International Speed Bowl


The Nation's Site of Excitement

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE THUNDER ROAD MOMENTS PAGE

ALWAYS - UNDER      CONSTRUCTION 

Early Coupe Era NASCAR Coupe Era Original Flying Tigers Era Early Late Model Sportsman Era Hurricane Era Grand American Era Mini Stock and Mini
Modified Era
The Kalomiris Era 
Beer Tour Late Model Era  Early ACT Era  Original Street
Stocks
Era New Tigers Era  

 

         Thunder Road was the concept and creation of Ken Squier, a successful local radio station owner, a very experienced racing announcer despite his young age, and a nationally - recognized sports announcer. Along with partners, the Cooley Brothers of Barre, Squier found the perfect spot for Thunder Road International Speedbowl, and nestled it into the existing terrain on a plot of land on Quarry Hill in Barre, near Graniteville.
         The track was state-of-the-art for its day, despite its fairly unusual layout. As go-carts were the rage of the day in 1960, the track, which was paved, featured a road course - style go-cart track in the infield. The crowd had the option of either sitting on stands built into the side of a hill, or literally sit on the hill. It became known right away, that one particular section of the hill was populated by the beer drinkers. Barre citizens, already familiar with tracks in Waterford and Northfield, became immediate, lifelong, loyal supporters of the track.

      
Things were going very smoothly at Thunder Road by the mid - '60's. The huge fields included a healthy contingent of New Hampshire drivers, many of whom had come from the Elms Family - operated Northeastern Speedway in Waterford: the wild Ingerson brothers, Roy "Pappy"Forsyth, Ronnie Marvin, Stanley "Stub" Fadden, Hank Montandon, and more crossed the Eastern border to run against Vermonters like Chester T. Wood, John Gammell, Tony Colucchio, etc.

 


Photo by Cho Lee
Roy "Pappy" Forsyth, with the legendary George Barber 46, was one of
Thunder Road's first superstars.

               Superstars like Marvin, the Ingersons, and Forsythe were well and good, but the heart and soul of Thunder Road was that core of small - time local drivers like Leon Hayford, from nearby Graniteville, and Mike Osborne of Barre. This is the way things went for five years of Thunder Road's life. Northeastern and Dog River Speedways closed, Bear Ridge had not opened, and T Road was the only show around. While clearly being populated by very down-to-Earth people, it did project a modern image, with weekly races even having their own radio network, as Ken Squier owned WDEV radio, in Waterbury.


Courtesy of Cho Lee
Guys like Leon Hayford were the heart and soul.

COUPE ERA

 


Courtesy of Cho Lee
Jack DuBrul,
Shelburne, VT

Courtesy of Doug Farrow
Harold Hanaford,
Plymouth, NH
Car Owner Gordon Fitzgerald

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Mike Cody,
Keene, NH

Bud Messier's 50, which also
was driven by Jean-Paul Cabana

Courtesy of Cho Lee

Wayne Vincent right]
and Ripton, VT's 
Bucky Dragon [6] 

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Rex Shattuck,
Milton, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Johnny Gammell,
St. Johnsbury Ctr., VT

C.J. Richard's #32

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Rene Charland 
Agawam, Mass.
In Vt. running for NASCAR
 points in 1965 with the
Geo, Hay 68.

  

Ladabouche Photo
Denny Dearborn,
Plymouth, NH
Went on to become a Jack
Kochman Hell Driver.

Ladabouche Photo
Roy pappy Forsyth,
Athol, MA

McIver Photo via Cho Lee


Courtesy of Cho Lee
Keith Ballard, 
Hinesburg, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Chester T. Wood,
Orange, VT
With a young Ken Squier

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Dale Gilbert,
Northfield, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Doug Ingerson,
Littleton, NH
George Hay's 58

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Winner Larry Granger,
flanked by Pappy Forsyth
and Bruce Pierson.

Granger woould replace Forsyth
in the Barber 46 the next year.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Larry Davis, 
Hartland, VT
The T Road car for the
Claremont driver.

Courtesy of Mike Gilbert
Al Corey,
Randolph, VT
George Hay car

Courtesy of Mike Gilbert
Larry Granger 
Barre, VT
Libero Buzzi's 93

Cavalcade of Auto Racing
Ron Marvin blasts off
turn 4, up the Widowmaker.

He blamed Chet Wood X-1.

Courtesy of Mark Austin
Norm Chaloux,
Barre, VT
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Mike Osborne
The Yankee Flyer

Barre, VT.
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Bobby Waugh 
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
via The Davis Family

Chester T. Wood runs to
the aid of another driver.
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Remember when....
Grant Bashaw wrecked
Ping Puentes' Flyin A ?
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Nick Tigenson 
Barre, VT
Involved in a bad wreck that year
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Unidentified guy from
Lisbon, NH
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Ronnie Marvin, Tony
Colicchio, and a bunch
of kids after a big win.
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
A big win for someone.
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Russ Ingerson wins
in one of the CV Elms
cars.
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Tony Colicchio,
Walpole, NH
The potent Andy Cote 0
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Dale Gilbert pitting
around 1962.
The p
lace hasn't changed much.

Courtesy of Mark Austin
Unknown car D1.

Courtesy of Mark Austin
Car 21 and another,
unidentified coupe in
a big wreck.

Courtesy of Mark Austin
John Gammell [91] and
car 62 get into it.

Courtesy of Mark Austin
The track crew removes
3J, possibly Paul Martell.

Courtesy of Mark Austin
Action out of 4: Car 48, Car 10
 [Freddie Mills], and Dick Gammell [55].

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EARLY COUPE ERA

      Somebody decided that was time for expansion .... expansion into the state's most highly - populated county, Chittenden County. And they did - in the northern Chittenden County town of Milton. Catamount Stadium was born. However, for many years to come, Thunder Road remained the more stable and better- attended track in the family. While Catamount struggled with small fields and inconsistent attendance, T-Road was the anchor. Eventually. Thunder Road began mixing its familiar flathead cars with the NASCAR overhead V-8's. It wasn't popular with the Barre fans. Finally, the flatheads winning became a rarity.


Courtesy of Cho Lee

Beloeil, Quebec's Jean-Paul Cabana was the first  successful V-8 competitor at the Barre oval.
He had competed on the track with a flathead, as well - but with a local car owner.


Courtesy of Andy Boright
This 1965 points list shows the unique mixture that was Thunder Road. Manny, Cabana, Nephew, Karvonen, and Reid had overhead V-8 cars;
Hanford, the Ingersons, and Colicchio had the traditinal flatheads. Marvin would finish remarkably high in the NASCAR National Sportsman
point standings that year by campaigning in many locations with what I assume was a flathead.

Here is a look at a few aspects of Catamount's parent track:


Bob Mackey Photo
Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr.
Charlie Trombley,
Mooers Forks, NY

Courtesy of Cho Lee
via Andy Boright
Bob Bruno's overhead V-8
races with Ron Marvin's
flathead Ford.
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Marcel Godard,
Montreal, QC
 
Bob Mackey Photo
via John Rock
Bob Bruno's overhead V-8
races with Ron Marvin's
flathead Ford.
 
Courtesy of M.P. Roy
Andre Manny,
Laval Des Rapides, QC
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Merlin Bean,
Shady Rill, VT
 
Courtesy of Gary Nephew
Dick Nephew,
Mooers Forks, NY
1961 NASCAR National
Sportsman Co-Champion


       Between 1966 and 1968, the racing eventually moved around to only the Flying Tiger division at both tracks. In the case of Thunder Road, about half of its Tiger fields were made up of former flathead drivers, while a good corps of locals were also developing. Many cars also came from Catamount.


Courtesy of Cho Lee
1968 Thunder Road champ Tom Tiller returns checkers to Bob Quinn as Jack Paradee [who once droive a Tiger at T Road himself] looks on.

ORIGINAL FLYING TIGERS



From NASCAR Record Book
These 1968 standings still show the regionalism that disappeared as teams began to travel more. Catamount's Dragon brothers apparently spent little time
at Thunder Road. Barcomb and Tiller, however, were already makking the full circuit effort by then.


Courtesy of Terry LaFerriere
Ron Barcomb,
Winooski, VT

Ladabouche Photo
Clem Despault,
Waterbury, VT

Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Jim Gates,
Hardwick,  VT

Ladabouche Collection
Larry Demar,
Hardwick, VT

Ladabouche Collection
Stub Fadden,
North Haverhill, NH

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Lennie "Tiger" Stockwell,
Bethel, VT

Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Ed Doggett,
Plymouth, NH

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Cuffy Cuthbertson,
West Rutland, VT

Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Ron Bettisl,
Middlesex, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Bobby Dragon,
Milton, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
John "The Kid" Clark,
Barre, VT
 
Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Harmon "Beaver" Dragon,
Milton, VT
 
Courtesy of Doug Farrow
Johnny Gammell,
St. Johnsbury Ctr. VT
Joey LaQuerre's Hawaii 5-0
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Larry Granger,
Barre, VT
 
Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Doug Ingerson,
Littleton, NH
 
Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Rene Maxfield,
Winooski, VT
 
Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Joe Couture,
Hardwick, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Jim Gallison,
Middlesex, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Red Fisk,
Northfield, VT
 
Courtesy of Gilbert Family
Russ Ingerson,
Littleton, NH
 
Courtesy of Rich Palmer
Bobby Giroux,
So. Burlington, VT
     
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Richard Buzzi,
Barre, VT
   
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Mitch Barrows,
Middlesex, VT
   


      Eventually, management tried switching the evenings that the two tracks operated. but Catamount did not really catch on until it dropped the sportsman and modifieds and worked only with local late model drivers. Thunder Road followed suit. By then, the traditional flat-topped coupes were gone, and many of the older drivers had grabbed themselves a Flying Tiger car and joined the fray.

      Sometimes, the T-Road drivers and the Catamount regulars would be bonded together in a mutual dislike of the big dollar Canadians who began to filter back - especially to Catamount : Jean-Paul Cabana, Andre Manny, and Claude Aubin - to name a few. The circuit had upgraded first, to limited sportsman and - later - full - fledged late model sportsman cars. This began to attract the Canadians, as well as teams from all over New England.

 

 
Bob Doyle Photo - Ladabouche Collection
Andre Manny, in the immaculate Gaston Ethier 27A was typical of the well-financed Canadian invasion of the early 1970's.


EARLY LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN

     T-Road would go on to work in perfect concert with Catamount - and with a host of other tracks which whom the management of the two tracks would form temporary arrangements over the course of the next decades: Devil's Bowl, Airborne, Sanair, Oxford, and others. By 1972 and 3, the teams found themselves racing several nights a week - strangely reminiscent of the very early days of stock car racing. 

 

 
Photo by Bob Doyle - Ladabouche Collection
Fairfax, Vermont's Hector LeClair, though well sponsored, shows the strain of the intense schedule almost as much as does his Chevelle.


 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Cabana and Dragon, duking
it out at Thunder Road.
 
Courtesy of Chris Companion
This grainy old shot shows
Tom Tiller in mid - spin
with his LMS Dart.
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
This scene of the fans on
the banks would be about
from this time.

Burlington Free Press Photo
Ladabouche Collection

A late model field has troubles on lap one. 
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Beaver and Stub came
together at the end of the
frontstretch here.

Courtesy of Cho Lee

Two graduates of the Hurricane
division battle in late models.
Dennis Tucker, 28 [Dion's
old Torino] and Roger Lambert
 

Courtesy of Cho Lee

Vince Quenneville,
Whiting, VT
Devil's Bowl
champion
 

Courtesy of Andy Boright

Former national champion
Rene Charland, with his bruised Chevelle, never had much luck running T Road.
 

Courtesy of Andy Boright
As I said ....


Courtesy of L.A. West

A 1972 T Road lineup.
That is the photo contributor
on the tail end - closest to us.
 
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Bob Pressley was one of
many southern LMS stars
to come up North and try his luck.

Courtesy of May Family

Skip May gets a T Road
win in Virgil Rendl's 23.
 

Courtesy of Cho Lee

Frankie Kuhlman, a fellow
Norwood regular to May, talks to Bubby Wilder. Kuhlman's underpowered Chevelle would pace T Road races before falling back most nights.
 

Courtesy of Cho Lee

The John Rosati and Russ
Ingerson teams celebrate
qualifying on the pole at
Thunder Road.
 

A and A Ward Photo

Late models on the backstretch in the 1980's.
 
   
Courtesy of Andy Boright
1973 action, with Dragon and Quenneville chasing  Steve Poulin.
 
Darrell Rogers Photo
Late model lineup in the glory years of NASCAR North.

Courtesy of Xactoman

J.P. LaRose ,
Montreal, QC
 
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Early '70's late model
action.
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Late '70's action, with Dion chasing Dragon and McCabe. Back then, the track had more than one racing groove. 
 


     The track management had the foresight to install a support division to replace when the Flying Tigers had become the whole show in 1968. By 1970, they had the automatic transmission, totally - stock Hurricane Division which developed future stars like Jamie Aube, Richard Buzzi, and Darrell Owens. The true measure of how far they came was when you could watch an entrie field fo Hurricanes go through a corner and hear no tire squeal. Even today's Tigers can't mange that.


Photo Courtesy of Cho Lee
Dennis Tucker, Washington, VT was one of the local boys who started in the Hurricane Division at Thunder Road. 

HURRICANE

 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Carl Nelson,
Moretown, VT
His 1st T Road Car
is at right >>>>
 
Courtesy of Buffy Nelson
Carl's first T Road car.
 
Courtesy of Outside Groove
Charlie Benoit makes mayhem with [possibly]
 Larry Caron.

Courtesy of Cho Lee

One of the first Hurricane
division cars - no idea whose.
 
Ladabouche Photo
Al Maynard ,
Colchester, VT
Uncle of announcer, Aaron.
 
Ladabouche Photo
Jay Yantz,
Monkton, VT

Ladabouche Photo
Don Johnson,
Colchester, VT
 
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Wayne Corwell,
Essex Junction, VT


Courtesy of the
Gilbert Family

Don Tofani,
Barre, VT
 

Courtesy of Cho Lee

Bert Thornton,
Burlington, VT
 
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Bill Hood,
Burlington, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Wes Cota,
Essex Junction, VT

Ladabouche Collection

Dave Gibbs,
Jericho, VT
 
 
Ladabouche Collection
Ralph Bessette,
Colchester, VT
 
Ladabouche Photo
Roger "Buzzy" Lambert,
Burlington, VT
 
Courtesy of Jim Watson
Richard LeClaire,
Fairfax, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee

Richard Buzzi,
Barre, VT
 
Car also driven at Barre
by Louie Casani
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Gentle George Davis,
Orange, VT

Courtesy of Outside Groove

Don Turner, Jr,
Milton, VT
Became Republican leader
in VT House
 
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Cliff Randle,
Wolcott, VT
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Norm Andrews,
Warren, VT


       The Hurricanes were evolved into six cylinder pony cars like Camaros and Mustangs - probably because they had more appeal. The new division was called The Grand Americans. Within a year, those cars could corner as effortlessly as the late models. Several of the competitors from this short-lived division would go on to participate in the late models - or the next version of the Flying Tigers, which came about in the 1980's.

 

 
Photo Courtesy of  Lonnie Terry
The Hurricane support division evolved into the nifty, well-handling six cylinder Grand American Division by 1980.
Those cars especially loved the T-Road quarter mile. This is Milton, Vermont's Jim Barton.


GRAND AMERICAN


 
 Ladabouche Collection
Richard Buzzi,
Barre, VT
 
Courtesy of Outside Groove
Larry Caron [Z28] and
Carl Nelson in Action.

Ladabouche Collection
T.R. Watters,
Washington, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Monty Jarvis,
Swanton, VT

Ladabouche Collection

Jay Yantz,
Monkton, VT
Sold the Car to Jarvis, at left

Courtesy of Ray Lasnier

Ray Lasnier,
Essex Junction, VT
An amazing car ,given that cars
didn't last person - to - person like they do today.

 
Ladabouche Photo
Joe Myers,
Essex Junction, VT
The former Lasnier car.
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Norm Andrews,
Warren, VT
Car 4 - the former Lasnier/Myers car
 
Courtesy of Kathy DeBoer
Joey LaQuerre,
East Montpelier, VT
Former Ray Lasnier, Norm Andrews, and Joe Myers car
 
 
Ladabouche Collecton
B.J. Willard,
Charlotte, VT

Ladabouche Photo

Bruce Jaycox,
Woostock, VT
 
 
Ladabouche Collecton
Rapid Ralph Baldwin,
East Topsham, VT

Ladabouche Photo

Bruce Jaycox,
Woostock, VT
 
 
Ladabouche Photo
Paul Donahue,
Graniteville, VT
 

MINI STOCKS AND MINI MODS


Courtesy of Cho Lee
Mike Richmond and Chris Ford [or possibly Mark Rossi], at speed at Thunder Road.

 
Courtesy of Terry LaFerriere
Jerry Perantoni,
 Barre, VT
 
Courtesy of AndyBoright
Joey LaQuerre,
East Montpelier, VT
 
 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Jim Carlson,
Williston, VT
 
Courtesy of Terry LaFerrier
Tom Glaser,
Shelburne, VT
 
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Kevin Frink,
Plainfield, VT

Ladabouche Collection
Butch True,
Burlington, VT
 
Ladabouche Photo
Randy Therrien,
Ferrisburgh, VT
 

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Joey LaQuerre, with a
mini that was tending
towards a mini mod.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Our very own Cho Lee
drove this mini mod
at Riverside Park
Speedway.

Courtesy of Andy Boright

The mini mods were a
brief but popular era.

Ladabouche Photot

Shorty LeClaire [brother
of Hector] brought his
Lebanon Valley mini
to Catamount one night.

Denis LaChance Photo

Dan Meservey was a
long - time mini mod
driver and a promoter
of Lakeville Speedway.

Courtesy of Cho Lee

Dick Lafayette,
Barre, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Mark Rossi,
Plainfield, VT
With track announcer
Sandy McLeod

Courtesy of Steve Mishkit
Steve Mishkit,
Granville, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Ken Squier ran a Mini
for a while, with varying degrees of success.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Ken Hoadley had some bad
luck with his Pinto. Sorry, Ken - I don't have another photo.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Ken Thompson,
Randolph, VT

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Danny Casey,
Shelburne, VT
With Dad, John.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Ralph Potwin,
Randolph, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Barney McRae,
St. Albans, VT


      As the fortunes of the late models and their touring system seemed to hit an all-time high, a major disaster struck Thunder Road, and - therefore - the whole city of Barre. For some reason, the management inexplicably decided to sell the track to a man from Long Island, New York named Tommy Kalomiris. Kalomiris, an avowed lover of the track and its activities had big plans to make great improvements to the facility. All of this started to fall apart in his first season of operation, and, before long, financial problems were piling up. The track was padlocked and Kalomiris went back to the New York area - apparently making calls to Vermont from a pay phone at times. He refused to release the track so that it could be re-opened. 


Photographer Unknown
Stanley "Stub" Fadden is as picture of patient sklepticism as he stands with short - lived track owner Anastasios
 "Tommy" Kalomiris".  Fadden, who won two races at T Road in the Kalomiris era.

THE KALOMIRIS ERA


Courtesy of Andy Boright
Steve Fisk organizes mini mods on the frontstretch in front of a sparse crowd. Notice the unmown infield. 
 
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Grand American car action on the frontstretch in front of a sparse crowd. Notice, again,  the unmown infield.
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
The grand old girl lies, neglected, after Kalomiris abandoned operations and left it to the vandals


        Furious locals began to vent their frustrations with Kalomiris on the property itself. The once-famous lights were destroyed, building were knocked down, and various other forms of vandalism erupted on the track. Eventually, Tom Curley, Ken Squier, and others regained control and it took months of work and legions of volunteer help to put the facility back in usable shape. Bear Ridge Speedway had to lend their lighting system, at one point. No one is too sure . The circuit really flourished, and became NASCAR North, a tour series supported by beer companies.

 
Courtesy of L.A.West
Thunder Road was now fielding very sophisticated, state - of - the - art late model sportsman cars - until the split with NASCAR
in the 1980's.

THE BEER TOUR ERA



Courtesy of Mr. Chevy Black



A and A Ward Photo
Stub Fadden wins a
Fall Foliage race during
the Beer Tour years.

Denis LaChance Photo
Steve Poulin,
North Troy, VT

ACT File Photo
Roger LaPerle,
Ste Eustche, QC
 Uncle to Patrick

Ladabouche Photo
Mike Barry,
Bolton, VT

Courtesy of Andy Boright
Jean - Paul Cabana,
Beloeil, QC

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Dave Dion,
Hudson, NH
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Dick McCabe,
Kennebunkport, ME


       The next event to have a strong effect on the fortunes of Thunder Road International Speedbowl was the untimely demise of sister track, Catamount Stadium in Milton. Built on what was reportedly leased land, the track could no longer obtain a lease extension and it closed in the late 1980's. By 1986, NASCAR had been dropped and - by 19787 - the American - Canadian Tour was beginning what woould be a decades - long relationship with the track. Now T-Road was the flagship of the American - Canadian Tour. It continues to carry this banner to this day. The track has enjoyed several wonderful modernizing improvements and considerable expansion [and needs more modernizing].

 


Courtesy of Mike Cain
Kevin LePage piloted the heavily - sponsored E J Prescott car before being replaced by Ricky Craven. 

 


Courtesy of Mike Cain
Robbie Crouch,
Georgia, VT

Courtesy of Mike Cain
Jamie Aube leads
Cabana and Crouch
in an ACT race
at T Road in 1987.

Courtesy of Mike Cain
Paul Richardson,
Georgetown, MA,

Ladabouche Photo
Milt Wright,
Hardwick, VT

Courtesy of Mike Cain
Ralph Nason,
Newburg, ME

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Dave Dion,
Hudson, NH
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Stub Fadden,
No. Haverhill, NH
     
Ron Pittsley Photo
Beaver Dragon,
Milton, VT
The Whole LE Farrell Team
     


      After ACT was ensconced at Thunder Road, the recently - developed New Flying Tigers [a division arisen from the former Grand American and Street Stock classes] became the main division, seeing as the late models were touring. This has led, over the past decades to today's late model, Tiger, and four cylinder Street Stock classes.


Blow Family Collection
Ron Blow, in the 05, battles Al Simoneau in one of the few Thunder Road Street Stock shots of this era.

THE ORIGINAL STREET STOCKS


Courtesy of Cho Lee
Al "The Animal" Simoneau
Easily, the most memorable
of the original street class.

Norman Morley Photo
Dick "The Original Street Stocker" Strobridge flashes by at Catamount. There are few T Road photos of this class.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Bruce Dusablon,
Milton, VT

Courtesy of Mark Austin
Bob Jennings leading
Al Simoneau.

Courtesy of Mark Austin
More street stock action.

Blow Family Photo
Steve Blow,
Milton, VT

Ladabouche Photo
Jim Barton,
Milton, VT

Courtesy of Andy Boright
Original street stock champion Richard Caron loops it as Gordy Ritchie
 [73] gets by.

Norman Morley Photo
Early Street Stocker action at Catamount. There are few T Road photos. Dick Strobridge, The Original Street Stocker" is the blue 24 while Al "The Animal" Simoneau begins a spin in turn four.

Courtesy of Jamie Muir
Richard "Choo Choo"
Smith,
Milton, VT


Ladabouche Photo
Steve Cushing,
Milton, VT

Ladabouche Collection
Richard Caron,
Burlington, VT

Ladabouche Photo
Lorraine "The Racing
Grandmother" Parsons,
Fairfax, VT

Justin St Louis Photo
Steve Renaudette,
Colchester, VT


          After ACT was ensconced at Thunder Road, the recently - developed New Flying Tigers [a division arisen from the former Grand American and Street Stock classes] became the main division, seeing as the late models were touring. This has led, over the past decades to today's late model, Tiger, and four cylinder Street Stock classes.


A and A Ward Photos
The "New Tigers" race at Thunder Road around 1985. The class was a mix of old Grand American cars [see 90 Ralph Baldwin, 1A Fuzzy Fassett, 97, Dave Gibbs] and former Street Stock cars
[see Jim Payea's 89 and that Oldsmobile at bottom]. There were beginning to be specially - built New Tigers cars as shown below: Chuck Beede [54] and Clem Despault. Below - More action - same day.

 

THE NEW FLYING TIGERS


Courtesy of Outside Groove
Clem Despault,
Waterbury, VT


A and A Ward Photo
New Tigers in action:
Jerry Driscoll leads Ken
Hoadley.

A and A Ward Photo
New Tigers in action:
Jerry Driscoll spins
after Paul Donahue.

A and A Ward Photo
Possibly Jim Payea, leading
Ralph Baldwin, Lanny Covey, and
Dave Gibbs.

A and A Ward Photo
Red Mead leads the action.

A and A Ward Photo
A well - mixed field scatters. Red Mead [1] has an old Grand American; Paul Donhaue [31] has a specifcially - built Tiger; amd Dickie Strobridge [24] has an old Street Stock.

Ladabouche Photo
Paul Donahue,
Graniteville, VT
 
A and A Ward Photo
 Red Mead puts the
pressure on car 09.
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Ageless Red Fisk,
Northfield, VT
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Norm Andrews,
Warren, VT
Might be a Lanphear car.
 
Ladabouche Photo
Skip May

Courtesy of Andy Boright
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Mark Marsh,
NH
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
The Lanphear brothers
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Larry Hebert,
Williamstown, VT

 
Courtesy of Mark Austin
Guy Brown,
Hardwick, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Carl Nelson,
Moretown, VT
 
Ladabouche Collection
Check Beede loses a
wheel in front of Clem.

 
Justin St. Louis Photo
Tom Tiller,
Essex Jct., VT

 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Greg "Burger" Blake,
Montpelier, VT
 
Courtesy of Cho Lee
Greg Lyman, Sr.
Hinesburg,. VT
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Owen Wimble,
Waitsfield, VT

 


Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock
A mixed lineup of flathead coupes and the newer
overhead sportsman coupes - from 1965.

 

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock
A mixed lineup of flathead coupes and the newer
overhead sportsman coupes get the green.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock
A lineup of  the newer overhead sportsman coupes - from 1965.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock
A heat of midgets mix it up on turn one.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
A spinout in the coupe era. [Same as above]

Courtesy of Cho Lee
The aftermath of the spinout. ? is Dale Hatch and the
93 is the Libero Buzzi car driven by Tony Collicchio.
 


Courtesy of  Jim Ladabouche
Joe was a well - known Rutland, VT area sports personality.


Courtesy of Jim Watson
1972. A feature starting field, looking East. John Untied is on the track.


Courtesy of Jim Watson
The same field, looking West, with Barton's Jerry Young on the pole.



ACT Archives Courtesy of Cho Lee
A much younger Tom Curley, with Archie Blackadar and Lennie
Stockwell - when Lennie was an official.


Terraserver USGS Photo
Thunder Road in the 1990's - from satellite. The stands and front
stretch are to the bottom of the photo.

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