Nick Fornoro, Sr.
A successful Midget racer who went on to a long and respected career as the Starter for the old Championship Auto Racing Teams Indy Car Series, Nick Fornoro Sr. (October 23, 1920 – September 27, 2007) was a popular fixture in professional motorsports for over 45 years.
Born in Madison, New Jersey, and a longtime resident of Rockaway, New Jersey, Fornoro got interested in racing when he saw the Midgets run on the old one-seventh-mile board-surfaced Nutley (N.J.) Velodrome in 1939. And in 1947 he attended a Midget racing school at Thompson Stadium in Staten Island, New York, and was good enough to win the “graduation race” on the one-fifth-mile track inside Hincliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey.
Fornoro got several rides during the rest of the 1947 outdoor season and ran the winter series of Midget races at the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx, New York. And he showed such talent that fellow EMPA Hall of Fame member Roscoe “Pappy” Hough offered him a ride in one of his top Offy entries – known as “The Five Little Pigs” – on the American Racing Driver’s Club circuit which raced seven nights a week.
At the wheel of the No. 80, Fornoro did very well. But his first-ever ARDC victory came at the Candlelite Stadium in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when he put Bert Lundgren’s Ford V8-60-powered car into the winner’s circle after the engine in his own car failed.
In 1949, Fornoro began driving Eddie Allen’s No. 18 and won 12 races, including a 75-lapper at his first visit to the old one-fifth-mile dirt Yellow Jacket Speedway at Eric Avenue and G Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And he finished fifth that year in ARDC points.
Then, in 1950, Fornoro had six feature wins in Allen’s Midget and scored enough points to win the ARDC Championship even though he broke his shoulder on September 8 in Freeport, New York, while driving another car and had to sit out the rest of the season.
In 1953, Fornoro – who was listed as running out of Danbury, Connecticut – and the Allen No. 18 were the first NASCAR National Midget Champions. That season he also raced in his most unusual event as on June 21 he competed in the NASCAR Grand National/Sports Car International 200 at the old one-mile dirt Langhorne (Pa.) Speedway. Here Fornoro started 12th in his No. 10 Porsche and finished the unusual test running in eighth-place, 19 laps behind winner Dick Rathmann’s No. 120 1953 Hudson Hornet.
By this time in his career Fornoro also drove the Joe Barzda No. 33 and the Frankie Kal No. 52 stretched Midget in AAA Sprint Car events. But after winning the 1956 ARDC season opener at the three-eights-mile Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Virginia, he retired as a race driver with 50 Midget victories to spend more time with his wife Bette and their sons Nick Jr. and Drew who both became rather talented Midget racers.
Immediately upon Fornoro’s retirement from driving, fellow EMPA Hall of Famer and ARDC president Ed “Dutch” Schaefer hired him to be the club’s starter. With his experience as a driver a valuable asset, he became one of the premier starters in motorsports.
Fornoro – who was a member of Ironworkers Local 11 in Newark, New Jersey – took his starting duties to heart. Always nattily dressed in white slacks and a colorful blazer, waving his twin checkered flags added a fitting closure to any event. He was also greatly concerned with the safety of the competitors, and was always available to help and advise rookies.
Nick Fornoro also started United Racing Club, USAC Eastern and American Three-Quarter Midget Racing Association races. He then was hired by CART and from 1979-1992 he started 200 consecutive CART events. Iin 1993 his last official duties took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he was the honorary starter for the Indianapolis 500.
A successful Midget racer who went on to a long and respected career as the Starter for the old Championship Auto Racing Teams Indy Car Series, Nick Fornoro Sr. (October 23, 1920 – September 27, 2007) was a popular fixture in professional motorsports for over 45 years.
Born in Madison, New Jersey, and a longtime resident of Rockaway, New Jersey, Fornoro got interested in racing when he saw the Midgets run on the old one-seventh-mile board-surfaced Nutley (N.J.) Velodrome in 1939. And in 1947 he attended a Midget racing school at Thompson Stadium in Staten Island, New York, and was good enough to win the “graduation race” on the one-fifth-mile track inside Hincliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey.
Fornoro got several rides during the rest of the 1947 outdoor season and ran the winter series of Midget races at the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx, New York. And he showed such talent that fellow EMPA Hall of Fame member Roscoe “Pappy” Hough offered him a ride in one of his top Offy entries – known as “The Five Little Pigs” – on the American Racing Driver’s Club circuit which raced seven nights a week.
At the wheel of the No. 80, Fornoro did very well. But his first-ever ARDC victory came at the Candlelite Stadium in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when he put Bert Lundgren’s Ford V8-60-powered car into the winner’s circle after the engine in his own car failed.
In 1949, Fornoro began driving Eddie Allen’s No. 18 and won 12 races, including a 75-lapper at his first visit to the old one-fifth-mile dirt Yellow Jacket Speedway at Eric Avenue and G Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And he finished fifth that year in ARDC points.
Then, in 1950, Fornoro had six feature wins in Allen’s Midget and scored enough points to win the ARDC Championship even though he broke his shoulder on September 8 in Freeport, New York, while driving another car and had to sit out the rest of the season.
In 1953, Fornoro – who was listed as running out of Danbury, Connecticut – and the Allen No. 18 were the first NASCAR National Midget Champions. That season he also raced in his most unusual event as on June 21 he competed in the NASCAR Grand National/Sports Car International 200 at the old one-mile dirt Langhorne (Pa.) Speedway. Here Fornoro started 12th in his No. 10 Porsche and finished the unusual test running in eighth-place, 19 laps behind winner Dick Rathmann’s No. 120 1953 Hudson Hornet.
By this time in his career Fornoro also drove the Joe Barzda No. 33 and the Frankie Kal No. 52 stretched Midget in AAA Sprint Car events. But after winning the 1956 ARDC season opener at the three-eights-mile Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Virginia, he retired as a race driver with 50 Midget victories to spend more time with his wife Bette and their sons Nick Jr. and Drew who both became rather talented Midget racers.
Immediately upon Fornoro’s retirement from driving, fellow EMPA Hall of Famer and ARDC president Ed “Dutch” Schaefer hired him to be the club’s starter. With his experience as a driver a valuable asset, he became one of the premier starters in motorsports.
Fornoro – who was a member of Ironworkers Local 11 in Newark, New Jersey – took his starting duties to heart. Always nattily dressed in white slacks and a colorful blazer, waving his twin checkered flags added a fitting closure to any event. He was also greatly concerned with the safety of the competitors, and was always available to help and advise rookies.
Nick Fornoro also started United Racing Club, USAC Eastern and American Three-Quarter Midget Racing Association races. He then was hired by CART and from 1979-1992 he started 200 consecutive CART events. Iin 1993 his last official duties took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he was the honorary starter for the Indianapolis 500.