WEST BRATTLEBORO SPEEDWAY A Pioneer Race Track in the Corner of Vermont

BRATTLEBORO SPEEDWAY
A Pioneer Race Track in the Corner of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts

Originally From Barttleboro Reformer
The Triangle Racing Assiociation was one group that ran Brattleboro Speedway. Another seems to be the Pioneer Valley group
[see the membership card below] Not only these three tracks, but also Claremont seemed to have similar compeitors.

Courtesy of Lew Boyd
Cars line up at the West Brattleboro track, circa 1952. In the photo are [from left]: Buddy Bardwell (13); Joe Ryan (X); and DN3, Sonny Rabideau.
There are a lot of the cutdown cars that were popular in Massachusetts at the time.

Courtesy of Lew Boyd
Cars line up at the West Brattleboro track, circa 1952. In the photo are [from left]: Ray Harris in Chet Cashman's 37 [probably]; Art Rousseau (621); and Bardwell near the rear.
Car 71 has now been identified as Morris Wisell.

                    I have little firm information on the West Brattleboro track. I don't know if it had a name other than Brattleboro Speedway or what years it actually was in operation. I can surmise that its location, in the corner of three states, was a big plus. I can see that it was very crude by today's standards, with logs lining the backstretch. I haven't been able to see if there were grandstands or concessions, etc. One photo shows a small outbuilding of some sort.
                    In recent years, I have snooped around the area and took a few photos, hoping I was even somewhat near the site. Bob Grover, an area native, has taken a more certain series to go with mine. We still seek more information on this track that was obviously an integral part of racing in the early 1950's. I believe it shared drivers with Safford Park [The Cheshire County Fairgrounds in Keene, NH] and with the Rhythm Inn Speedway near Millers Falls, MA. It is also possible that cars that ran North Hinsdale, NH might have run here, as well.
                    Judging from the cutdowns in some of the shots, a few drivers from The Pines race track may have been trying out tracks that featured more regular - sized stock cars, Drivers who seem to have tried West Brat include Sonny Rabideau, Buddy Bardwell, Art Rousseau, Joe Ryan, Rene Charland, Ray Harris, Ray Brown, George Schnyer, Roy Forsythe, Flash Gordon, Dick Stone, and someone named Kison.

Racers Bored Site
Another look at a lineup. Note the log barriers, as well as some fence. Identifiable cars include:
Roy Forsyth 80 [2nd row inside]; and Dave Todd [2nd to last].

Courtesy of Crystal Snape Lionel "Blackie" Arel, Fred Snape's 26.	Courtesy of Crystal Snape Lionel "Blackie" Arel stops Fred Snape's 26 under red flag.	D L Collection A driver named Kison in his pit area. Note the area in the background. Crystal Snape thinks this might be Ed Kison. Apparently the 51 car was somewhat associated with the Snapes, out of Northhampton, MA.	Courtesy of Crystal Snape Morfe Kison car - these two shots taken at Snapes in Northampton.	aimhmga.communityshots.com Cecil Bosworth with the crew of the 22. This is an area car in the same time period as Brattleboro.
Courtesy of Walt Ryan Rene Charland, in the feature- winning Leo Matte #107	D L Collection Dick Stone, Montague, MA	Courtesy of Barber Collection George Barber's car overheating on the track.	Courtesy of Walt Ryan Joe Ryan's X and the Suffield Auto 5 of Buddy Krebs.	D L Collection Flash Gordon, who supposedly ran at West Brat.
Courtesy of Walt Ryan Pit work with Joe Ryan's X.	Courtesy of Walt Ryan Joe Ryan's X action at Brattleboro, withn Rene Charland 107.	George Barber Collection Possible action at Brattleboro. Nice, dust - free surface ! Bob Grover and his dad, Bud, look on.	Courtesy of Crystal Snape Cecil Bosworth, with Fred Snape's flathead 26. he may have run this at Brattleboro - or with the car shown below [at Hinsdale]. Courtesy of aimhmga web_shots.com	Courtesy of Crystal Snape Fred Snape's 25 car. It might have run at Brattleboro, although I doubt it.
Courtesy of Crystal Snape Buddy Bardwell [far right], chases the Fred Snape flathead 26 - likely with Arel driving.	Courtesy of Crystal Snape Lionel Arel flashes by the bleachers in the Snape 26.	Courtesy of Crystal Snape Joe Ryan leads a car whose number I can't make out.	Courtesy of aimhmga web_shots.com Vernon Taylor was a driver at the Hinsdale track - just mere miles from Bratt.	Courtesy of aimhmga web_shots.com George Yuconis was a driver at the Hinsdale track - just mere miles from Bratt. He also ran at Rhythm Inn.
Courtesy of aimhmga web_shots.com Cecil Bosworth was a driver at the Hinsdale track - just mere miles from Bratt.	Courtesy of aimhmga web_shots.com Willie Stone was a driver at the Hinsdale track - just mere miles from Bratt.	Courtesy of aimhmga web_shots.com Willie Stone's 3 - off the track at Hindale. Dick Stone, above is C3. Were they related ?	aimhamga_webshots Harold Lucier and Bob Bergeron were drivers at the Hinsdale track - just mere miles from Bratt.	Courtesy of Racers Bored.com George at Rhythm Inn.
aimhamga web shots.com Dick Carey was a driver at the Hinsdale track - just mere miles from Bratt.	aimhamga web shots.com Art Lewis was a driver at the Hinsdale track - just mere miles from Bratt.	From racersbored.com Supposely Art Lewis' car at Rhythm Inn.	Courtesy of Crystal Snape The DN3 of Dan and Norm Cazchini of Northhampton, MA was another Lionel Arel car that ran at Brattleboro.	Courtesy of Walt Ryan Roy Pappy Forsyth definitely ran at Brattleboro Speedway. Note Sonny Rabideau in the background who, from Brattleboro was another obvious competitor.
Ladabouche Collection Future national champion Rene Charland, Holyoke, MA He drove Leo Matte's 107 to his first feature win in earlier years here.	Courtesy of Ken Robertson Sonny Rabideau was likely still running the family car 7 at this time. He would also drive for the DN3 team.	Courtesy of MVRCA Future national champion Ernie Gahan ran Brattleboro a few times.	From racersbored.com Ed Cormie Greenfield, MA Rhythm Inn Track Champ	Photo via Bob Spencer "Racer Bill" Fredericks
Courtesy of Ernie Bodreau Early NH driver Shorty Collins drove at Bratt.	FNE Vintage Mod Site Ray "Zero" Brown	Courtesy of Racers Bored Site Ed Cormie and crew enjoy a win at Rhythm Inn. He would have likely run at Brattleboro.	Courtesy of Walt Renner Tom Cook and crew enjoy a win at Rhythm Inn. He would have likely run at Brattleboro.

Courtesy of Crystal Snape
Lionel "Blackie" Arel runs the outside in Fred Snape's 26. Also seen is Joe Ryan's X.

Bob Grover Photo
Turns one and two at the site of the track. That is the building supply on US Rte 9.

From Dan Ody 8mm DVD
Rene Charland [center, right of man with hat] may be receiving the first feature trophy of his
illustrious career at the Brattleboro Fairgrounds. [RIght] Charland and Matte head for Victory Lane.

From Dan Ody 8mm on You Tube
Action at West Brattleboro. Car 070 [left] and the J2 [maybe Red Foote] on right.

From Dan Ody 8mm on You Tube
Action at West Brattleboro. Joe Ryan, in the X follows something [I wouldn't
dignify it by calling it a stock car]. Could be Charland in the 107 at left.

Action at Brattleboro Speedway. Buddy Bardwell catches car 61 and another car.	Roy "Pappy"Forsyth in his pre-Barber 46 days. He won a ton of races with this #80.	Action at Brattleboro Speedway. Joe Ryan chases the bullhorned #13 of Buddy Bardwell.	Action at Brattleboro Speedway. Joe Ryan is X. Rene Charland, who won that race, is likely the car at far left.	Brattleboro Speedway action, with a car 69 and another whose number I can't decipher.
A cutdown numbered 92. Could it be Ted Brown?	West Brattleboro. The Matte 107 of Rene Charland.	Charland laps a slow white coupe on the inside.	A West Brattleboro field stopped on Turn 4 Charland is at far left. Joe Ryan is the X.	A yellow & black car works the track by itself.
Brattleboro Speedway action as Joe Ryan X goes under car 97.	Brattleboro Speedway: Bardwell [white car] prepares to follow Joe Ryan's X through traffic.

Both Photos From the HAMB Chat Site - Probably Snape Family Photos
Buddy Bardwell and Lionel Arel with Fred Snape's flathead 26 chase another car on
the backstretch of the Brattleboro Speedway.

Google Earth Satellite Photo
Although aerial photos show a almost totally - clear oval not far away, this is the site of the Brattleboro Speedway.
The track, seen in the middle, went around that pond. If you look hard, the northern end of that clearing has
a rounded edge to it. The home center seems to occupy the bleacher area.

Historic Aerials.Com
This is an early 1950's aerial view of the Brattleboro Speedway site. It might have been still in use.

USGS Terraserver Photo
This is a 1990's aerial view of an apparent horse track located very near the former speedwaay location.

Bob Grover Photo Headed into turn one at the site of the track.	Bob Grover Photo Turns one and two at the site of the track.	Bob Grover Photo Backstretch.	Bob Grover Photo In turn three.	Bob Grover Photo From turn three into four.
Bob Grover Photo Mid turns three and four.	Bob Grover Photo Frontstretch, from turn four.	Bob Grover Photo The grandstand area.	Bob Grover Photo The pond that is now in the infield.	Bob Grover Photo The infield pond was created after the track was closed.