Faces In The Crowd: Meeting Dick Ransom

Faces In The Crowd is a semi-regular feature from RaceDayCT’s Denise DuPont visiting with fans in the grandstands at local short tracks.

When it comes to covering short track racing in New England, there are always plenty of stories to tell from the track or in the pits. But there is a whole other part of the racing community – the race fans – that have stories to tell. RaceDayCT’s Denise DuPont offers Faces In The Crowd as a way to tell those stories.

Denise’s first edition of Faces In The Crowd is unfortunately a somber one. Denise tells the story of Dwight “Dick” Ransom, who unfortunately passed away on July 1 at 89 years old.

Dick (Dwight Richard) Ransom – A Longtime Modified Race Fan                                    

This year I am starting a new twist on racing coverage by interviewing race fans at the track. Race fans are definitely a big part of the larger race family. They are dedicated to the sport and come to the track whether it is snowing, raining, hot or cold …

Race fans are a network that share a special bond. Some fans even take their love of racing to the next step and become involved with a race team in any capacity that they can to ensure that the sport that they love lives on.

One fan who saw an opportunity and jumped on board was the late Dick Ransom from Riverton.  Dick developed an interest in NASCAR Modified Tour racing and held a season pass to the former Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass. and then was a longtime season ticket holder at Stafford Speedway. He developed many friendships at the race track and even worked the pits at Riverside for Reggie Ruggiero.

Dick Ransom was bit by the race bug a long time ago. Ransom made his most treasured memories following Modifieds at Riverside Park Speedway. Like many race fans, Dick could not sit long in the grandstand. A longtime friend helped Reggie Ruggiero’s No. 44 team at the track and convinced Dick to join him. Dick jumped at the opportunity to move from a stadium chair to the pits. He had no specific role, but filled in where needed to get the job done.

Until recently, Ransom commuted weekly from Riverton to Stafford Speedway for his favorite pastime, racing. He had a reserved top row seat where he joined friends during the race season to embrace racing. In his later years, Ransom no longer made long trips following the NASCAR Modified Tour, but he had past memories to cherish.

I had an opportunity to interview Dick at Stafford. He was very glad to share his story.

How did you get involved in racing way back when?  Just as a fan to start with, I guess. 

What racing series did you follow as a fan?  I followed the Modifieds, pretty much.

Did you ever work on a race team? A friend of mine was involved with Reggie [Ruggerio], and that’s how I got involved with Reggie at Riverside Park. Riverside was a good track to go to weekly. It was really close to me. 

And what role did you have on Reggie’s team?  Whatever they wanted me to do. I was kind of, you know, a catch all person. I didn’t have any special thing I did, but I worked with tires and stuff like that.
If they needed me to push the car, I did it.  You name it and I did it. 

What is your most memorable experience being part of a race team?  I don’t know, maybe traveling to different tracks.  Martinsville and bigger tracks like that. We traveled all over. We went to Buffalo. But reflecting, going all the way to Martinsville was always exciting.

Once Reggie left the Mario Fiore No. 44 Modified, what did you do? I went back to just being a fan. Once Riverside Park closed, I came to Stafford Speedway. I’ve been coming to Stafford Speedway for years.

Where do you go besides Stafford Speedway?  Currently, that’s all for now.  I used to go to Lebanon Valley, believe it or not, a dirt track. But when COVID hit, I stopped going and my friends that used to go, also stopped going. They never went back, so I never went back. 

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?  No, I don’t think so. 

Sadly, Ransom left us and the world of racing after a brief illness. He passed away on July 1, 2025. Dick attended his last race in mid-June of this year at Stafford.

I learned through our weekly talks at Stafford Speedway that he worked at The Union Pin Company in Winsted for more than 40 years, retiring as its General Manager. Once retied, he immediately went back to work at Perry Technology in New Hartford, where he remained an employee until his death.

Along with his passion for Modified racing and work, Dick had a 73-year membership in the Riverton Volunteer Fire Company. He served as its chief for many years and was active until his passing. He also served as vice-president of the Barkhamsted Fire District for over 40 years, was a past president of the Litchfield County Fire Chiefs Emergency Plan, and was a longtime member of the Litchfield County Fire School Committee and Barkhamsted Town Emergency Committee.

You make a lot of friends in racing and the community that embraces it. I am proud to say that I met Dick Ransom and the sparkle in his eyes when talked about racing. He left us way too soon. He will be deeply missed at the race track. But I have to say he lived his life to the fullest.