VINCE QUENNEVILLE, Sr.

Courtesy of Neal Davis
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.

Bill Ladabouche Photo
1963 Vince's first car, in the second year he drove it - Fairmont.
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.
Bill Ladabouche Photo
The revamped Bob Hoffer car - at Fairmont.
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.

Bill Ladabouche Photo
The first Dundon car, at Fairmont in 1964.
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.
Bill Ladabouche Photo
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].
Courtesy of Ed Fabian
Vince leads Louier Searing and Nelson Moore at the old Fairmont track in 1964.
THE LATE MODEL DAYS
Courtesy of Chris Companion
One of the less successful late model days.
Bob Frazier Photo
Courtesy of CJRichards
Vince and his last car - the Jack Ryan #28.
