Bob Rossell

Last updated
Bob Rossell
Born (1936-09-01) September 1, 1936 (age 87) [1]
Wrightstown, New Jersey
Debut season1958
Car number56

Bob Rossell (born September 1, 1936) is a pioneering driver of modified stock cars. Before his retirement, he was also a much sought-after car builder and fabricator, with many top drivers finding success in Rossell racers, with its signature square tubing. [2]

Racing career

Bob Rossell began his career in 1958 at what is now New Egypt Speedway NJ, with an old Chevy coupe and a junkyard engine. He has since competed and been victorious at the renowned northeast race tracks including Flemington Speedway NJ, Langhorne Speedway PA, Marlboro Motor Raceway MD, Nazareth Speedway PA, Old Bridge Speedway NJ, Orange County Fair Speedway NY, and the Southside Speedway VA. [1] [2] [3]

Rossell captured NASCAR' s Battle of Bull Run at Old Dominion Speedway VA in 1963, and twice won the Garden State Classic at Wall Stadium NJ. [2] [4] He was first to cross the finish line in the1963 New Yorker 400 at Utica-Rome Speedway, but the win was reversed when NASCAR determined fellow driver Rene Charland had pushed Rossell across the line when he ran out of gas. [5]

After his retirement from racing, Bob Rossell went on to a second career building sulkies for Standardbred horses. He was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association and the Northeast Dirt Modified Halls of Fame. [1] [2] [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bob Rossell-EMPA Hall of Fame". Eastern Motorsports Press Association. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Swanson, Buffy (July 15, 2018). "Hall of a guy: Wrightstown pioneer driver and builder Bob Rossell to enter Modified Hall of Fame". Burlington County Times . Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Rossell wins feature". Times Herald-Record. June 29, 1973. p. 110. Retrieved September 20, 2023– via NewspaperArchive.
  4. ↑ "Rossell snaps Wall oval jinx". Red Bank Register. September 16, 1974. p. 15. Retrieved September 20, 2023– via NewspaperArchive.
  5. ↑ Grady, John (August 30, 1971). "Stock Cars". The Daily Gazette. p. 27. Retrieved September 20, 2023– via Google Books.
  6. ↑ "EMPA Reveals Latest Hall Of Fame Inductees". Speed Sport. December 18, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
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