THE MODIFIEDS AND SPORTSMAN COUPES OF

            When I first stated watching races at Pico Raceway, some of the big stars came over from New York. When I began going regularly to Otter Creek Speedway, the big names in the NASCAR sportsman division were from New York. When I spent almost every Sunday from 1963 to 1966 at Fairmont Speedway, the big names who occasionally came and starred were the Fonda and Lebanon Valley, New York coupes.
            The names were nothing short of legendary: Pete Corey, Steve Danish, Kenny Shoemaker, Bill Wimble, Jeep Herbert, the Kotary brothers, Irv Taylor, Lou Lazarro, Paul Marshall, George Baumgardner, Roger Gauthier, Nelson Moore, and many more. So, too were some of the owners like Allie Swears, Chris Drellos, Frank Trinkhaus, Pop Wilcox, and Martin Riiska.
            Whether invading our tracks and making off with all the loot, or just serving as the examples of what state - of - the - art stock cars were to be like in the 1960's, New York was the place to which to turn. On this page, I will attempt to give a good representative sample of the cars, owners, and drivers from the most golden of eras - the coupes of 1960's New York.

The Allie Swears #51 Chevrolet certainly merited being the poster child for New York coupes. It lasted for multiple seasons and was driven by a "Who's Who" of New York drivers. Here, the car is trailered into Fairmont Speedway on the afternoon of its demise in a qualifying heat, driven by Nelson Moore.

Russ Bergh Photo Pete Corey, Crescent, NY	Conde & Parry Photo Pepper Eastman, Madison, NY	Russ Bergh Photo Don Wayman, Cobleskill, NY One of the Wright/Zautner Cars	McDowell Photo Jeep Herbert, Rotterdam, NY A.C. Caprara's 37
John Grady Photo Tom Kotary, Rome, NY Joe Romano's 97	John Grady Photo Andy Romano, Johnstown, NY Jeep Herbert in background - yellow jacket	Mike Russo Photo Ed Pieniazek, Schenectady, NY Ladabouche Photo Bill Welch's 77	Russ Bergh Photo Jim Luke, Utica, NY PopWilcox's 32
Mike Russo Photo George Baumgardner, Saratoga Springs, NY The Young/Vine 75	Jim Young Photo Bill Wilson, NY	Mike Russo Photo Bob Bruno, Schuylerville, NY The Allie Swears 51	Bill Farress Photo Buck Holliday, Wadington, NY The Floyd Geary C38

Russ Bergh Photo Rene Charland, Agawam, MA The Fred Rosner - built #3	Russ Bergh [from Bill Fifield] Photo Pete Corey, Crescent, NY The Villano 37	Russ Bergh [from Bill Fifield] Photo Steve Danish, Cropseyville, NY	Mike Russo Photo Don Wayman, Cobleskill, NY The Bernie Maruska 71

Bill Farress Photo Dutch Hoag, Bath, NY	Russ Bergh Photo Jack Johnson, Duanesburg, NY The Villano 37	MSSCRA Photo Johnny Flach, E. Westerlo, NY Fred Searing 77	Mike Russo Photo Irv Taylor, Crescent, NY Bill Welch 77
John Grady Photo Lefty Quandt, Schenectady, NY	John Grady Photo Melvin "Bob" Bruno, Schuyler Falls, NY	John Grady Photo Bruce Doestal, Johnstown, NY	Photo Source Unknown Lou Smith, Munnsville, NY The Frank Trinkhaus 62
Bucko Branham Photo Gaston Desmarais, Tupper Lake, NY	John Grady Photo Lou Lazarro Utica, NY	Bill Fifield Photo Robbie Kotary, Rome, NY Ward Petit's 148	John Grady Photo Irv Taylor, Crescent, NY