Legendary NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour owner Len Boehler is one of five racing personalities who will be inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame Saturday night at the association’s annual banquet in King of Prussia, Pa.
Driver Tony Hirschman with Len Boehler’s legendary Ole Blue No. 3 Modified in 1995 (Photo: Mary Hodge for NASCAR)
Boehler, a native of Freetown, Mass. who passed away in 2001, pioneered his Ole Blue No. 3 car to become one of the iconic images of Modified racing.
Before the Modified Tour was created, the team won NASCAR Modified National championships in 1967, ’68 and ’69 with Bugsy Stevens behind the wheel. On the current Modified Tour since 1985, Boehler Racing Enterprises has won championships with Wayne Anderson in 1994 and Tony Hirschman in 1995 and ’96. The team remains in competition today, overseen by Len’s son Michael.
Fred DeSarro, the 1970 National Modified champion who began his career at the Waterford Speedbowl, will also be inducted. DeSarro ended up replacing Stevens in Boehler’s car and won the inaugural Spring Sizzler at Stafford Motor Speedway with Boehler in 1972. DeSarro died from injuries sustained in an accident at Thompson Speedway in 1978.
Fitchburg Mass. native Ron Bouchard, who dominated the Modified ranks locally in the 1970’s before moving onto NASCAR’s top level Sprint Cup Series, is the third well known from Modified racing who will be inducted Saturday. Bouchard won in his 11th Sprint Cup Series starts in 1981 at Talladega Superspeedway and went on to win the division’s Rookie of the Year title that season.
Over 160 Sprint Cup Series starts he had one victory, three poles and 60 top-10 finishes. He made his last series start in 1987.
3 of the best
That’s 3 of 5 – who are the other 2 being inducted?
The other two were Jim Reed and Dave Lape.
Freddie DeSarro — Race In Peace