ARDC-Richettas

For more information: Linda Mansfield, lindamansfield@CompuServe.com

Richetta Promotions to Handle ARDC PR in 1998

FLAGTOWN, N.J., Nov. 23 - John and Pam Richetta of Richetta Promotions, Easton, Pa., will assume the public relations duties of the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) and its CARQUEST Midget Series effective Dec. 1, 1997.

They succeed Linda Mansfield of Mansfield, Shand & Katz Public Relations of Flagtown, N.J., who resigned at the end of the 1997 season due to her travel schedule and her desire to pursue other business opportunities in the sport.

John Richetta is the host of the Monday Night Motorsports radio show heard weekly on WEEX in Easton, Pa. The show, produced by Pam Richetta, is entering its fourth year on the air. The Richettas have also been feature writers for Area Auto Racing News for the last six years. Both also worked at Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, Pa., for the last two years.

"I think ARDC is lucky to have found the Richettas, and I'm sure the ARDC family will welcome them as warmly as they did me three years ago," said Mansfield. "Everyone brings their own special talents to a position, and the Richettas are very respected in the racing community. Their radio show will be a nice backdrop for their PR program. They have many connections in the mini-sprint world, which will provide a bridge between that division and ARDC. They are also very active in charity benefits, which will provide ARDC with other PR avenues.

"I'd like to thank everyone who made my three years as ARDC's PR director so enjoyable," Mansfield added. "I would especially like to thank my predecessor, ARDC announcer Earl Krause; ARDC's statistician and historian, Ron Heddendorf; the two great business managers I worked with, Gary Mondschein and Mike Roselli; and Bill Schwoyer, ARDC's photographer. I owe a 'thank you' to all of them as well as the board of directors, the officials and all the members of ARDC, but of course the biggest 'thank you' has to go to the members of the press for their continuing interest in the organization.

"I think we made some important strides during the last three years, such as ARDC's first coverage on national television; the establishment of its home page on the Internet; and the coverage we received in national publications like USA Today, The New York Times, The New York Daily News, Open Wheel and Midget Racing Magazine," she added. "I'm sure the Richettas will build upon ARDC's current PR program with enthusiasm and talent and take it on to even bigger things from here."

Mansfield, who received the club's Galen Halteman Memorial President's Award and the Checkered Flag Fan Club Award in 1996, will retain certain ties to ARDC. Her firm represents several midget drivers, and she will file stories on ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series events for National Speed Sport News as her travel schedule permits, just as she has for the last 19 years.

Members of the media who wish to reach Richetta Promotions may do so through the following address and numbers: 2429 Lennox Ave., Easton, Pa. 18042-5355; telephone (610) 559-5570; fax (610) 559-7016 and E-mail at richetta@enter.net.