16 replies to this topic

[MSwiss]

Just saw the above sad news on Facebook.

[MG Brown]

[Bill from NH]

Tony and Ernie in the same year, wow!

 

I first met them both in 1970 while slot car racing at Coventry, CT. Just Fred and Pumpkinman left.

[Tim Neja]

So sorry to hear another of our industry giants has passed. 

 

RIP, Ernie. Prayers for your family! 

[Tex]

RIP, Ernie...

[Bill from NH]

I met him when he was a teenager racing for Team Tony P.

 

My condolences to the family and friends.

[nicky 65]

First it was Buzzy and Dolores Perri... Then Tony P.... and now Ernie Provetti... looks like a Slot Car Hall of Fame up there in heaven. 

 

Very sad...

[Jim Difalco]

RIP to my Trinity teammate, Ernie. Ernie was a really great racer. I can still picture him rocking back and forth as he drove his car around the track, yelling at the marshal to put his car on.

 

Although I usually traveled to races with the Elmsford crew I did make a few special trips with Ernie. In 1977 we traveled to Barr, Switzerland, for the European championships and then we went to Austria in 1978 as well. We flew into Brussels and then took the Trans Europe Express train to Switzerland. By that time Ernie was heavily into the slot business and was loaded down with tires, parts, and chassis from Tony. At a train stop in France, customs boarded the train and was looking to make some money. They saw the load of product Ernie had and pulled us off the train with their machine guns over their shoulder. Even though our final destination was Switzerland they wanted to hit Ernie up for customs taxes. He was determined not to pay anything. He kept asking to call the American consulate and we just stonewalled customs saying we did not understand what they wanted. Five hours later they had enough and put us on the last train to Switzerland. Whew!

 

We went sightseeing in Zurich. Fell asleep in a movie theater in Brussels watching Kramer vs. Kramer. Went to a real castle in Austria. Toured a huge mansion in Austria. All the time Ernie was poking fun at anything and everyone he met in his Brooklyn way. Busting balls and ranking on things like it was straight out of the sweathogs routine on "Welcome Back Kotter" show on TV.

 

Ernie, thanks for the memories.

 

Jim

[Dave Crevie]

I knew Ernie from R/C car racing. I helped with the oval R/C track during the years when the RCHTA/MRIA show was in Rosemont. He was a bit of a character. He was one of several manufacturers who sponsored an IROC race each year featuring the top R/C car drivers.

 

Enjoy your hobbies in the sky, Ernie. You deserve the rest. 

[Mr. M]

I only met Ernie once, at the Elmsford Worlds. I didn’t know he came out of retirement for slots and did quite well, believe he won. I do remember he was intense and was not content until Tony P was wrenching for him.

 

Quite the place with Tony P, Wasserman, and Ernie all there.

[Phil Smith]

RIP, Ernie.

[Larry Labounty]

Lots of great memories racing with two of the all time great ball busters, Tony  and Ernie. Had to be that New Jersey New York environment. Sure there up there having a good laugh.

 

RIP, Ernie!!! Plus they're with Buzzy. 

[muskie^man19]

Ernie Provetti was a former 1/24 scale slot car National Champion - winning in 1980 in Cincinnati, OH. Here are a few photographs from my history archives of the National and World Championship races:

 

 

[muskie^man19]

 

[Freddie Forte]

I first met Ernie when he was just getting Trinity off the ground, maybe, late '70-early '80s. He had his own little man cave working out of Bob Emott's raceway in Union, NJ. If he let you in, you thought you were privileged.

 

Tony P. was, also, there working behind the counter building $100 chassiss. Everybody wanted one, since he was blowing us away by 20 laps each week on Emott's Hillclimb.

 

I raced with Ernie at the '84 Worlds in Elmsford, NY. We both made the main, but I ran out of motors and finished 8th.

 

Ernie was, definitely, a character back in the day. Fond memories with him and Tony P.

[Cheater]

Here's a link to a nice tribute to Ernie on the "Radio Control Car Action" website, with some great pics of him.

Ernest Provetti 1953-2022

[Chris Burlew]

Hello Ernie, I haven't heard from you in a while, maybe since the start of the pandemic, and now I see why. I am sorry, bud. It seems I am always late or last to know what is going on.

 

I hope the tracks in Heaven suit your style and bring you great happiness. We will be sorry to see you gone.

 

No more basketball courtside in Miami; another loss.