THE ORANGE 333

When we got to the 1964 season at Fairmont, a new team took to the track with obvious Claremont Speedway connections. Rutland tree expert Leo Vallancourt had come with a Claremont - looking Ford coupe #333, and he come up with veteran Claremont driver Howard Stevens as the driver.

Photo Courtesy of C.J. Richards
Howard and the 1964 version of the car in Victory Lane.

I became a big fan of the orange and black coupe, and followed its progress closely. Howard ended my season on a high note at the Rutland Fairgrounds when - after the races there - he signed the back of my Cavalcade of Auto Racing. I had come up with an old white T_shirt which my mother had dyed orange. I had crudely lettered "333" on the back to state my support.

The following year, the team had lowered the body, exchanged the flathead motor for a V-8, put larger tires on, and entered the ranks of the CVRA sportsman cars. I found an orange golf shirt similar to theirs and had a much more professional - looking lettering job ironed on the back, with my name over the front - just like theirs. They actually ,let me help out a little in the 333 pit area - NIRVANA !

Bill Ladabouche Photos
The sportsman version of the car in the pit
area in 1965.

Howard ended up to be having the season of his life, leading the points chase by mid-season. Then, for reasons I will never know, Vallaincourt sold the car to Sonny Rabidea, who brought it back as a cream yellow #301 - and that was that. I never saw Howard again, although he re-appeared at Devil's Bowl briefly with a car #32. Leo ran a car for years thereafter, always with Rabideau.

Photo Courtesy of Neal Davis The original car, in the pits, in 1964. Crewman unknown	Bill Ladabouche Photos The sportsman version of the car, trailered, in 1965.	John Grady Photo The post-Stevens Vallaincourt car with Rabideau.
Bill Ladabouche Photos A NEAR replica of the 1965 car, at T Road.	Courtesy of C.J. Richards The sportsman car in Victory Lane with Howard in 1965.	Cavalcade Photo Howard poses in 1965.
Cavalcade Photo Owner Leo Vallancourt as driver, himself - at Devils Bowl. The car was the former 8NH.	Courtesy of C.J. Richards Howard's Devils Bowl car, around 1967. Some people think it is the old 333. It really could be.	Devils Bowl Program Photo Rabideau at Devils bowl with a later 333.

Stevens and the original 333 in action at the Rutland Fair [2nd from right].
He and future owner Rabideau are ready to move on Elmer Erickson and Joe D'Avignon.

Stevens runs on the outside of Buddy Bardwell at Fairmont in 1964. The Popular
model - building Davis brothers are at left in the background with family.