
$3 Public Admission 10 to 6 pm
This is the 4th annual ALL-Makes motorsports extravaganza which will feature the Classics, Off Road vehicles, Rat Rods, Muscle cars, Trucks, Racing Bikes & Sleds, Imports, Works in Progress vehicles and much, much more. There will be vendors onsite showcasing their products and services, food and drink vendors, live entertainment, a children’s playground, a swap meet, engine blow and tire burn competition, public and participant voting, prizes and a 50/50 draw to name a few activities. New this year is the addition of a portable DYNO unit provided by The Power House Dyno. As part of your registration, the Power House team will Dyno your vehicle at the reduced rate of $100 for 2 runs.
The monies raised in the 50/50 draw, will be donated in support of the Thunder Bay Boys and Girls Club. As well, our good friends at the Thunder Bay Jeep Club, will be accepting perishables at the show, including food, baby and personal hygiene items in support of the GIANT HEART charity. Let’s show everyone what our community is all about and “FILL THE JEEP!”
We are extremely excited about this year’s event. We hope you can join us at Northwestern Ontario’s premier motorsports show August 17th and 18th. Register soon!
Schedule of Events:
Saturday August 17th
8:00AM Registration begins (8AM to 4PM)
8:00AM Dyno Runs (8AM to 5PM)
8:00AM Swap Meet (8AM to 4PM)
10:00AM Doors open to the Public
12:00PM Fashion Show
1:00PM Live Music by Rebel Spirit
2:00PM Tire Burn Competition
3:00PM Engine Blow Contest
Sunday August 18th
8:00AM Pancake Breakfast
8:00AM Registration (until noon only)
8:00AM Dyno Runs (8AM to 5PM)
8:00AM Swap Meet (8AM to 4PM)
10:00AM Doors open to the public
12:00PM Fashion Show
1:00PM Live Music by Rebel Spirit
1:30PM Voting ends
2:00PM Tire Burn Competition
3:00PM Engine Blow Contest
3:30PM Awards ceremony and 50/50 draw.
4:45PM Closing ceremony
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