Car owner Joe Brady (left) and Ted Christopher celebrate their first Valenti Modified Racing Series victory together in 2010 at Stafford Motor Speedway (Photo: Valenti Modified Racing Series/LINMAT via Vermont Motorsports Magazine)
Friday Modified Racing lost another Hall of Famer with the death of longtime and legendary Modified team owner Joe Brady.
Brady was killed Friday in Stoughton, Mass. while walking across the street outside of his business after he was struck by a driver allegedly under the influence of drugs.
Brady, of Stoughton, Mass., was 71 years old.
In Modified racing circles Brady was long known for doing a lot with a little and fielding cars for some of the best Modified drivers in the business.
Among the drivers who had driven for Brady at one time or another were Bugsy Stevens, Leo Cleary, Bob Santos, Ken Bouchard, Steve Park and Ted Christopher to name a few. Even short track legend and longtime Sprint Cup Series driver Dick Trickle drove for Brady.
He won races as a team owner over five decades.
“The thing that I remember about Brady the most was the people who drove his racecars,” New England racing historian Pete Zanardi said. “… He really really built good equipment. He built these cars that attracted outstanding racecar drivers to drive them. … That would be the testimony to how good he was.”
In recent years Brady was best known for fielding his familiar No. 00 cars for Christopher, often at the World Series at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and in many special events and Valenti Modified Racing Series shows.
Brady and Christopher won three New Smyrna championships together.
“I won a lot of races together with that guy,” Christopher said. “He was great to race with. From New Smyrna we won so many championships and races. We’ve done a lot together and won a lot of races together. He was such a great guy. Joe didn’t really have a lot of money, but the car was always a great racecar. I don’t know how many races we know at New Smyrna. We always ran good and won races together. It was definitely always a fun time racing with Joe.”
Brady was inducted into the New England Racers Hall of Fame, which is overseen by the New England Antique Racers, in its 2008 class.
“I was really happy when he went into the Hall of Fame,” Zanardi said. “I’ve often thought that car builders don’t get the credit they deserve. We couldn’t have a sport without somebody building the racecars. And there’s plenty of evidence that he was really one of the best car builders by the fact of who drove his cars. He was successful everywhere that he went. He’s got wins everywhere. What Teddy did at New Smyrna in his car was amazing.
“He was very loyal to people. Inside and outside the sport, he was loyal to his friends. And really low key. In a sport that featured a lot of noise and giant personalities he was really low key. He didn’t make a lot of noise. You could have fun with him, he was quick-witted, but generally he was pretty quiet, just laying back there doing great things. It’s really a shame.”
According to a report from the Stoughton Journal, Brady was walking across Route 27 near 630 Park St. at about 8:35 p.m. Friday when he was struck and killed. The driver of the car, 33-year old Michael Burns, was determined to be under the influence of drugs according to the Stoughton Journal report and was charged with drugged driving.
Brady was walking across the street to the Christmas Tree sales lot he operates this time of year outside of Brady Enterprises.
“My husband parked the car across the street because there were other people there getting trees,” Brady’s wife Linda Brady told the Stoughton Journal. “He walked across the street, there was nothing coming, and, all of a sudden – boom. It knocked him far.”
Brady was flown by medical helicopter to Boston Medical Center but later died.
Very sad news. I always loved the way his cars looked, and man were they fast. RIP Joe
Another big loss in the modified racing community. So sorry to hear of Joe’s passing. My thoughts go out to his family and friends. He will be missed. A sad sad week continues
What a sad way for this man to loose his life. A great car owner who fielded great race cars. This is a horrible week for the modified racing fraternity. RIP Joe, you will be missed.
My deepest condolences to the Brady family. I will miss seeing him at the tracks.
Another sad loss this week of one of NE’s true racing’s personalities. I only got to see Joe at Norwood’s reunion now and then but he never seemed to change. He was always easy to talk to and you had to be ready to give it back to him when he started teasing you.
I guess his love and devotion to racing even as he got older stood out the most. You gave way more than you took from this sport Joe and will be missed by us all.
If you ever met joe Brady then you know he was truly a great great man . I am glad I got to know him and my condolences go out to Linda . I remember one thing
he once told me and I soon discovered he was spot on . He said to me you know a great race driver doesn’t usually make a great person . RIP .
Deepest Sympathy
Spent many days and nights working on cars trying to beat that #00. I never knew Joe that well, but he was always a friendly man willing to help. My condolences to all his family and friends.
Such a legend in the sport and a great friend to many. Proudest memory in my career was to actually have a chance to pilot the famous 00, sorry it didnt go as planned but what an honor. Race in peace my friend, Thanks for the memories
God Bless Linda and family at this time , Joe you were a great man RIP !!!!
Day by day the great ones that made modified racing such a great sport are disappearing. Rest in Peace Joe.
Joe Brady, one of the best of modified racing. Certainly helped to build modified racing to what it is today .A great loss to the racing community as a whole. Joe Zenga owner of car 06 with Bob Potter, Bill Harman and Bill Greco .