STATESVILLE, N.C. – Richard “Dick” Bahre, 76, of 208 Wickersham Drive, in Statesville, N.C., died Saturday, Sept. 27, at his residence.

Dick was born Aug. 30, 1932, in Collinsville, Conn., and was the son of the late Peter and Irene F. Bahre. He served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1957, and was of the Catholic faith.

He was brought up working on the family farm and later worked with his brother in land development and real estate in Maine. He was involved in auto racing for more than 50 years, starting with the midget racing circuit in the late 1950s and early 1960s and served as a track manager of Oxford Plains Speedway.

In 1983, he relocated to North Carolina, and became a Winston Cup Team owner with NASCAR and was owner and operator of Dick Bahre Racing.

As a car owner, he gave many drivers the opportunity to compete in NASCAR and field cars in 31 races on what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Geoffrey Bodine, Charlie Glotzbach, Sterling Marlin, Morgan Shepard, Dave Mader and Michael Waltrip all competed in Bahre-owned cars.

In 1989, he served as an integral part in building the New Hampshire Motor Speedway with his brother and speedway founder, Bob, and his nephew and track president, Gary.

In the mid-1980s, he along with Chuck Rider, formed Bahari Racing with Michael Waltrip behind the wheel. Later in his career, Dick stayed close to the sport as a consultant and occasionally fielded cars in ARCA and the NASCAR Camping World Series East.

He was a member of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame and a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. He especially enjoyed his 1953 Studebaker and was a very dependable and trusting friend.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Orene Mason Bahre, whom he married on Nov. 30, 1985; a daughter, Dawn Nickloy of Statesville, N.C.; a stepdaughter, Cynthia Mae Bray and her husband, Thomas, of Caribou; a stepson, James Osgood and his wife, Marjorie, of Newry; two grandchildren, Nicole Drake and Christian Evans-Bahre, both of Statesville, N.C.; five stepgrandchildren, Teresa, Jennifer and Tommy Bray and Erin and Wade Osgood, all of Maine; seven great-grandsons; two brothers, Robert “Bob” Bahre and his wife, Sandra, of Alton, N.H., and Paris Hill, and Everett Bahre and his wife, Rowena, of California; and seven nieces and nephews, Gary, Terry, Shawn, Amy, Kyle, Tina and Katie.