Jeno Begolo #16 and #123
Jeno Begolo - The Mayor of
Thorold South
I was recently invited by Jeno and
Shirley Begolo to spend some time at their home in Thorold
South, so we could recount many of the racing memories
associated both with Jeno’s career, Merrittville Speedway
and now with his son Jim’s rejuvenated career.
Jeno’s career started out at the age of
eighteen after watching drivers such as Bruce Swartz and
Ralph Taylor race at Stamford. He said to himself, I’d like
to give it a try and having worked at A & A Auto Body, owned
by Alex Lomatof and Adam Scarowski on 123 Oakdale Avenue in
Thorold, there was a “37 Ford coach out back.
From the beginning, Jeno was particular
and liked the coupes so with his body shop experience he
transformed the coach to a coupe over the winter. In the
spring of 1952, the A & A auto body #123 emerged and was
ready to race. Jeno’s first race was at Stamford Park, then
Brantford at Mohawk Park.
Jeno found out early that what looked
easy from the grandstand was something else on the track,
especially with a race car with mechanical brakes and a true
stock chassis.
During 1952 Jeno brought the race
car to Merrittville’s ¼ mile oval on opening day as well as
at Chippawa race track. Jeno learned his trade well and in
1955 he opened Begolo’s Body Service in Thorold South and
married his wife of 43 years, Shirley and continued to race
at Merrittville Speedway. Since he now operated his own body
shop, he formed a partnership with Windy Whitwell from
Allanburg, Ontario who raced under the #16. For 1956 and
1957 Jeno’s career continued to develop, but in 1958, he now
raced his own cars sponsored by Nemeth Motors.
In 1958, Jeno experimented with an
extremely light Ford model A racer, built by Harry Ross.
It was so fast, nothing could touch it. As a result, the
NDSCRA drivers associated voted and banned the car. Jeno
was both angry and disheartened but he finished 1958 out
with a conventional coupe that Jeno believed showed up at
his shop donated by former track owners Ken Kavanagh and
Bill Russell. The 1958 season was memorable for Jeno in
many ways, but especially since he won Merrittville’s points
championship.
Many people assisted Jeno in the early
years, but none more than Harry Ross who built the cars and
Jack McKinney who worked at Sadler’s Auto Electric and let
Jeno bring his care to the shop, set it up and use the
dynamometer. Jack McKinney would also help set the car up
at the track, since had vast mechanical knowledge, but also
driving experience with his own #5 Grantham Packers Ford
coupe. From 1959 to 1961, Jeno left Merrittville over the
Model A experience and competed in a bug dirt super modified
built by Harry Ross.
Jeno and his crew won the first
championship on Lancaster dirt and also raced at the
original Ransomville Speedway, Perry and Olean, winning over
13 features and beating local stars such as Jim Smolinski
Sr., Ron Smoker’s father. Jeno returned to Merrittville in
1962 and also raced at Speedway Park’s opening night June
19, 1962.
Through all his racing exploits, Jeno
always has had his brother Albert “Iber” Begolo at his side
as a crew member and supporter. In 1963 Jeno started
building his own cars with the help of his crew Larry
Cienik, Robert “Mouse” Young, and Wayne House at Begolo’s
Body Service.
Jim Begolo
During the mid 1960’s with the
support of Curly’s Auto Sales, Jeno was a strong competitor
wherever he raced whether at Merrittville’s or Speedway
Park’s dirt, or occasionally on Lancaster’s pavement.
Somehow a cartoon character in the form of a rabbit started
to appear on Jeno’s cars and this is the story. Apparently,
June Whitwell, scorer at Merrittville used to say that Jeno
would bug her after the races each week, suggesting in jest
that her scoring might help Jeno out. To no avail, June
called Jeno a Bug-the Bug developed into a Bugs and then to
Bugs Bunny. So Jeno painted the Bugs Bunny on his car to
“bug” June everytime she saw the car.
From thereafter the Bugs Bunny and the
#16 were an inseparable item which followed Jeno for the
rest of his life. During 1966 Jeno won the points
championship at Speedway Park but 1968 was his year,
capturing both Merrittville’s points championship as well as
repeating as Speedway Park’s super Stock champion. The red
and black Begolo coupes were a sight to behold and always
reflected Jeno’s talent as a car builder and also as a body
man. In 1969 and 1970 Jeno finally campaigned a beautiful
purple and gold trimmed coach remaining super competitive
against the likes of George Treanor, Ivan Little and Mike
Zajac.
One of Jeno’s memorable moments was being
interviewed for Chuck Healey’s sports show on Buffalo T. V.
and having his car featured. In 1974 Jeno and his crew
built his last car a beautiful Gremlin bodied modified with
a fully enclosed engine and torsion bar suspension. Again,
Jeno retired as a driver at the peak of his career, hoping
to keep his son Jim from getting too involved in racing. To
no avail, Jim started racing enduro motorcycles then tried
drag racing, then tried a Mini Minor on a homemade dirt
track behind Begolo’s shop.
At age 18, young Jim started his career,
behind the wheel of a limited sportsman and after two years
he moved up to modifieds in 1983. With Jim and his dad
Jeno, they first raced at Bismarck won the Humberstone
points in 1983, but after much traveling, won “Dirt Rookie
of the Year” points beating out Joe Plazek. Jim could now
carry on the Begolo tradition by carrying the Bugs Bunny on
his car. Jeno remained as car owner for Jim to the end of
the 1995 season, in fact, Jim’s last race car is still
parked in Jeno’s garage.
Jeno has no regrets and has enjoyed his
career and was recently honoured by the Thorold Chamber of
Commerce for his business dedication and his sports
accomplishments in the community. Today, Jeno and Shirley
live comfortably in their house beside their former shop.
While Jeno drives his tow truck on call for the OPP and
Niagara Region, he has time for golfing and camping. Jeno’s
family support has always been there and he is also very
proud of his daughters Cindy Dickson and Barbara Begolo,
both very accomplished figure skaters.
He is kept busy not only with Jim’s son
Brent, but Cindy’s children C.J. as well as twins Kelsey and
Candace. It’s obvious that stock car racing is only one
facet of the Begolo family but the family can be found at
Merrittville Speedway supporting Jim’s rejuvenated career,
behind the wheel of Terry St. Amand’s Swiss Chalet #16. In
a career that spanned some 23 years as a car owner and
driver, and since then, another 12 years as a car owner for
son Jim.
The Begolo tradition continues in 1998 as
Jim tries to follow in his father’s footsteps seeking
another points championship, in the modified #16. I hope
this family tradition continues on for many more years to
come. So as Dizzy Dean Murray, the announcer at Speedway
Park labeled Jeno “he truly is Mayor of Thorold South”.
Thanks for your hospitality and we hope
to see you at many more reunions to come.
Sempre Avanti!
Rick Kavanagh