7 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

This video received a 2024 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Boston/New England Chapter Student Production Award: 'News Report - Light News Honorable Mention.'

 

[Steve Deiters]

During my tenure at REH the original Modelville was one of the largest and best run commercial raceways we dealt with.

The owner whose name escapes me right now would always open his weekly call in to place an order with “What is new?”. Keeping up with what was new especially in that time of very rapid change was the sign of a successful shop.  And here they are still here literally decades later…

[Cheater]

Peter Lentros is Modelville's owner.

[Steve Deiters]

Sorry, I was too vague. I was referring to not being able to remember the owner back in the late ‘60s to early ‘70’s.

[Bill from NH]

Steve, that owner's name was Dick Cafarelli. I raced there from 1969-75 and worked part-time for Dick during the winter of '73.

 

Modelville was in Framingham on Speen St. in those days. The tracks there were another Sovereign, a Monarch, and a Windsor for rentals.

[Bridgehampton66]

Hi,  

 

I'm pretty certain that Richard Payne, seen in the video, is Modelville's owner.

 

Peter Lentros is the raceway's landlord, and also has created the LenJet HO Raceway next door, which includes

eight (or nine) superb HO tracks. LenJet has hosted the HOPRA National Championships

on several occasions.

 

Modelville Hobby will host its second Retro Marathon, April 10-13, racing all four IRRA

Retro cars classes, on four different tracks. The event includes a Can-Am event on the 220-foot purple Sovereign, the last remaining example of this American Model Raceways layout. As you may know, this is the very track that was first installed in the now-legendary Playland Model Car Raceways, in San Francisco.

[Cheater]

Rob,

 

The original Modelville existed in another location before it moved to Ashland. That's the Modelville location Steve was asking about.

[Modelville Guy]

Modelville Hobby opened in Framingham on Irving St with one track in 1965. Then moved to Waverly St with four tracks.

 

Never made it to Speen St.

 

Moved to Ashland on Union St.

 

Dick Cafarelli opened it and sold it to me, Richard Payne in 1990.

 

I moved it to Eliot St. in 2010, thanks to Peter Lentros.

 

Big place with lots of history for show and use.