A Little - Known, Big Contributor in Early Racing
Bob Pratt came from a large family in Milton, Vermont. Always interested in cars
and racing, he had the occasion to be in the military service for a while
with Richard Petty. Upon discharge, he maintained a long - distance friendship
with the Pettys, which afforded him some great tech advice and some apparentl
access to racing parts that some others in the Northeast did not have. I only go
to know Bob by 1968, when I moved north to Milton to teach in the publica
schools there. In the 1950's, from what little I have been able to learn, Bob
played important roles in race efforts for Williston's Gordy Owen and helped
Royce Tucker to construction
sportsman coupes out of the Heil Northeast garage in South Burlington.
Owen Family Photo via Cliff Owen
A 1940's trip to Noel Speedway, outside
Montreal. Bob appears in this photo 4th left from Mr. Noel [with the Noel
Speedway T shirt].
To Bob's left is Ralph Bushey, owner of many of Gordy Owen and Bob Bushey's
winning race cars. Owen is the man between the trophy girl and Bushey.
As the 1960's ushered in, Pratt had attended the new Thunder Road track in
Barre, but was not totally involved to the extent he had been before. Then, in
1961, Otter Creek Speedway opened up near Vergennes, and Lee Tucker [brother to
Pratt associate Royce Tucker] was heavily involved. A number of men and teams
Pratt was familiar with had tried their hand in the hobby division at Otter
Creek, while Royce Tucker was fielding locally - made sportsman coupes. In 1963,
when the track held a
special NASCAR sportsman show, Pratt showed up with the unlikeliest of entries,
a former Permatex Pontiac. The heavy car [which had been gone from Elmo Langley,
to Jean - Paul Cabana, to Jack Dubrul, and then to Bob] was way too heavy for a
dirt bullring. With Gordy Owen driving, the big car would spin the wheels all
the way down the stretches and labor through the corners. That was Bob's last
race with it; it was sold off to Plymouth, NH and was again used at Daytona.
Ladabouche Photo
Bob waits patiently while I snap this photo
of the Pontiac. Doubtless, he was discourged by the end of the program. Traces
of the graphics Jack
Dubul used are still seen on the front fender.
During Catamount Stadium's original Flying Tiger era, Clem Despault had a highly
- effective 1955 Chevy which he tells me Bob Pratt had a lot of
involvement in the construction and dssign. Clem also says Pratt was able to get
a few trick parts from the Pettys for the car. Clem ran the car from around
1967 through the 1970 season [a season in which the tracks were running a
limited sportsman car]. Clem won a track championship and many features with the
car. Further success may have been limited by Desapault's always - shoestring
racing budgets.
 Courtesy of Rich Palmer Clem, with what looks like a brand new Chevy. |
 Courtesy of Andy Boright Clem gets by a crashing Bobby Giroux. |
 Ladabouche Collection Free Press Photo Tom Tiller, already on his second car of the season, bumps Clem at T Road. |
 Ladabouche Photo Clem obviously had not done much to thecar after the 1969 season. This is arrival for Spring practice in 1970. |
 Courtesy of Chris Companion This wreck at Catamount made Clem decide to cash in the '55 Chevy for good, finally. |
In 1975, Pratt built a Chevelle and tooki on old buddy Clem Despault [who had
been out of racing for a year or two] to drive. The Chevelle was a head turner,
with its sharp body work that included flared fenders. But its considerable
weight was alsways a problem. The team struggled mightily with the car.
Teachnology had moved ahead, and most of the competition was now driving
Allisons, Banjos, and other professionally - built chassises.
Despault, usually a pretty rough-looking character when he drove, appeared the
Spring Green practice at Catamount with a snazzy new driver's suit and goggles -
both of which he never had used before. The Pratt crew was new, but it included
a mix of young guys and some of the old hands from the Malletts Bay Speedway
days. It promised to be interesting. The Pratt/Despault pairing did not produce
results, andthe team acutally stopped showing up much after the middle of the
1976 season.
The following year, Pratt returned with family friend and second generation
driver Cliff Owen, the young son of former Malletts Bay and Airborne great Gordy
Owen. Owen did not have much more luck with the obviously - heavy Chevelle; and
eventually the team sold the car to up and coming Hurricane star Mike Barry.
Barry, with his diminutive crew chief Randy Chapin, began carving weight off the
car, and returned with a bright red paint scheme and the number 8. Barry, who
was destined to be a n Oxford 250 winner later in his career, had a respectable
season with the car before eventually upgrading.
The Bob Pratt Chevelle always had a soft spot in my heart. While sluggish, it
was at least very good to look at. Being a sign man, myself, I always loved the
look. I don't know what happened to it after Barry first upgraded to a later
body Chevelle and ultimately went on to drive for big dollar operations like
Remo Pizzagalli and Phil Gerbode
Photo Courtesy of Bob LaLancette
The fancy Chevelle drew more
than a few stares at the 1976 Zayre car show.
It could hold its own with its next door neighbor, the beautiful Beaver
Dragon Vermont Mack car, one of the show winners that year.
Ladabouche Collection
A snappy - looking Clem
Despault at Catamount. Obviously the fender flares
were already catching hell. This is a great view of the pit
snackbar, loading ramp, and older pit bleachers.
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Another black and white shot of
the car.
 Denis LaChance Photo Clem heads out for practice with the Pratt Chevelle. |
 Courtesy of Andy Boright More of the Pratt Chevelle, in Catamount pits. |
 Courtesy of Andy Boright Mike Barry's version of the Pratt Chevelle, on Catamount pit ramp. |
 Denis LaChance Photo Barryheads out for practice with the former Pratt Chevelle. |
 Source Unknown Barry in action. |
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