Year:  Top 19?? Second 19?? Third 1981 Fourth 1988 Fifth Looks like late 70’s Sixth: 1974 Seventh: 1974?
Driver:   Top Cat, Tommy Corellis
Photo Contributed by:  

Top Photo: Bobby Ely

Second Photo: Bobby Ely

Third Photo: Lincoln

Fourth Photo: LVC Fan

Fifth Photo: Arnie Ainsworth

Sixth Photo: Joel F. Naprstek

www.JFNStudios.net 

Seventh Photo: Charlie Parise

Photo Credits:  

Top Photo: Chuck Ely

Second Photo: Chuck Ely

Third Photo: Lincoln

Fourth Photo: Unknown DIRT photographer.

Fifth Photo: Unknown

Sixth Photo: Joel F. Naprstek

Seventh Photo: Unknown

 

The Back Story: 

Top Photo:

Not sure if this is a victory lane photo for Corellis, or a prop photo that Chuck Ely used to love to take?  All I can tell is TC is strapped in, with what looks like a heavy duty back brace wrapped around himself and the old fashioned racing seat.  Duct tape couldn’t have done a better job?

Second Photo:

T.C. talking the upcoming evening events over with an unidentified crewman.  Remember when the cars used to pit right up against the old wooden boards separating the track from the pits, since You couldn’t leave your trailers in the pits?  Of course, T.C. is in his familiar #1 pit stall that, until Donnie left Lebanon, was always utilized by a Corellis.

Third Photo:

A very personal favorite here, Tom Corellis drove this little beauty at Albany Saratoga Speedway in Malta New York. Dudley Billings owned, wrenched by the team of Dick Williams and Bill Kingsley, with the engine built by the late Denny Raspuzzi. This fuel injected small block modified was set up occasionally to run the  Lebanon Valley oval. Dudley also did a fine job behind the wheel at the Valley.

Fourth Photo:

Many will mistakenly think this is the aftermath of the horrible flip that T.C. endured on the moody mile in one of the triple 20 heat races in 1990, but it is not.  This picture was taken after a hot lap misadventure for Corellis and the John Schuman owned 57’s at Syracuse in 1988 I think, during the annual Labor Day show, another long standing DIRT racing fixture that doesn’t exist anymore.  Not sure what transpired after this, as something tells me T.C. had a back up car at his disposal for the afternoon race, and something is always gnawing at my memory that this may have been the first wide bodied car T.C. tried.  Again, I’m trying to dish out the info that happened over 20 years ago, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t think there was a possibility of this, but don’t bet your house on it.

Fifth Photo:

Other that it looks like Malta, and that this is Tommy Corellis I don’t ever remember T.C. piloting this car, who owned this car, and for how long the team lasted, so I’ll just shut my yapper and take the rest of the afternoon off.

Sixth Photo: An interesting shot of Top Cat Tommy Corellis coming out of turn four from Joel, who didn’t get out to LV too often, being a northern Jersey boy, but took this fantastic shot of T.C. in the Rosell fabricated, Leto owned 50.

Seventh Photo: The intimidating and always fast Leto 50 with T.C. at the controls.

 

Additional Comments:  

 

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Lebanon Valley Classics