VINCE QUENNEVILLE

The first time I saw Vince Quenneville, he was starting out his career at the old Otter Creek Speedway, near Vergennes, Vermont. Rumor has it he had run at Malletts Bay, but I have no pictures of that. At that time of Otter Creek, he was referred to as "Vincent" Quenneville, but - even then - his crisp driving style achieved positive results. As it turns out, the unpainted 1937 Chevy coupe with the homemade 00 on the side was actually one of the first products of Norm Scarborough, who would turn out to be one of Central Vermont's premier car owners and builders. He and Quenneville would go on to become one of Vermont's best combos ever.

After that first year at Vergennes [1962] Vince began appearing at C.J. RIchards' Fairmont Speedway. He was the second Quenneville to appear in area racing. John Quenneville had been the first driver of the yellow and black #CHECKMATE, before the owner, Phil Russell took over. John, who was apparently no close realtive of Vince; and he disappeared from the racing scene entirely - while Vince and Norm went on to have another good year. The '37 Chevy was sold - at season's end - to Granville, New York's Art Visconti.

In 1963, Scarborough purchaed a 1940 Ford from Bob Hoffer, of Argyle, New York. The unique - looking coupe wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire but, with its protruding exhaust pipe extensions coming out of the trunk, it was one of the eye grabbers at Fairmont. Scarborough re-engineered the car and the pair went on to become of the real forces at Fairmont that year. Just as before, at the end of the year, Scarborough sold the car to Visconti. Inexplicably, Scarborough and Quenneville parted ways at the end of the year - Vince teaming up with Gael Dundon of Orwell, and Scarborough buying another car for New Yorker Roger Gauthier.

The 1964 season was just as successful as the one before had been. Dundon and Quenneville pretty much matched Scarborough and Gauthier that year, as much as I can recall. Just as before, Scarborough sold his equipment to Visconti and moved on. Quenneville and Dundon used the offseason to build a 1937 Chevy sportsman coupe that would be the envy of most teams in New York. Few had seen anything like it in Vermont except maybe the likes of Jack DuBrul, up North. As good as it looked, the snazzy new car didn't perform perfectly at first. The #3 team would have to make it go, however, as they had sold the old car to Ken Elithorpe and Harry Duffany, Jr. Eventually, the team got things sorted out and finished the year well.

The Dundon team, in 1965 with the best - looking car around. That's Gael,
kneeling and Vince, with foot on rub rail. In order - from left - Carroll Beenam
[other side of car], Vince, Gael Dundon kneeling, and John Beeman.

Team Dundon returned the next year with a radically cut-down car. Quenneville was flying, although a bad wreck didn't do much to add to the beauty of the #3. By this time, the old Dundon car, in the hands of Boo Duffany, was running well and Scarborough was tearing up the track with a new #24 sedan and young Russ Shaw, driving. Both the Scarborough and the Dundon cars ended up on their roofs, during that season of Saturday night shows - perhaps C.J.'s best year at Fairmont. [The next year Fairmont would be gone, in favor of Devils Bowl].

Bill Ladabouche Photo The first car I know of. The Norm Scarborough #00.	Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy of Norm Vadnais A heat win at Fairmont with the Scarborough Chevy.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Lined up at Otter Creekaround 1962.
Bill Ladabouche Photo The 2nd Scarborough car - the former Bob Hoffer X9. No one made it go like Norm and Vince	Bill Ladabouche Photo The 1st Dundon car. I can't make out if any of the guys are Beemans.	Bob FrazierPhoto Courtesy of Norm Vadnais The 1st Dundon car at speed on Fairmont around 1964.
Bill Ladabouche Photo The newly - lowered car Dundon parked next to the old one - #71.	Mike Watts Photo Quenneville wins one at Saranac Lake, before the car got uglied up.	Val Blicarz Photo Gael appears to be contemplating what has become of his beautiful race car.
Val Blicarz Photo This badly-damaged Polaroid shot shows the car when new.	Quenneville Mem. Book Courtesy of Norm Vadnais C.J., with Vince, Gael, and John Beeman	Quenneville Mem. Book Courtesy of Norm Vadnais C.J., with Vince, Gael, and John Beeman
Photo Source Unknown Vince andNorm teamed up again and got the Dexter Dorr Super 29. They added their touches.	Courtesy of Ed Fabian Vince and a young fan.	Dragon Family Photo Vince, with Beaver Dragon's coupe. That's Beaver in the background.
	Coming Later .... the NASCAR Late Model days.

Vince leads Louier Searing and Nelson Moore at the old Fairmont track in 1964.