Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Tom Nesbitt....a local living legend!


Tom's first couple of Cars

Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame ......and "Tom Nesbitt" Day

Tom signing my photo of his Model "A" Sedan.........#1 of course!!

The brain protector and the famous "blue" Studebaker!!

The Stude and The Cake...

How many of these do you have, Tom? ...and Tom with Jeff Caldwell's kids!
...............TOM NESBITT:
It is extremely difficult in a few words to describe the illustrious career of Tom Nesbitt. Tom was recently inducted into The Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame here in Thunder Bay, an honour that really took way too long to come. Tom started his memorable racing career when our city was called Fort William, and during the time when the likes of Barry Kettering, Merv Dove, Louis Tocheri, and the Massaro brothers were cutting up the CLE grounds back in the late 1950's.
His famed blue Studebaker saw many checkered flags and in 1968 alone had won an incredible 19 of the 21 late model features that he entered that year at Riverview Raceways here in Fort William, now Thunder Bay, Ontario. His career took him racing to such places as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, Louisiana, Indiana, Florida, Mississippi and who knows where else, winning numerous races and many championships along the way during his 50 plus year reign on the dirt.
Tom Nesbitt day was held last month on November 22 at the West Arthur Community Centre to a great crowd who all enjoyed congratulating Tom and talking with their old racing buddies. There were tons of photo albums full of photos for everyone to reminisce about the good ol' days.
The Stieh Family can be commended for sponsoring a great event that was thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance.
If you want to read all this in more detail, Jeff Caldwell summed it up in a well written detailed story that you can find by clicking here http://www.gotomn.com/racing/history/Tom-Nesbitt/tom-nesbitt-tribute.htm
Thanks Tom "The Bomb" Nesbitt for the memories and Jeff Caldwell for the great write-up on the racing history website and for some of the photos here.
As usual, be sure to click on any of the photos to enlarge them!!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

gee nice to know we have another celebrity in our family!! Country singer Ronnie Prophet and Tom...nice to know we did not all want to work for the railroad...Congratulations Tom, well deserved... your long lost cousin Lynn from Capreol.