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Al Pillion

Al Pillion was born in Newtonville, Mass., in January 1922.  An expert mechanic, he worked on midgets for some time before ever getting into the driver's seat.  Just 20 years old when WWII started, he served in the armed forces before starting his racing career...

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Biography
He made his driving debut on the Bay State Midget Racing Association circuit in George Reynold's car in 1947.  He also drove Jerry Clark's Ford and Joe Morra's Ford on both that circuit and with the United Car Owners Association, known as UCOA.  While he had lots of good runs in those early seasons, Al really came into his own with the formation of the Northeastern Midget Association in 1953.
 
In the very first NEMA race, at Seekonk, on Memorial Day 1953, Al ran 2nd to Fred Meeker.  Running the full NEMA schedule in the Kelley Brothers' Ford, Al won the circuit championship in 1956 and '59, picking up a total of 16 wins at Fairmont, Manchester, Norwood, Oxford, Seekonk, Waterford, West Peabody, and Westboro.  He was also in the top 5 in the standings in another half dozen seasons.  He later drove into the 70s for some of NEMA's top owners, including Everett Rogers and John McCarthy.
 
His work eventually took him out of New England, forcing his retirement from racing.  He passed away from an aortic aneurysm in Texas in June, 1986.


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