Berggren, Silva highlight Northeast Motorsports Expo lineup

It looks like next month’s Northeast Motorsports Expo will serve as a homecoming for two racing personalities with Maine ties.

National motorsports announcer Dick Berggren and Waterville native Pete Silva will make appearances at the 21^st annual show, to be held Jan. 2-4 at the Augusta Civic Center. Berggren, who founded the periodical "Speedway Illustrated" and is a key member of the NASCAR on FOX broadcast team, and Silva, the 2002 Hickory Motor Speedway Late Model champion will each sign autographs during the event.

"I haven’t been home for almost three years, so it’s going to be a lot of fun," Silva said.

Silva left Maine for good in the late 1980s, after being enticed back home to run for two years on the NASCAR Busch North Series in 1986-87. In 1998, at age 50, he won the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series regional title while competing in the south, and in 2001 won the track championship at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

The next year, he went to Hickory and won another title for himself.

"Two championships in two years at two different tracks," Silva said. "Not bad for an old guy."

But, apparently, not old enough. Silva will a Late Model in North Carolina next season.

Berggren started announcing at the defunct Arundel Speedway in Arundel, Maine, before making the move to the radio side on the Motor Racing Network (MRN), where he added to the broadcast of the 1979 Daytona 500.

He’s since worked the electronic side for ESPN, TNN, TBS, CBS, FOX and SPEED.

The Northeast Motorsports Expo features exhibits from Maine tracks, drag strips, karting ovals and other racing venues and includes appearances from area drivers and race teams. Wiscasset Raceway track champion Randy Turner is expected to be on hand, too.

For a complete rundown, visit the Expo's web site at www.northeastmotorsports.net.

Comments

[RKP]

I hope someone has some pics of the black and silver Nova he drove that had the big bud logo on it,he cleaned up at unity with that, I really liked the grand am he had that was painted blue and white and had Busch beer on it,I think he wrecked it and got it fixed down south and thats when he found out he really liked racing down south

[GREG T]

I too loved the silver "valley distributors" nova that Pete campaigned at Unity in the middle/late 70's. he was my
favorite when i was a kid.