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Photo ID # G04.11.10_097_BEA_EWS_0070_1
Car #: #97
Driver (s) : Sammy Beavers
Location: East Windsor Speedway
Date: 1970's
Photographer: Ace Lane Jr.
Photo provided by: Russ Dodge
Comments: Comment from Russ:  This is the photo you wanted. I don't know who the photographer is but it appears to be East Windsor and I guess 1969 The owner was Tony Ruberti from Vineland, New Jersey. Tony's son David raced the family car also.

Tony wrenched the T4 car that Tony Siscone ran successfuly at Atlantic City Speedway. and actually fielded cars starting in 1955 at Vineland Speedway. His red and blue #4 cars whch were jointly owned by Jim Pagnam, were driven by Ed Himmelbach, Estil Oliver, Red Forte and Sal Moschella. Then in 1957 he had black and yellow 4's which were driven by Chris Dawson, Sal Moschella and Winnie Andrews. After Vineland paved their surface in 1958, I remember Eddie Nichols driving the black 97 for Tony.

Tony was a great guy and help many local racers in the sport. Tony was the Machine shop maanager for Automotive Parts in Vineland and was a proven race engine builder, Just as Sammy Beavers!   

Russ
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Comment:

04.11.10 3-Wide One of my favorite cars, but more importantly, one of Sammy Beaver's favorite cars... As you know, Sammy had many great rides through the years and Sammy always got the most out of anything he sat behind the wheel of.  The Ruberti Racing #97 is a car that Sammy was only in for part of a season, but I think he won almost every time he got behind the wheel in it...

It's a great looking car with the copper color and white numbers and wheels....  Simple.  All of the Ruberti cars had a great, professional look to them.  Asphalt or dirt...didn't matter.

Wayne Weaver had told me about what a great guy Tony Ruberti was and about how much he had learned from watching and listening to Tony. 

Speaking of guys who were known to help out local racers, there's Fleming's Auto Parts on the quarter, as was the case for many top running cars of the day.  From what I hear, Harry has always been very generous when it comes to helping racers get what they needed to get back "track ready".  And back when most of the parts needed could be found in the junk yard, this was a good thing!

I could be wrong, but I think the last race for the above car (or maybe just this body) was at East Windsor in early 1974, where Dave Ruberti was involved in a double flip with the #292 of Al Michalchuk at the end of the frontstretch.  Two of my all time favorite cars (the #292 sedan of Al Michalchuk and the copper #97 of Dave Ruberti destroyed in the same crash...
04.15.10 Wayne Weaver This is a great looking coupe. As you said Joe, Tony Ruberti was a great man and I really learned a lot from him. I worked for him and his son Dave in their Engine Machine Shop in Vineland in the late 1970's.

My first dirt race I ever went to was at East Windsor and I went with the Ruberti's to see this car run and I think that Bob Vaugh was driving the car. I was about 9 or 10 years old. As you mentioned Joe I also always loved the color combination, it seemed to fit the coupe just right and enhance the look of the car. I remember asking Tony what color the cars where and he referred to the color as "Turbine Bronze".

I spoke to Sammy Beavers about this car at the Flemington re-union and he said he won ever race in this car. He commented on how strong the Ruberti engine's were. Tasnady won his last feature in Ruberti's #97 at Flemington.

Dave Ruberti has the last 97 run. The car is just the way it came off the track from Bridgeport with mud still on it in 1987. This car was built by Jimmy Horton. Dave is working on getting the car back on the track from some vintage shows.

Wayne Weaver
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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