Bennington

Jeep Herbert, the soul of Stateline Speedway, does a victory lap in Bob Mott's 3.

The race track where being on the pole meant something else. That sign to the right may very well have been the "Welcome to Vermont" sign on Route 67. Stateline lived up to its name. It was on the very border with New York. Some of it was, very likely, in the Empire State.

Stateline Speedway was in Bennington, Vermont.....not really too far from the present-day Lebanon Valley track. Its location near the corner of Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York was an ideal place to attract competitors, from all over the region, in the burgeoning new sport of stock car racing. To the north, Pico Raceway in Rutland was operating. Over in New York, tracks like White's Beach, Burden Lake, the Pine Bowl, Empire Speedway, and many more were running regular shows. Keene, New Hampshire was seeing races at the Cheshire County fairgrounds.

They came from all over to run Stateline. In particular period, according to the late Jim Haley, a fan who traveled to races all over the region. Bennington was sort of under the heel of one particular driver [whose name I can't recall]. This guy won all of the races and - as Jim put it - knocked them poor pungs [I took that to be slower local talent] right off the track if they got in his way. Then, one afternoon, Steve Danish went over there, put the bully off the track, and sent the protesting local champ on his way with a clenched fist. I don't know how much of that is true.

It ran up into the 1950's, reportedly out along Route 67 nearly into New York. Right, now, little is left to see. There is the BTL trucking lease company operating right on the site. The only way to identify the site is the imposing brick house across the road, which is visible in the Steve Danish picture below.

Courtesy of Jerry King

Newspaper ad for one of their big "national championship" races.

This wonderful shot of a Stateline Speedway feature start in May of 1953 shows the older bleachers before the later covered grandstands. The brick house [then a tavern] sits directly across Route 67, with seemingly no room for a highway in between. Steve Danish is on the inside pole, with probably Jeep Herbert on the outside. I can make out the Burns and Wilson 100, the 467 out of Massachusetts, and Ted Vogel's car. Chet Hames is the starter.

Frank Hatch [M2] involved in a mix - up in Turn 4 with cars 21 and 72 - drivers unknown.

All photos below courtesy of the Danish Family and Rick Parry, unless otherwise stated.

JOSEPH MAYNARD JOHNSON PHOTOS
Courtesy of Otto Graham thru dirttrackdigest.com
These are some of the best views of the now - totally obliterated track I have ever seen.

Cars line up for the Don Henderberg Memorial race at Stateline. The Trinkhaus 62, the Clark 40, the Young/Vine 75A, and one of the Caputo cars are identifiable. Sam Kittler's 37 is in the infield.	Don Rounds is on the pole. The others are too closely packed together for identification.
Cars mix it up in turn one. Bill Wimble, in Hal Kempeny's 213 misses the action as 10-10, the eventual winner, and the Trinkhaus 62 head into the turn.	Don Henderberg's former car, the S33 of Dave McCready, was probably driven by Chuck Mahoney here. That's Jeep Herbert in Sam Kittler's 37, and the ever-present [but unidentified] 65.
Cliff Kotary, the eventual winner of the Don Henderberg Memorial race, has gotten by Bill Wimble.	One of Stateline's classic turn 3 pile-ups. The second car on the front stretch is a #179, that I have seen in Pine Bowl footage. The 7-11 Jr. of Paul Marshall sits in the infield.
A tearful Mrs. Don Henderberg with the trophy for winner, Cliff Kotary, driver of Mike Suraske's #10-10 Studebaker [Kotary Photo Courtesy of J Ackerman].

The track sat right on the Vermont / New York state line - hence the name. That black drainage ditch would have been just inside turns three and four. I don't know if it is my imagination, but I can see a roundness to the edge of the grass near where the darker color begins to the right, near Route 67. [I guess the track went right over to the road, almost]. There was the slightest trace of banking there. And...to the left of the white driveway down to the present-day BTL trucking firm, I can almost make out a little hint of turn two. The grandstands were right against Route 67 - in that white area, above the black drainage ditch line.

The topographical map's state boundary line is right about where the drainage ditch is in the photo. [USGS Topo Map]

Martin Paddock [54] heat start at Stateline in the earlier seasons.
The grandstands have no roof. Does anyone recognize any cars ?

The start of a heat in the earlier years. #27 is George Welch, and the 99 is Doug Garrison.

Four abreast at Stateline. Steve Danish is on the outside, and George Welch is
directly next to him.

An accident at Stateline in the later years. A stock car ran directly into the concession
stand in the infield.

Courtesy of Ken Gypson
Ted Langlois, of Connecticut, Red Knoblauch of Johnstown, NY, and Wally LaBelle of Glens Falls and an unidentified driver pose on the front stretch at Stateline Speedway. The famous brick tavern is in the background - actually across Route 67 from the speedway.

From Racersbored Website
A 1953 view from the stands. The 8 Ball is Thurber, and the 79 might be Stack.

Ken Gypson Collection
I can't make out the name, but it looks like Mick Gairmond.

Steve Danish takes a victory lap at Stateline. Note how close to the track some buildings and people seem to be. Route 67 would be only a few dozen feet to the left in this shot of one the straightaways.	MacDowell Photo This early shot shows Steve Danish's outfit. His hometown of Cropseyville, NY was fairly close by Stateline. This was taken in the pits at Stateline. Note the brick house in the background.	Photo Courtesy of John Danish Action on the backstretch at Stateline. Danish [61], Corey in Mott's #3. Herbert in Kittler's 37 and Tom Kotary in Theron Moore's #112. Probably Lee Armstrong or Joe Ciganenko in the Frank Trinkhaus 62 and Fred Gerow in #67. The car behind the 62 is the Caputo 11, with Earl Maille, and the 107 could be Al Sanders.	Photo Courtesy of Lew Boyd Danish with the checkers at Stateline in early 1950's.	Photo Courtesy of John Danish This picture of the Steve Danish racing crew was taken at Stateline. The snow fence in the background does not show up in later similar Stateline shots. With apologies to John Danish, here are some names in the photo: unknown, a Danish brother, Steve, Al Danish, & Hully Bunn
Bardwell Collection Buddy Bardwell Keene, NH	A heat lines up at Stateline in the 1950's The 166 is Fred Sheppard, the 12 could be Ted Langlois, and the 19 is named Brown.	MacDowell Photo Joe Wunderlich, West Sand Lake, New York He may have been the champion with whom Danish had the run-ins. Joe went on to sponsor the 115's of Kenny Tremont, Jr.	MacDowell Photo This picture of the Steve Danish racing crew was taken at Stateline- later than the one above because John Danish would have been about three in the one above.	Jeep Herbert, Schenectady, NY The Kittler 37 in Victory Lane at Stateline. This is the photo that proves that a.) the large brick house is across from the former track site and b.) those unique grandstands belong to Stateline.
Photo Courtesy of Rick Parry 66, Freddy Sheppard goes out for a heat at Stateline in 1950. Sheppard once drove for Steve Danish, early on in Danish's involvement with racing.	Photo Courtesy of Rick Parry A 1949 Ford tows # 60 into the gate at Stateline in 1950.	Photo Courtesy of Rick Parry The crew looks over the #8 sedan in the pits at Stateline.	Courtesy of Vogel Family George Baumgardner, Saratoga, NY	Courtesy of Danish Family It sure looks like Steve Danish on the track at Stateline.
Photo Courtesy of Rick Parry Noted New York driver Chuck Kotwicka, from the Utica area. Kotwicka holds the distinction of winning the first race at Fonda.	Photo Courtesy of Rick Parry Legendary New York driver Chuck Mahoney also from the Utica area, with that same Kotwicka car. Conde & Parry Site Mahoney with Bill Smith. The McDowell photo suggests this car could defintitely have run at Stateline.	Len Irwin, from the New York area, had the prototypical - looking stock car of the day...and apparently at least one good crewman.	Joe Messina, shown here leaning on his Hudson at the Pine Bowl in nearby Snyder's Corner, NY, was probably a regular at Stateline.	. Photo Courtesy of Rick Parry Pete Corey in Bob Mott's #3, appeared at Stateline
Photo by McDowell Don Rounds, Apponaug, RI Note Steve Danish in the background [61] and Spence Parkhurst [furthest car back with white stripe on hood] Click here for a Don Rounds Page.	Photo from Bitiig Collection Spence Parkhurst [36], Saratoga Sprs, NY McDowell Photo Courtesy of CJ Richards	Photo from Otto Graham Website Paul Marshall, Schenectady, NY Courtesy of Saratoga Auto Museum Paul with the Warren Daniels crew out of Alpaus, NY	Rene Charland, Holyoke, MA	LebanonValley Site Photo Doug Garrison, in Riiska's Yellow X, may likely have appeared at Bennington.
Courtesy of Saratoga Auto Museum Link Pettit, Sr. Schenectady, NY Pettit Photo Collection	Gene Strenkowski Photo Howie Westervelt, Ravena, NY The Wright/Zautner Tollgate Ice Cream Ford Courtesy of Saratoga Auto Museum Howie's door made it to the museum in Saratoga.	Butch Jelley, N. Pownal,VT The Ed Wynn # Y	Al Rodd, Shushan, NY	Courtesy of Beverly Garrison and Amy Garrison Dauski Doug Garrison [99] and George Welch [27] were very likely competitors at Stateline. Others say it is Link Pettit, not Welch. Courtesy of Beverly Garrison and Amy Garrison Dauski
Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry King "The Rutland Rocket" Rutland, VT Courtesy of Jerry King Courtesy of Paul Connors	From Fonda History Book Walt Roberts, Albany, NY Courtesy of Paul Connors	Courtesy of Paul Connors S33 Don Hendenberg, Lee Center, NY One of Dave McCready's first cars is wrecked at Stateline	Courtesy of Paul Connors Gene Tetrault, Manchester Depot, VT	Courtesy of Paul Connors Dee Goodermotte, New York
Courtesy of Paul Connors Could be a driver name Morris.	Courtesy of Paul Connors Dave Brooks, Manchester, VT	Courtesy of Paul Connors Paul Connors & Wife at Stateline. Good view of covered stands. Is that Vogel towing in the background ?	Bill Ladabouche Frank Hatch, Williamstown, MA The Ed Wynn # M2	Steve Danish did not have much luck this day at Stateline Courtesy of Paul Connors
Photographer Unknown Ernie Martin	McDowell Photo Courtesy of CJ Richards Charlie Morse, North Adams, MA	Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site Jim Luke, Utica, NY	Merusi Photo Courtesy of Rutland Historical Society Jr. Bianco, Utica, NY	Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site Tiger Tom Kotary, Rome, NY
Pettit Collection Link Pettit and his father-in-law, Maurice Lawrence	Ken Gypson Collection Conn. driver Ted Langlois and others posing on front stretch.	Ken Gypson Collection Carl Fink, Albany, NY	Ken Gypson Collection Doug Garrison,	Vogel Family Photo Another, older Vog3el car - with Ted Jr. posing.
Ken Gypson Collection Ed Hill, Rhode Island	Dan Ody Collection Leo Nadeau The Rocket 88 Car Hoffer Family Collection Same car, at Schuylerville, NY	Dan Ody Collection D.D. Rebel Harris, Poughkeepsie, NY	Dan Ody Collection Photos Dee Goodermotte Anyone know who 271 is ?	Dan Ody Collection Future NASCAR GN star Russ Truelove visits Stateline.