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Ernie Provetti, 1953-2022


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#1 MSwiss

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Posted 11 July 2022 - 02:39 PM

Just saw the above sad news on Facebook.


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#2 MG Brown

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Posted 11 July 2022 - 02:39 PM

Ernie Provetti.png


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That's thirty minutes away. I'll be there in ten.
 

 


#3 Bill from NH

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Posted 11 July 2022 - 03:44 PM

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.


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#4 Tim Neja

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Posted 11 July 2022 - 03:49 PM

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

 

RIP, Ernie. Prayers for your family! 


She's real fine, my 409!!!

#5 Tex

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Posted 11 July 2022 - 04:18 PM

RIP, Ernie...


Richard L. Hofer

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#6 Bill from NH

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Posted 11 July 2022 - 05:52 PM

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

 

My condolences to the family and friends.


Bill Fernald
 
I intend to live forever!  So far, so good.  :laugh2:  :laugh2: 

#7 nicky 65

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Posted 12 July 2022 - 04:04 AM

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...


Nicholas Traina
 
Buzz-A-Rama forever in our hearts
RIP... Buzzy and Dolores

#8 Jim Difalco

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Posted 12 July 2022 - 08:36 AM

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


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Jim Difalco
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#9 Dave Crevie

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Posted 12 July 2022 - 08:48 AM

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. 


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#10 Mr. M

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Posted 12 July 2022 - 06:11 PM

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.


Chris McCarty

#11 Phil Smith

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Posted 12 July 2022 - 06:21 PM

RIP, Ernie.


Phil Smith
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#12 Larry Labounty

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Posted 13 July 2022 - 10:02 AM

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. 


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#13 muskie^man19

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Posted 13 July 2022 - 04:26 PM

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:

 

Ernie Provetti 1.png

 

Ernie Provetti 2.png


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Mark Rosenwinkel

#14 muskie^man19

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Posted 13 July 2022 - 04:27 PM

Ernie Provetti 3.png

 

Ernie Provetti 4.png


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Mark Rosenwinkel

#15 Freddie Forte

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Posted 05 August 2022 - 03:17 PM

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.


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#16 Cheater

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Posted 17 August 2022 - 09:51 AM

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

Gregory Wells

Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap






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