THE AGELESS BUDDY BARDWELL
    

McIver Portrait Photo Courtesy of Cho Lee

Buddy Bardwell, in mid career - around 1969.

Chip Cormie Collection

An earlier version of the 13 - at Rhythm Inn Speedway

     The first time I had ever heard of Buddy Bardwell, he came in - somewhat unheralded - and stole the first Fairmont Speedway feature win in history away from some much more publicized rivals on Memorial Day, 1962. Buddy had outpaced the likes of Butch Jelley, Frank Hatch, Sonny Rabideau, Ed Baker, and Art Cody that day to win in his little yellow and white #13 Ford coupe.

Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy of CJ Richards The first Fairmont victory.

Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy of CJ Richards The first Fairmont victory lane.

Bill LadabouchePhoto The Ford at Otter Creek. Buddy hardly remembers this car.

      This would turn out to be deceiving for a number of reasons. First, Buddy was no underdog, as his career would bear out. Second, he would not run Fords much longer, and third, he would lose the yellow on the car in favor of an all-white color scheme - on Hudsons -for the remainder of his career. Before Buddy was done, he would be winning for two more decades.

From the Bardwell Collection
This would be the car Buddy would run at Pico Speedway in 1951.

      Little did I know then that I had seen him at Pico in 1951, and that he was already a ten - year veteran of tracks like Claremont, Cheshire County, Rhythm Inn, Stateline, and West Brattleboro by the time he came in and knocked off the field at Fairmont in '62. The last of his Fords sported the all-white paint and his now-legendary bullhorns on the roof. SO highly regarded at Fairmont by 1964 was Buddy, that "The Unbeatable Lennie Wood", a hobby division legend in his own right, placed bullhorns on the roof of his 1955 Chevy in the midst of his unbeaten streak that year.

Photo Source Unknown The first bullhorns, but still a Ford.	Courtesy of Norm Vadnais The Hudson being loaded to Buddy's Hydraulic Jack Service truck. Wife looks on.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Arriving at the Rutland Fairgrounds open race in 1962.
Courtesy of CJ Richards Running against Howard Stevens at Fairmont in 1965. [Very large photo]	Courtesy of CJ Richards A pose at Fairmont in the 1960's. [Very large photo]	Courtesy of JamesHoward Keene Sentinel Photo Working on the car with the Brayley brothers - in the early 1960's.

      Bardwell saw the end of the flathead era, but he continued to challenge and sometimes beat overhead V-8's at places like the 1966 Fairmont track and Devils Bowl until he finally moved his operation to the flathead-friendly Bear Ridge Speedway. After his formal career was over, Buddy took his familiar little Hudson "Zip Zapper" on t he vintage circuit, actively campaigning the car with NEAR and the Midstate Club. He still travels around and displays the Hudson, which is original - not restored, save for a little better restraint system and a thermostatically-controlled engine fan.

Bill Ladabouche Photo Displaying the car at Swanzey in 2005.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Displaying the car at Barre in 2005.	Courtesy Paul Zampieri Running the car at a vintage meet.
Courtesy Chastenay Coll via RacerBored.com A late career win at Claremont in a sedan.	Courtesy Chastenay Coll via RacerBored.com Son, Gary, could drive, as well.	Courtesy of JamesHoward Keene Sentinel Photo At speed, on the track at Cheshire Fairgrounds. Very poor quality.

Bardwell Collection

Courtesy of Lew Boyd
On the track at the old West Brattleboro Speedway in the 1950's. [far left]

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