Rich Castor, Jr. grew up surrounded by racing. His dad, as well as uncles Ira and Dan, were racers, and weekends for the extended family were spent at the track. Rich Sr. raced until 1983, when an injury forced him out of the driver’s seat; the seat was then passed from father to son, and Rich Jr.’s racing career began.
From the start, Rich dreamed of competing in the Supermodified division, driving the cars he still calls “the coolest”. Racing as a team furthered the bond between father and son, and over the years, Rich has built an outstanding racing résumé. During his second season, he competed in his first open competition show against 20-plus Supermodifieds at Beacon Hill Speedway as well as his first tour race in Provo, Utah. He has since raced on 23 tracks in ten states.
Rich’s racing statistics are impressive. In addition to numerous quick times, heat races, Trophy Dashes, and Main event wins, he earned the Englewood Racing Association Rookie of the year honors in 1990, then raced his way to ten ERA season titles between 1999 and 2018. He also won the Colorado National Speedway Track Championship three times. Through countless laps of intense, side-by-side racing that are the hallmark of the Supermodified division, Rich earned the respect of his competitors with his competitive drive and unquestioned sportsmanship, as well as his willingness to serve the sport through multiple terms as ERA club president.
To be sure, racing has provided numerous challenges, including plenty of bent parts, wrecked cars, and lessons learned the hard way. In 2021, while racing alongside his son for the ERA championship, a fuel line failure on a brand-new car led to an engine fire that resulted in significant burns to Rich’s leg. Through every setback, the unshakable support from his family and crew have been instrumental in getting back on track for the next race.
Rich’s best memories have included helping his son and daughter become skilled, competitive drivers, and building first-class race chassis and parts for teams he competed with. His team often brought as many as four competitive cars to the track for ERA events: one for Rich, the others for drivers in need of a Supermodified to race. The list of drivers who raced those cars over the years includes members of the Castor family. Rich is quick to credit the mentors who have lit the path to his success, including his dad and racing legends Jerry Malloy and Harold Evans, all of whom helped build attitudes toward life and racing that Rich still holds today.
Rich Castor Jr. has not missed an Englewood Racing Association event since his first race in May of 1990. His dedication to Supermodified racing and the Colorado Racing community is unmistakable, as is his commitment to the “Racing Castor Family” and the joys they have brought to his life. His remarkable career was recognized by his induction into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame in the class of 2025.
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