Gus Coelho, 46, the ‘rookie’ racer in the family, owns an auto repair business in Springfield.
Gus Coelho and his 15 year old daughter, Allison, stand with their race cars.Make way for Team Coelho, fit and ready to burst into the highly competitive world of New England short-track auto racing.
One member could be considered an “old pro,” seasoned by six full years of on-track experience. The other is a raw rookie.
OK, but get this – the old pro is Allison Coelho, age 15. The rookie is her dad, Gus Coelho, age 46.
Allison eagerly awaits Saturday night, when she’s due to start her final season in the Young Guns Division at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H.
Gus is gearing up for April 28, when he will make his driving debut in a 15-lap race in the DARE stocks division. It’s one of the prelims on Stafford’s 41st annual Spring Sizzler weekend. The 200-lap Sizzler, a Whelen Modified Tour event, is scheduled for April 29.
Allison, a ninth-grader at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham, drives a 2000 Dodge Neon, which her father bought in Barre, Vt., and then fine-tuned to track specifications. He can do such things, because he’s an expert mechanic.
As for the car that Gus will be driving, it can be called “homemade.”
Coelho owns an auto repair business in Springfield’s Indian Orchard neighborhood – and that’s where he did all the work on his race car.
“The body is an ‘80s Monte Carlo, but besides the frame, it’s all custom built with aftermarket parts. I bought it as a used car last fall, and worked on it all winter, nights and weekends. I rebuilt the motor and transmission. Basically reassembled the whole car,” he said.
Gus put the finishing touches on Team Coelho by painting both cars and applying the number 53 to the side.
“My favorite number. I got it from ‘The Love Bug.’ That was Herbie’s number,” said Allison, referring to the many movies and television shows which have starred “Herbie,” a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own.
Allison also wears 53 on her junior varsity volleyball uniform at Minnechaug.
Her adventures as a race driver began when she was a third-grader, competing in Wild Thing Karts races on Monday nights at Stafford.
Since she moved on to Young Guns Division at Monadnock, she has improved steadily.
“Allie finished strong last year,” her father said. “She had a fourth-, third- and second-place finish.” In Young Guns competition, the drivers reach speeds of 40 to 50 mph.
“It can be stressful at times, but I enjoy the competition,” she said.
That competition, by the way, is co-ed. The Young Guns Division has some girls, but “it’s 80 percent boys,” Gus Coehlo said.
While building his racer for Stafford’s track, Gus found that he needed more than mechanical expertise.
“The hardest part was, not knowing how to set up the car to be competitive and in line with NASCAR rules. Let me tell you, I called a lot of guys, emailed a lot of guys, looking for answers,” he said.
In the end, he relied mainly on Duane Provost, a Stafford driver who lives around the corner from Gus’ auto repair garage in Springfield.
“Duane drives in the Limited Late Model division. I was constantly counting on his experience to help me get this car ready,” he said.
Having the car is one thing, driving in a 15-lap race is quite another. Coelho admits that he has “no clue” how it will go, but he’s determined to give it a try.
He certainly has the intestinal fortitude for it.
“It’s going to be a first time ever for me,” he said, referring to his Stafford debut. “I’ve never competed in anything. No sports in school. None of that; well, I take that back. I did bowl for a team once.”
Until now, Coelho’s main claim to sports fame came from his years as a loyal supporter of the Springfield Falcons’ American Hockey League franchise. His “dirtiest car in the garage” contest is a nightly sidelight to Falcons games. And over the last few years, he has given away 10 bicycles in drawings at the hockey games.
“Mainly, this whole racing thing for me was inspired by Allie,” he said.
“My plan is to drive this year while she’s with the Young Guns, then turn my car over to her when she’ll have to move up in class (age limit for the Young Guns is 15). I’ll just rip my name decal off the car, and replace it with Allie’s. I already have one ready for her.”
It’s safe to say that none of this would happen without the blessing and help of Gus’ wife, the former Barbara Mazur, of Ludlow.
“It’s nice that they can have a father-daughter thing,” she said. “I’ve never worried about Allie driving, because the cars have so many safety features. I think the worst thing she’s ever had was a jammed thumb when she was driving the go-karts.”
As for dad, he says, “We’re all in it together, and it makes for a lot of family fun.”
Auto racing always has been important to the Coelho family.
“Our family vacations revolve around NASCAR,” he said, referring to the big-time of auto racing.
“We went to Talladega in 2010, and Michigan last year for the big races. Talladega (in Alabama) is our favorite track.”
This season, the family might have to put their vacation plans on hold because Team Coelho will be busy.
Yes, the 15-year-old veteran and 46-year-old rookie have a lot of driving to do.
Garry Brown can be reached at geeman1918@yahoo.com.