CATAMOUNT COMPETITORS

When Catamount opened for business early in 1965, it was assumed that the track's principal focus would be the firmly-established NASCAR modified and sportsman cars, The Northeast was a hotbed for this racing, with New York featuring the dirt coupes and Southern New England specializing in the pavement cars. With its perfect location, right on Interstate 89 and not far from Interstate 87, the track stood to attract Airborne's fields, local drivers who had been running Thunder Road, and any number of Canadian cars, as well.

As it turned out, the coupes left Catamount during the 1968 season and only returned for a few special shows, from that time forward. The support division, having taken on a life of its own beyond the founders' wildest dreams, would become the star attraction. But the big cars left a permanent impression on the track and on the town that loved the track. People found themselves named after Jean-Paul Cabana, and some households even named pets for their favorite drivers.

Harold Ormsby brings up the rear on the parade lap for a coupe heat at Catamount, Year One. Neither Cho nor
I could identify the other cars. Note the one flathead mixed in with the overheads.

MAIN COMPETITORS PAGE	Otto Graham Website Dick Nephew Mooers Forks, NY	Otto Graham Website Bill Wimble Lisbon, NY	Otto Graham Website Ron Narducci E. Haddam, CT	Russ Bergh Photo Lou Lazarro Utica, NY
COUPES ERA	Photo Source Unknown Gaston Desmarais Tupper Lake, NY	Courtesy of John Bourgeois Beaver Dragon Milton, VT	Lloyd & Gregg Gilbert Beaver Dragon Milton, VT	Dragon Family Collection Beaver Dragon Milton, VT
EARLY FLYING TIGERS	Courtesy of Bob Novak Jack DuBrul Burlington, VT	l Russ Bergh Photo Pete Crescent Crescent, NY	Otto Graham Website Doc Blanchard Gloversville, NY	Otto Graham Website Ernie Gahan Dover. NH
LIMITED SPORTSMAN	Otto Graham Website Ernie Ried Malone, NY	Conde & Parry Website Bernie Miller Canastota, NY	Courtesy of Jim Ladabouche Andy Romano Johnstown, NY	Otto Graham Website Buck Holliday Waddington, NY
HURRICANES	Norwood Arena Website Bugs Stevens Rehobeth, MA	Otto Graham Website Jean Guy Chartrand Montreal, QU	Otto Graham Website Dick Clark Munnsville, NY	John Grady Photo Eddie Flemke New Britain, CT
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN Early Later	Bob Mackey Photo Harold Ormsby Schuyler Falls, NY	L. Gilbert Family Jerry Cook Lockport, NY	Otto Graham Website Richie Evans Rome, NY	Otto Graham Website Will Cagle Tampa, FL
MINI STOCKS	Cho Lee Collection Marcel Godard Montreal, QU Courtesy of Cho Lee	Courtesy of Cho Lee Charlie Trombley Mooers Forks, NY	ACT Office Archives Andre Manny Montreal, QU MrBlackChevy Site Photographer Unknown	Russ Bergh Photo Don Wayman Cobleskill, NY
GRAND AMERICANS	Courtesy: Magnum's Site Paul Hamel Montreal, QU	Cho Lee Collection Jean-Paul Cabana Beloeil, QU John Grady Photo	Catamount Stadium History An early coupe lineup shows how desperate Catamount was for cars in the first season.	ACT Office Archives A 1965 heat race starts, with the flatheads and overheads mixed in together.
STREET STOCKS	The Pines Website Photo Bill Slater Manchester, CT	Courtesy of Cho Lee The Russ Betz car [59] of Rene Charland and Vic Wolfe's 66, driven by Bob Bruno, sit in the pits at Catamount Stadium in 1966 or 1967.	Russ Bergh Photo Don MacTavish Dover, MA John GradyPhoto	John Bisci Turn 5 Photo This shot of popular Richie Evans shows the Bob Brunelle car on the right, which ran at Catamount out of Peru, NY.
ACT CARS	Courtesy of John Grady Ray Forte Montreal, QU The Forte coupe after a big fire at Catamount	Courtesy of Pascal "Magnum" Site Kenny King, Rosemere, QU Mike Watts Photo [Photo is large]	Bob Karvonen, Wichenden, MA from an unknown Canadian publication.	Cavalcade of Auto Racing Photo Bernie Griffith, Plattsburgh, NY
NEW TIGERS	Cavalcade of Auto Racing Photo Frank Provost, Cadyville, NY To the right of man in uniform	Cavalcade of Auto Racing Photo Harry Provost, Cadyville, NY Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock and Bobby Castine	Cavalcade of Auto Racing Photo Mack Miller, Ellenburg Depot, NY Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock and Bobby Castine	Courtesy of John Grady Maurice Tallard, Quebec City, QU
	Paul Michaud Photo Courtesy of Christian "Ti-Gaz" Genest Eddie Flemke, Sr, New Britain, CT Bob Judkins 2X	Paul Michaud Photo Courtesy of Christian "Ti-Gaz" Genest Catamount modified pits Early 1968 season.	Paul Michaud Photo Courtesy of Christian "Ti-Gaz" Genest Bill Slater, Manchester CT

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock and Bobby Castine
A 1965 field of sportsman coupes takes off at Catamount. Visible are: [left] Cabana, Godard, Manny,
Desmarais, DuBrul, Miller, Ormsby, King, and Bridges.

Do you have pictures of other drivers from this era at Catamount ? If you would like to make them available for me to place on this site contact me at: wladabou@comcast.net