Beech Ridge Founder Jim McConnell Passes Away

Jim McConnell, Founder and builder of Beech Ridge Speedway in Scarborough,
Maine, passed away on December 4th while at a Sarasota, FL nursing home.
He was inducted into the Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2004.

McConnell's interest in auto racing began long before the Scarborough
resident ever thought of building his own track. While working as an
aircraft mechanic in East Boston, Massachusetts in the 1930's, he became
friends with others who an interest in racing.

When 'J.B.' returned to Maine, he and a bunch of racers began racing at
several of the fairground tracks. Believing he could build and operate a
race track, 'J.B.' and a number of fellow racing enthusiasts cleared a
parcel of land in Scarborough to build a track.

On Memorial Day weekend in 1949, Jim McConnell swung open the gates for
the first auto racing program at Beech Ridge Speedway. 'J.B." owned and
operated Beech Ridge for 24 years, selling the speedway in 1973.

Jim founded the Maine State Stock Car Racing Association in 1949 and
served four terms as president.

Jim McConnell is also a member of the Beech Ridge Speedway Hall of Fame
and is to be inducted into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame in
2009.