Tribute To Tom Iorizzo

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  • #10900
    dino
    Keymaster

        Tom Iorizzo….One of Dover’s regulars and fan Favorites…Long overdue with his own topic. His Son is on the Forum I believe….So lets hear Your Stories about Tom…From his first Impala to the familiar Camaros.


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        #32240
        dino
        Keymaster

            Heres Some shots I pulled from the ODF Galleries ….remember?


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            #32241
            lee-valentine

                I saw the stuff he went fast with when I was hanging at professional machine, UNBELIEVEABLE. 🙄

                #32244
                don-kauer

                    Tom and his brother Paul were both real good guys….I spent lots of time with Tommy “hanging out” and he helped me with a bunch of parts and things…He and Labriola were my connection to the Eastchester crew..It sucks but they are both gone now..I attended both funerals……Tommy won races with no one on his mind except himself ❗ Some questioned how he went so fast… But that was his business and he was a very good driver… There was no middle ground there..You either loved him or hated him…I loved him and yes we had our moments, but if he were here now I would be the first to go to bat for him…The last year of his life he was very sick and I visited him often…It’s still hard to ride by the house on Rte. 22 and know he is not there….R.I.P. Tommy…I miss you and think of you often 🙁 …Don…….

                    #32246
                    dino
                    Keymaster

                        Tom was “all Business” when it came to Racing…looking for some more info….stand by. Tom’s Famous Wheelstands always had the crowd at the fences when I announced he was up next.

                        #32247
                        dino
                        Keymaster

                            From Charlie Irving on Thu Feb 11, 2010

                            Tommy was a great guy and I am glad to have known him. When I was running in “C” Stock during his days in that class, he would make a point of letting me get ahead of him in the staging lanes so that I could run against someone else before he eventually beat me later in the afternoon.
                            After he left the Stock class, he did run in a Gas class for a while but I was already gone from Dover at that point and I am not sure what car he was running then. RIP Tom. You are missed.

                            Charlie Irving

                            #32248
                            hvy70ss
                            Participant

                                As a teenager in the early 70’s, both Casey’s Super Pumpkin Camaro and Tom Iorizzo’s green Camaro are THE best Dover memories I have!
                                Dino…your’re right, when his car came up to the line there was a mad rush to check out the wheelstands.

                                Bobby Smith

                                #32250
                                ray-yorizzo

                                    The last time I saw my “cousin” Tommy was in 1961 when I left Eastchester . . . I still miss him.

                                    Ray Yorizzo

                                    #32251
                                    frank-j-majauskas
                                    Participant

                                        Smitty, I can only say ditto to your post buddy ❗ If I wasn’t racing that day, I was one
                                        of them that was running to the fence to watch Tommy and the “Speed Man” make their
                                        runs…I loved the modified and gas classes and those two never let me down with their
                                        performances ❗ Talking with Fred Egloff (Fred’s Speed Shop), I learned that Tommy and
                                        Fred were good fishing buddies after their racing careers were over and before Tommy
                                        became ill…So Tommy also hung with the best off the track ❗ Can you imagine what kind
                                        of engine powered their fishing boat…. 😮

                                        Frank…

                                        #32253
                                        tommy-iorizzo

                                            Dino,
                                            Thank you so much for pming me about this. You have no clue how much it means to me.
                                            I tell everyone how great of father my dad was. He passed away when I was 21. Believe it or not, we never had a fight. I think the only time he got mad at me was when i bought my first mustang. “A ford? Really, Tom? Are you my son? Where did I go wrong?” hahaha. We did everything together and I would have had it no other way. Even when I was in my late teens, I would have rather hang out with my dad to go hunting, fishing or to a car show rather than hang out with with my friends. I always knew people loved my father, but it was not till his passing that I really found out. So many people came to the wake and funeral. I have never seen so many grown men in tears.
                                            It’s so funny. I know how much racing meant to my dad. I begged him to take me to the track, but he never did. He got into fishing and bought a nice Grady white fishing boat. The family, mom, dad and my twin sister would go out every Sunday to fish or just enjoy the weather. My dad and I and Fred egloff would go fishing at night, during the week. I did not realize then, but this was his way of keeping me out of trouble. We also bought and renovated a house in upstate ny for hunting. My sister and I still own and use it to this day.
                                            I have not seen Fred in a while, but he played a big role in my life and I have always looked up to him. Him and his family are great people. I consider them family.
                                            I was sad to hear of Billy caseys passing. He too and family, great people.
                                            Bobby lagana, still in eastchester. I grew up with his kids. Little Bobby and Dom are going far!
                                            I could go on forever. I know Dover were the best times of my dads life! I heard every story, hundreds of times. I still meet people to this day who say how much they love my dad and how great of times they had at the track.
                                            When I moved, I gave a bunch of pics to my good friend pat spatafore. I know there were a bunch of everyone’s cars, even a bunch of black and whites from the early days of Dover. I will scan them, I promise.. I have some here too, stay tuned.

                                            Thanks again for all of the nice words. My mom and sister will be so happy to see. Thanks again, Dino. I will be in touch and add some photos..

                                            #32254
                                            mikey

                                                Tom was a true racer, and I too, just like everyone else, used to love to watch him come off the line! I think some of the best races were between him and Clem”the mad Frenchman”, and the “Six Fiend” of Pat Hennebery. R.I.P. Tom, say hi to Billy.
                                                …………Mikey 😆

                                                #32255
                                                dino
                                                Keymaster

                                                    The Infamous Black Impala…check out the win stickers (Driver side wallpapered with Dover) And on the roof …that says 1967 AHRA world Record Holder !


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                                                    #32256
                                                    dino
                                                    Keymaster

                                                        Wheelstands? ….oh yeah!


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                                                        #32261
                                                        paul-ceasrine

                                                            Dino,

                                                            I remember that beautiful 65′ Chevrolet (Impala or Super Sport), with the Tuxedo Black paint job.
                                                            One of the ‘loudest’ stock class cars up there.

                                                            For the car to be classed in C/S, it would have had to be equipped with the ‘Special Mystery Engine’, the 396/425HP.

                                                            Saw Tom run that big Chevrolet versus the A/SA ‘Northeast Raider’ a couple of times in Stock Eliminator in 1969.

                                                            pc

                                                            #32263
                                                            dino
                                                            Keymaster

                                                                Photo shows the Impala SS running SS/E …also here’s a shot of it running in H/S…now Paulie ( NHRA adv. weight to adv. H.P index Guru) …how was that possible?


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