Louie Mechalides is a racer from Tyngsboro, Massachusetts. He is self-employed at LCM Racing Engines where he builds engines for many of the Northeast's top teams. When not working or racing, Mechalides can be found during his free time riding his Harley or his snowmobile.
Mechalides will be entering his 13th year of competition in 2006. Wasting no time to learn the basics, Mechalides bested the competition in his rookie year to take the Street Stock Championship at Hudson Speedway in 1994. This year also saw Mechalides receiving top honors for Rookie of the Year, Top Wrench, and Best Appearing Car.
In 1995, Mechalides stepped up to the Bud Light Lightning competition at Star Speedway. As a rookie, Mechalides took down six feature wins on his way to runner-up honors in this ultra competitive class. Rookie of the Year, and Best Appearing honors were bestowed on the #47 team once again in 1995. Other highlights of 95 were open competition victories at Hudson Speedway and White Mountain Motorsports Park.
In 1996, Mechalides once again stepped up this time to the Winston Racing Series Pro Stocks at Star Speedway. Once again a rookie, Mechalides took down five feature wins. This year he took runner-up honor, Rookie of the Year and Best Appearing honors.
In 1997, he traveled down to Florida for Speedweek and took down seven feature wins in just seven nights of racing. Two at Volusia County Speedway and five at the New Smyrna Speedway. Clearly, this performance left a lasting impression on southern racing fans. Other highlights of the 1997 racing season included victories at the Star Speedway, Hudson Speedway, Thompson Speedway and White Mountain Motorsports Park.
In 1998, Mechalides took his next step up the ladder to the NASCAR BUSCH NORTH Series. In this highly competitive series, Mechalides piloted the family owned #48 in four races at New Hampshire International Speedway and in one race at his home track, Star Speedway. Not surprisingly, Mechalides set Fast Time in second round Bud Qualifying and finished in a fine twelfth after running in the top ten for the better part of the 150 lap event.
During the 1999 season, Mechalides ran in one race at New Hampshire International Speedway, one race at Star Speedway, where he qualified in the top ten and took home a fourteenth place finish and one race at Thunder Road Speedway. The 1999 season was brought to a close with a convincing win at Lee USA Speedway's Oktoberfest '99 program.
In 2000 Mechalides once again made his trip down south and took down 3 wins in 5 nights before a crash ended Louie and the LCM team's week. Mechalides raced the full NASCAR BUSCH NORTH series schedule, finishing a respectable 19th in points.
The 2001 season saw Louie and Jay Cushman of Cushman Competition joining forces. Which saw them competing in the inaugural PASS (Pro All Stars Series) Tour. A highly competitive tour which has races through out New England and Canada. Louie and the Cushman Competition team rounded out the 2001 season finishing second (only 12 points behind champion Sam Sessions) in the tight US/Canadian competition.
2002 will see this successful team once again enter the Pro All Stars Series with races scheduled for Maine, New Hampshire and various locations in Canada.
In 2003 Louie traveled back to Florida and had numerous top 5 finishes as well at winning the Icebuster.
2004 saw Louie team up with Marco Turcotte / Turcotte Motorsports to race weekly in the 350 Super Modified division at Lee USA Speedway. Louie won 7 races and also won the Championship.
In 2005 Louie headed down the Florida and a brand new Scott Fraser Race Car and had successful Speedweeks at New Smyrna Speedway. Louie took down 2 wins in the highly competitive Super Late Model division and also won the Super Late Model Championship, Then come April Louie "Took A Ride In A Modified". After coming off winning the 350 Supermodified championship at Lee USA Speedway in 2004 Marco & Maylene Turcotte thought they'd like to try the True Value Modified Tour, a step away from the 350 Supermodified that they had concurred. Louie a rookie in the division had a good season. Louie took down one win and it was a special one as it was at his home track Star Speedway and had 6 top 5 finished and 8 top 10 finishes leaving the tour 13th in the point standings out of a roster of 45 cars.
Louie and the crew are looking forward to the 2006 season which will begin in January at USA International Speedway for North vs. South Speedfest, with Speedweeks at New Smyrna Speedway in February. The team hopes to repeat the success that they had there in 2005.
