ACT Archives Courtesy of Cho Lee

A very young Ron "Red Dog" Barcomb, with one of his first Flying Tiger cars [and hair].

     Ron Barcomb grew up in Winooski, the son of Herb Barcomb and the nephew of the other Barcombs who had not only pioneered racing in the Chittenden Countty area, but also established the most prominent of the speedways in Colchester, Vermont. Naturally, the big Winooski High School athlete would tend to try his hand at auto racing when the time was right. The Barcomb family included 1950's drivers Big Leonard Barcomb and Little Leonard, Ernie Barcomb, and race track promoter Walter Barcomb. Father, Herb operated Malletts Bay Slavage, next to Walter's Malletts Bay Raceway.

Ladabouche Collection
Check this out. He was quite a star athlete at Winooski High School [in between trips to the Red Dog].

              I don't have information on exactly when Ron Barcomb built that first 1957 Chevy Flying Tiger for Catamount Stadium but suffice it to say, he's been a part of the track from very near the beginning. My suspician is that he started aaround 1966, as there is not much of an indication he had any 1965 points. Barcomb always had nice equipment. His '57 Chevy, numbered 09, sported good components and a professional lettering job. The family soon established a relationship with Gene WHite Firestone out of Southern New England. He certainly had a leg up in many respects, but I also saw that he had a backbone. After a bad wreck late in 1968, he returned to a barley repaired car at Catamount the following week when I am sure he had been advised to take the week off.

ANCESTORS 
Photos of Ron's father, Herb, are available above.

Ladabouche Photo Ron's father, Herb apparently hated having his picture taken. I haven't found anything yet except his head sticking up behind the Torino [if it is even Herb]	Courtesy of Terry LaFerriere Herb Barcomb is seen 2nd from left in black sweater.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Roc Uncle Ernie Barcomb	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Uncle Ernie Barcomb - wider angle.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Uncle Len  Barcomb	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Uncle Len  Barcomb - with Airborne Speedway car.	Bushey Family Photo Courtesy of Jack Anderson Uncle Walter  Barcomb - far left.	From the Outside Groove Website Uncle Ernie atop the Barcomb hauler.
	Courtesy of the Hart Family Uncle Ernie [rt] with [from left] Frank Hart, Hnenry LeClaire, Roy Forsyth, and Jackie Peterson.	| Courtesy of Shannon Tomasovich Another Ernie Barcomb portrait.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Uncle Len  Barcomb in the 000 at Airborne.	Courtesy of LaFond Family  Ernie Barcomb getting tires for Ron at D. Bowl.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Ernie Barcomb Airborne wreck.	Courtesy of Ray Lasnier This 1971 shot is undoubtedly the best photo of Herb Barcomb.

       With the considerable financial resources of Herb Barcomb and his Malletts Bay Auto Salvage, young Ronnie would be able to field top notch equipment from the very beginning. Called "Red Dog" Ron, probably after the lower Church Street night club he apparently frequented, Barcomb would almost immediately be among the top runners in the newly - built Catamount Stadium's support division, the Flying Tigers.

  
                ACT Archives Courtesy of Cho Lee                                    Photo Courtesy of  Terry LaFerriere

[Left] Young Ron "Red Dog" Barcomb's Malletts Bay Salvage crew unloads the car. [Right] Things did not always go smoothly for the former Winooski High School football star.

Courtesy of Steve McKnight
A young Ron Barcomb poses in front of the bleachers at Catamount, where the flaggers stood.

       Barcomb would switch from Chevrolets to Fords in 1971, and he would manage to take the Vermont State Championship, over strong competition from Hinesburg's Maurice "Little Mo" Dubois. Barcomb would, in the ensuing season, field one of the most beautiful Ford race cars to ever grace a short track - the Nordic Ford Torino. He would run the big Torino during the grueling 1973 season, in which the Tour tried to run as often as five times a week. Although the recently-returned Bob Dragon was the hottest thing that year, Barcom was one of the top performers.

  
Bill Ladabouche Photo                                                                               Photo Courtesy of Rich Palmer

[Left] A water-damaged photo of the state championship car. [Right] The gorgeous Torino, displayed at Nordic Ford. [Check out the cars in the showroom]. Below - Ron gets in on Catamount's
annual publcicity shot taken on the track's front straightaway every Spring. From left - Archie Blackadar, Catamount CHief Pit Steward, Bob Dragon, Barcomb, Tom Tiller, and you know who.

Courtesy of Cho Lee 

     What would follow was several seasons running Fords and being in the top echelon of the Northern NASCAR ranks. Barcomb would eventually settle down to the smaller Ford Fairlane 500 body for a year or two, with the Banjo Matthews chassis. Coca-Cola and Nordic Ford would remain with his team during these year. Then, upon the departure of Nordic, Barcomb began running Chevrolets again. He continued to field car show - winning beauties, and his cars were among the fastest in the field.

Andy Boright Photo  
The familiar Fairlane 500

Terry LaFerriere Photo  
The Nova he ran for at least four years.rs.

     Barcomb ran the same little Nova for a number of seasons, until everyone was switching over to the Pontiac Gran Prix - Gran Am version. Along with numerous others like the Dragons, Dick McCabe, Randy LaJoie, and many more, he built a Pontiac. About this time, Barcomb acquired the services of Steve Hibbard, a locally - developed wunderkind who had learned his trade with the Bobby Dragon team for years. Hibbard and Barcomb had one of the fastest cars on the circuit.

Terry LaFerriere Photo

Steve Hibbard, a fanatic on weight reduction in his cars, had Barcomb's Pontiac flying in the early 1980's.

THE CHEVY TIGERS

Terry LaFerriere Photo An early trophy either at Catamount or Thunder Road.	Terry LaFerriere Photo A closeup of a very young Ron.	ACT Archive Courtesy of Cho Lee Barcomb wins a Flying Tiger feature around 1967.	Terry LaFerriere Photo Barcomb back in the running after a pretty good wreck took out the sheet metal on the nose.	Courtesy of Rich Palmer The  1968 entry, fresh and new - at the Spring practice  session.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Ron with the '57 Chevy that came complete with professional lettering and a Gene White Firestone connecton.	Terry LaFerriere The '57 Chevy in the Catamount pits in 1968.
Terry LaFerriere Photo Barcomb in the running at Thunder Road against Red Wilford.	Terry LaFerriere Photo Flying Tiger 09, at T Road, 1968ish	Terry LaFerriere Photo Kiddie rides in the last Tiger he had.	Terry LaFerriere Photo BBarcomb's '57 Chevy Tiger encounters a very early Hector LeClair car.	Courtesy of Andy Boright The  1968 or 1969 car.	B. Dragon Family Photo Barcomb in Vic Lane as winner, with Bob Dragon, Ron lamell Sr and flagger jack Paradee.	Courtesy of Phil Butler A nearly new '57 Chevy, in the Catamount infield.
Terry LaFerriere Photo Barcomb, in either 1967 or 68 - look at all that hair.	Courtesy of Steve Jangraw Barcomb on the Catamount track ahead of Ira Turner.	Terry LaFerriere Photo Another shot of the bad wreck at T. Road.

THE FORD LIMITED AND FORD LMS's

Burlington Free Press Photo The championship car in the garage at Malletts Bay Salvage in 1970 Rich Palmer Photo	Ladabouche Photo The 1970 championship car.	Burlington Free Press Photo Courtesy of Rich Palmer The 1970 car at the Catamount Spring practice session.	Terry LaFerriere Photo The State Championship car, when new.	Burlington Free Press Photo Some of the championship crew at the Malletts Bay Salvage garage: Paul Blondin, Ron Barcomb, and Bill Bigelow.	Courtesy of Andy Boright A graphic variation on the '61 Ford.	Beaver Dragon Family Photo The famous Coke machine in the hauler.
Ladabouche Collection Burlington Free Press Photo The 1970 state championship campaign ended with these two cars - in opposite order. Ron beat Moe Dubois, both using two car teams.	Wayne Bettis Collection Burlington Free Press Photo Work on the '61 Ford in 1970.	Wayne Bettis Collection Burlington Free Press Photo State points leader.	Rich Palmer Photo The famous Torino came out in 1971, with two major sponsors, Ray Lasnier body work, Irving Steckalr signwork, and a Barcomb promise to hit 100 on the straightaways.	Courtesy of Andy Boright The Torino at Devil's Bowl.	Bob Frazier Photo D. Bowl again/	Terry LaFerriere Photo Some of the team: Allan Blondin, Dick Myers, UNK, and Ray Lasnier.
Courtesy of Andy Boright The Torino at speed.	Ladabouche Photo Barcomb's Torino, in 1972, with slightly different graphics.	Ladabouche Collection Burlington Free Press Photo The boys, at the Zayre car show, which they always won.	Paul Michaud Photo The Torino, being chased by Cabana.	Ladabouche Collection Burlington Free Press Photo The classic pose.	Terry LaFerriere Photo The newly - finished Torino at Malletts Bay Salvage - before start of season.	Terry LaFerriere Photo The newly - finished Torino by the hauler at Malletts Bay Salvage - before start of season.
Terry LaFerriere Photo The newly - finished Torino at Malletts Bay Salvage - before start of season. Unknown person posing by car.	Ray Lasnier Photo The newly - finished Torino at Malletts Bay Salvage - before start of season. Note the dirty old drive-in theater in the background.	Ladabouche Photo The newly - finished Torino at Catamount,  pitted by Beaver as usual.	Rich Palmer Photo This '63 Ford backup car began with the 1970 season and went into 1971. Ron seldom touched it, but Lee Carpenter [above] and Bobby Allison did.	Catamount Program Photo Barcomb actually driving the backup car himself.	Rich Palmer Photo The Fairlane 500, which showed up in 1971, was the mpore familiar backup car.	Stgeve Pecor Photo The Fairlane 500 again.
Ladabouche Photo The backup car got a less glorious ride to the track. It was better than many teams' cars.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Ron, with the 500 at T Road.	Denis LaChance Photo The strain of a multi - track schedule shows on this field of cars at Devil's Bowl - at the end of a long week. Ron used this backup car a lot.	Free Press Photo Courtesy of Andy Boright TheFairlane 500 in action against Chet Wood.	ACAQ Portrait Photo Courtesy of Cameron Gray The Quebec - based ACAQ was both a partner and rival of Northern NASCAR.	Courtesy of Chris Companion After the Torino, Ron went to this Fairlane 500. I don't believe it was his former 09X backup car. It might have been the Banjo Matthews car.	Denis LaChance Photo The Blue Bayou car entering Catamount.
Courtesy of Chris Companion Same photo as to the left.	Courtesy of Andy Boright The Blue car leading the way at Catamount.	Courtesy of Chris Companion The Blue car arriving on the Barcomb schoolbus hauler in 1973.	Courtesy of Andy Boright The Blue car climbing the pit ramp at Catamount.

THE NOVA AND LE MANS CARS

Ladabouche Photo / LaLancette Photos The Nova debuted at the Zayre car show around 1977 and won, of course.	Courtesy of Andy Boright The building of the Nova body on whatever chassis  they had bought that year,.	Courtesy of Andy Boright A shot in poor light of the rarely - photographed maroon Nova.	Denis LaChance Photo Courtesy of Brian Manning A pose with the maroon Nova.	Courtesy of Walter Newell The more I searched, the more photographed that car became.	Denis LaChance Photo Courtesy of Andy Boright 1978 - the year he actually let me letter the car. Still won the car show - tied with Beaver, whose car I also lettered.	Ladabouche Photo At the 1978 Zayre car show.
LaLancette Photo At the 1978 Zayre car show.	Source Unknown The 1978 version out for practice at Catamount.	Terry LaFerriere Photo The 1978 car at the Catamount Spring practice session.	Courtesy of Andy Boright The Ladabouche lettering version takes to the track. Barcomb left me with a tacky car and their junkyard dog over my shoulder to letter it the night before the car show. Thanks Ronnie !	Courtesy of Dan St. Pierret The working on the 1978 version.	Courtesy of Andy Boright The Nova body went back to one solid color in 1979. Probably Steck lettering.	Source: fotki The unloading of the orange Nova at Cayuga - back when they traveled ridiculous distances to race in Curley's tours.
Courtesy of Andy Boright The orange Nova waits to go out after someone apparently puked their motor.	Courtesy of T. LaFerriere After the orange Nova, Barcomb went to Pontiac sheet metal and apparently few sponsors.	Courtesy of  Rich Palmer The plain Jane Pontiac on the hauler.	Terry LaFerriere Photo Next came the Le Mans craze and Ron got him one, along with a sponsor.	Norman Morley Photo The Dollar Rent a Car car at the Catamount.	Courtesy of Mark Dean The captions for this shot say Ron is waiting for something in the cold.	Courtesy of Andy Boright As with the Nova , the Le Mans then went to a very plain orange. This was a Rosner - built car.
Mark Dean Photo This popular shot shows Beaver Dragon helping Ron somewhere.	Helen Owen Photo The Rosner Car car on a victory lap.	Terry LaFerriere Photo The red 09 Pontiac, at one of the Oxford 250 races

Free Press Photo via Wayne Bettis Ron acknowledges his introduction in 1970, with Bobby Allison, who drove the Baromb '63 Ford backup car.	Free Press Photo via Wayne Bettis Ron talks to Cabana and Giroux mechanic John Merrick around 1972.	Photo via Cho Lees Ron helps Pete Keller honor Archie Blackadar and Pete, his significant other.	Courtesy of Andy Boright A Winston Series Lid Lifter win.	Beaver Dragon Family Photo Barcomb, with Dave Moody at a NASCAR North banquet around 1979	Norman Morley Photo Meeting with fans.	Source Unknown An interview with Ken Squier at the 2007 Milk Bowl.
			Steve McKnight Photo Me, with Ron at the Milk Bowl.	Steve McKnight Photo Me, with Ron and Del Thompson at the Milk Bowl.