Reggie Ruggiero
{{short description|American racing driver (born 1951)}}
{{infobox NASCAR driver
| birth_name = John Ruggiero
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|7|28}}
| birth_place = Rocky Hill, Connecticut
| Total_Busch_Races = 4
| Years_In_Busch = 3
| Busch_Car_Team =
| Prev_Busch_Pos = 113th
| Prev_Busch_Year = 1995
| Best_Busch_Pos = 54th (1987)
| First_Busch_Race = 1987 Miller 500 (Martinsville)
| Last_Busch_Race = 1995 NE Chevy Dealers 250 (Loudon)
| First_Busch_Win =
| Last_Busch_Win =
| Busch_Wins = 0
| Busch_Top_Tens = 1
| Busch_Poles = 0
}}
John "Reggie" Ruggiero is an American former NASCAR driver. He is known for his dominance in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in the 1990s despite never winning the championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2018/02/05/reggie-ruggiero-legend-lives-on-at-stewart-haas-racing/|title=Reggie Ruggiero’s legend lives on at Stewart-Haas Racing|last=Albert|first=Zack|date=February 5, 2018|access-date=March 16, 2019}}
Ruggiero was a partner with Ed Flemke Jr. at Race Works, a manufacturer of modified chassis. Flemke took over sole control of the business when Ruggiero moved to North Carolina to work at Stewart-Haas Racing.{{cite web|url=https://newenglandautoracers.com/reggie-ruggiero/|title=Reggie Ruggiero |work=New England Auto Racers|access-date=June 6, 2025}}
Racing career
=NASCAR Busch Series=
Ruggiero debuted in the Busch Series in 1987, where he drove the No. 90 Cox Chevrolet to a 10th place finish after he had started 20th. He returned to the car for the next race at Darlington, where he finished 26th after starting 27th. He was then replaced by Rusty Wallace for the remainder of the season.
In 1993, he drove the No. 13 Auto Palace Chevrolet at Loudon, and started 23rd. A crash caused him to finish 30th in the race.
His fourth and last race in the series was in 1995, where he drove his own No. 06 Chevrolet at Loudon to a 20th place finish after starting 18th.
=NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour=
Ruggiero raced in the Modified Tour from 1985 until 2009; a total of 24 years. He has participated in a total of 419 races in the series and won 44 of those races.{{cite web|url=https://www.wwlp.com/sports/class-of-2017-announced-for-the-riverside-park-speedway-hall-of-fame/1082308077|title=Class of 2017 Announced For the Riverside Park Speedway Hall of Fame|last=DeGray|first=Nick|date=November 17, 2017|access-date=March 16, 2019}} He has also finished as runner-up in the points standings seven times.{{cite web|url=http://racedayct.com/2018/10/modified-racing-pioneer-and-legendary-team-owner-bob-judkins-passes/|title=Modified Racing Pioneer And Legendary Team Owner Bob Judkins Passes|last=Courchesne|first=Shawn|date=October 25, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://racedayct.com/2018/10/the-famous-barney-14-a-family-and-grandson-continue-a-family-tradition-on-whelen-modified-tour/|title=The Famous Barney 14: A Family And Grandson Continue A Tradition On Whelen Modified Tour|date=October 5, 2018|access-date=March 16, 2019}}
Ruggiero has the third most wins in the series as of 2025, with 44 victories, 30 behind from Mike Stefanik's 74.{{cite web|url=http://racedayct.com/2018/08/ted-christopher-mike-stefanik-lead-2018-new-england-racing-hall-of-fame-inductionclass/|title=Exclusive: Ted Christopher, Mike Stefanik Lead 2018 New England Racing Hall Of Fame Induction Class|last=Courchesne|first=Shawn|date=August 6, 2018|access-date=March 16, 2019}}
After racing
Ruggiero later found work in the chassis shop of Stewart-Haas Racing, where he helps them in building their cars.{{cite web|url=https://altdriver.com/racing/stewart-haas-nascar-tony-stewart-reggie-ruggiero/|title=A legendary racer is behind all of Stewart Haas’ cars|last=Schrote|first=Jesse|date=February 5, 2018|access-date=March 16, 2019}} He has also been inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://blog.masslive.com/racinwithjason/2012/04/racin_with_jason_ted_hebert_and_teddy_bear_pools_to_help_sponsor_nascar_whelen_modified_tour_race_at.html|title=Racin' with Jason: Ted Hebert and Teddy Bear Pools to help sponsor NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Monadnock|last=Remillard|first=Jason|date=April 5, 2012|access-date=March 16, 2019}}
Motorsports career results
=NASCAR=
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
==Busch Series==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%"
! colspan=42| NASCAR Busch Series results |
| Year
! Team ! No. ! Make ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! 18 ! 19 ! 20 ! 21 ! 22 ! 23 ! 24 ! 25 ! 26 ! 27 ! 28 ! {{Tooltip|NBSC|NASCAR Busch Series classification}} ! Pts ! Ref |
|---|
| rowspan=3| 1987
! rowspan=2| Shugart Racing ! rowspan=2| 90 ! Chevy | DAY | HCY | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MAR | colspan=25| ! rowspan=3| 54th ! rowspan=3| 134 |
| Buick
| colspan=3| | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| DAR | BRI | LGY | SBO | CLT | DOV | IRP | ROU | JFC | colspan=16| |
| ! 80
! Ford | colspan=12| | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| OXF | SBO | HCY | RAL | LGY | ROU | BRI | JFC | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | CLT | CAR | MAR | |
| 1993
! ! 13 ! Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | DAR | BRI | HCY | ROU | MAR | NZH | CLT | DOV | MYB | GLN | MLW | TAL | IRP | MCH | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NHA | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | ROU | CLT | MAR | CAR | HCY | ATL ! NA ! - |
| 1995
! Ruggiero Racing ! 06 ! Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | NSV | DAR | BRI | HCY | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| NHA | NZH | CLT | DOV | MYB | GLN | MLW | TAL | SBO | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | CAR | HOM | colspan=2| ! NA ! - |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Racing-Reference driver|Reggie_Ruggiero}}
{{Stewart-Haas Racing}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruggiero, Reggie}}
Category:Racing drivers from Connecticut