THE OPENING PAGE FOR
AIRBORNE PARK SPEEDWAY, ADIRONDACK RACEWAY,
AND PLATTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Paving and Going NASCAR
Courtesy of Jackie Peterson
This is right about when AIrborne got the
sanction.
Maurice Broderick and his management team could see that the track was
progressing along well; but, there were two things that maybe weren't
settling well: the dust and subsequent problems associated with a dirt track,
and the realization that some of the most successful tracks were under NASCAR
sanction. He had seen the last remaining track in Colchester, VT - Colchester -
Bayview Speedway [the former Malletts Bay Raceway] sign on with NASCAR, and
Airborne had a loose partnership of sorts wit that track. So, within the period
of 1959 to 1960, he managed to both pave the track and sign up with the National
Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. This not only availed his track of many of
the biggest NASCAR sportsman stars of the era, but it also put it under
the autocratic thumb of Big Bill France.
Airborne would findi itself at the epicenter of some of NASCAR's greatest
national points races, after finally getting its headlining division upgraded
from the limited sportsman status. The zenith may have come in 1961, when not
only did Airborne have both national champions running there, but it had an
impressive number of those who finished in the opo twenty in points that year.
AIrborne Park Speedway remained an important track throughout this period that
encompassed most of the 1960's.
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Chief Pit Steward Archie Blackadar [rt] with Maurice Broderick. |
 Ed Flemke.com Chief Pit Steward Archie Blackadar [rt] with Maurice Broderick. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock 3 major players in the early to mid 1960's NASCAR sportsman scene: Charland, Gahan, and Bruno. VERY BLURRY. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Harry Provost in his yet unlettered 100 leads Dick Manning. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Harry and Frank Provost with thaqt same unlettered 3 window coupe. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Canadian runner Marcel Godard [left] leads out a sportsman heat. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock An early Charli8e Trombley 5 7/8 is seen behind the Vic Wolfe - built 50 of Bud Besor. The Ratigan - owned Studebaker 88 is also seen. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Chief Pit Steward Kay Hanson oversees a conversation at the sign - in shack, |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. A sportsman heat includes: Bob Bruno [66]; Ernie Reid [88]; Charlie Trombley [5 7/8]; Pete Corey [37]; Jackie Peterson [7VT];Dick Goodelle [80A]; and Ken Shoemaker [111] almost out of the picture. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. A sportsman heat lines up with the red and black car of Charlie Trombley next to future big - time car owner Cliff Barcomb. Bob Brunell is in #17. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Flagger Art Prairie is getting a kick out of an angry Bud Besor headed for a typical Airborne dustup. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Reining NASCAR National Sportsman Champion Bill Wimble at Airborne in 1961, the year he would tie Nephew for another title. |
 Nephew Family Photo via Gary Nephew This is the exact car Nephew used to compete with Wimble for the title. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Niantic, CT's Billy Harmon would race Airborne some, later in he decade. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Often running a less - powerfu limited sportsman, Bob Bruno could more than keep up with his quality Vic Wolfe cars. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock This Bruno car, around 1963ish, was said to be full power. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Similar to a shot below, this one includes Dick Goodelle in the 80A. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Another one for Bob Bruno. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock So good were the Vic Wolfe cars driven by Bruno that many were bought by competitors. Bud Besor's 50 ....... |
 Courtesy of Gerard Major ....Frank Hodge's Lucky 7 ......... |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Cavalcade of Auto Racing ...Ernie Reid's 66A ..... |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. ....and the Harold Healey 70 driven by Ernie Reid and Sapphire LeClaire - were all Wolfe cars. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Bob Bruno's Vic Wolfe sedan was a holy terror in 1965, even winning at Fonda. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Before hooking up with Wolfe, Bruno drove the Allie Swears 51 [out of Glens Falls] at Airborne and Fonda. |
 Paul Michaud Photo One of the last Wolfe coupes. 1968 - tuned headers and all. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Rob Trombley A Bob Trombley Sportsman. |
 Fromn Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's. Even Wily Will Cagle showed up at least once. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Charland leads Ernie Reid and someone driving Wes Moody's 66. |
Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock
Very early 1960's cars line up for the payoff
after the races. Johnny Perry's Red Knoblauch - owned
13A; Ken Shoemaker's Herny Caputo - owned 111, and
Sapphire LeClaire's Royce Tucker -
owned C37. {Only known shot of the C37. Made to look
just like Buck Holliday's C38, its
construction sorely irritated C38 owner Floyd Geary].
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Andre Manny leads developing superstar Don MacTavish, who would go on to a NASCAR National Sportsman title of his own around 1966. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Paul Mascitti Developing superstar Don MacTavish, in the pits. He thought of stuff like holes in the fenders for air flow that others never would have. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Paul Mascitti Don MacTavish poses for a shot. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Don's last ride at Airborne was this potent Cliff Wright/ Zautner Bros car. After DM's death at Daytona, a despondent Wright retired. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Flamboyant Shelburne, VT driver Black Jack Dubrul. Acutually, this is yet another former Vic Wolfe car. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Black Jack Dubrul [also one of the founders of Catamount]. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. A peek at the pre - Hemi Cuda car of Ed Cloce. The white car at left is that Vic Wolfe car before Dubrul had it. Nobody kept those GMC truck hoods very long. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Connecticut's Elton Hill made a few starts at Airborne. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock NH's Ernie Gahan made a number of stops at Airborne with this Koszella 15 CT or his own 50 NH. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Paul Mascitti Southern New Englander George Pendergast ran Airborne with this Roland Bellinger 302 ouit of Malta, NY. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Flashy Marcel Godard ran his #4 sportsman cars at Airborne and Catamount later. |
 Paul Michaud Photo Local driver Harold Ormsby. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Cavalcade of Auto Racing Harold Orsmby. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Cavalcade of Auto Racing The Orsmby kids were a hit at the track. They all raced later. |
 Bob Mackey Photo viia Jack Peterson Ernie Gahan in Victory Lane in the early '60's. |
 Bob Mackey Photo viia Jack Peterson Cabana stretches out the lead on Charland and Bruno. |
 Bob Mackey Photo viia Jack Peterson An UNK car flies by the flagger. |
 Bob Mackey Photo viia Jack Peterson Pretty hot company: Gahan, Cabana, Wimble, Charland, and Bruno. |
 Bob Mackey Photo viia Jack Peterson Apparently the start of that same race in the early '60's. |
 Bob Mackey Photo viia Phil Butler Joe Bruno, with his sportsman after moving up from the hobby class. |
 Paul Michaud Photo Canadian driver Kenny King. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Local driver Mack Miller. |
 Bob Mackey Photo viia Phil Butler A later Godard car. |
 Paul Michaud Photo Dick Nephew's 1968 car |
 Paul Michaud Photo Canadian star Paul Hamel also drove the Roland Bellinger 302 ouit of Malta, NY. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Paul Mascitti The iconic "35 The Canadian" car. Not sure who was driving it then...many have. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Dick Manning, Chateaugay, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike SWatts, Sr. South Burlington, VT's Royce Tucker was a very prolific car builder for about three years before suffering a heart attack. |
Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock
The tremendous importance of Airborne to the
1961 NASCAR National Sportsman Championship race is illustrated in this
photo. From left - Ernie Gahan, Jean - Paul Cabana,
Rene Charland, Bill Wimble, Bob Bruno, Ernie Reid, and Pete
Corey. Every one of these cars finished in the top
twenty in national points. Wimble tied for the title with Dick Nephew
[an Airborne regualr not shown]. Other top 20's
included Airborne regulars Dick Goodelle and Jean - Guy Chartrand.
 Ladabouche Photo Predeeded by the C37, the 99, and the 7VT - this beauty was the last Tucker car to race at Airborne, |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Charlie Trombley avoids trouble, |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Looks like a lineup on the way out, near the payoff booth. The 6-50 is that of future track promoter Gaston Desmarais. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Bernie Grifiith's 11 pitted next to Harold Ormsby. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. The only other photos of this Cabana car are from Canadian tracks. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Charlie Trombley's highly - skilled crew chief, Paul Conover, is at right. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Cho Lee Charlie Trombley's 1965 ride - at Thunder Road. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Charlie, with his 1965 car. Notice that he no longer has Ross McNaughton's Rosebud Creamery on the side. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Frank Provost. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Looks like the 1965 car of Marcel Godard. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Ernie Reid, Massena, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via MIke Watts Sr. Dick Nephew's 1967 car, with the familiar City Taxi sponsorship. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Cho Lee Nephew's 1965 car - same sponsor. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Gary Nephew Nephew's long-time car sponsor, Shadow Broderick owner of City Taxi. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Nephew wins another. |
 Bob Mackey Photo Via G. Nephew This great old shot shows Dick, maybe Gaylord Rowe, Sr., and Ross Reil. |
 Nephew Family Photo Nephew's 1961 championship campaign car . |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Jim "Sapphire" LeClaire, in Harold Healey's 70. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Ardyce Bloehm Former driver and now official Rod Ritchie. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Cabana's backup car, for Paul Hamel. Ace mechanic Claude Faniau is in the checkered shirt. |
 HAMB Chat Site Charland's car of choice for Airborne, apparently. |
Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock
Bill Wimble flashes under the checkered flag of Art
Prairie.
Courtesy of Gary Nephew
In 1965, the Airborne hobby class was clsoely tied in
with Catamount and Thunder Road's Flying Tiger class.
Jim LaFountaine was the class of all three tracks. A few drivers also ran
Saranac Lake Speedway.
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock JIm LaFountaine, Peru, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Roland Brown, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Bob Brunell, Peru, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Norm Burl, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Joe Bruno, Schuyler Falls, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Joe Thomas, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Eugene Trim, Morrisonville, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Cavalcade of Auto Racing Sonny Soussis, Cohoes, NY |
 Bob Doyle Photo via Cho Lee Harmon "Beaver" Dragon, Milton, VT |
 Norm McIver Photo via Cho Lee Rex Shattuck, Burlington, VT |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Al Patterson, Lake Placid, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Bill Branham, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Bob McClatchie, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Fred Trim, Morrisonville, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Cavalcade of Auto Racing. Bruce Harrell |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Joe Bruno [33] lines up with the hobby class. |
 Courtesy of Pascal Cote A hobby field moves out in 1967. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Archie Blackadar looks on as a hobby field lines up. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Hobbies in the infield. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Somebody's hauler knocked down the sign -in booth. |
 Courtesy of Mike Perrotte Somebody's hobby car, at home. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Hobby car 8 1/2. |
 Courtesy of Phil Butler Unidentified Studebaker hobby class car, at home. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock UNK Studebaker at speed. Could be a Burl. |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Wild Bill Branham, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Charlie and Bill Branham, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Bob McClatchie, Plattsburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. Airborne hobbies line up. |
Bob Mackey Photo via Phil Butler
Danny Bridges, son of early driver
George Bridges, became a symbol of the local driver making a lot from a
shoestring budget.
 Courtesy of Bucko Branham Bill Branham, with Gene Fountain and Don Burl. |
|
 Branham Family Collection Wild Bill Branham, Plattsburgh, NY  Mike Watts Photo |
 Bob Mackey Photo, via John Rock Danny Bridges, S. Plattsburgh, NY Early Hobby Car |
 Bob Mackey Photo, via John Rock Unknown Early Hobby Car |
 Bob Mackey Photo, via John Rock Ronnie Miller, Ellenburgh, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Bucky Bousquet Plattsburgh, NY |
 Courtesy Brian Branham Judge Feiberg, Plattsburgh, NY A politico tries his luck at driving |
 Photo from Brian Branham Joe Goddeau and Junior Vorce Mid to late 1960's |
 Photos from Brian Branham Roger Guynup |
 Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Danny Bridges, So. Plattsburgh, NY |
Mackey Photo via John Rock Gerry LaCroix wreck. |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts Norm Burl |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts Don Burl  |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts Lee Carter, Ellenburgh Ctr, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts Don Sousis, Cohoes, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts Joe Buck [Joe Goddeau] |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts Mack Miller, Ellenburg Depot, NY With Roland Trombley |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts Roger Benjamin, Alburgh, VT |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Phil Butler Charlie McCormick, Cadyville, NY |
 Bob Mackey Photo, Courtesy of Mike Watts A rare Jim LaFountaine Chevy entry. |
THE FAMED 1961 NASCAR NATIONAL SPORTSMAN CHAMPIONSHIP
CHASE SEEMED CENTERED AROUND AIRBORNE
Former Airborne regular Bill Wimble, from Lisbon, had already won the NASCAR National Sportsman Championship in 1960, beating out fellow Airborne regular Dick Nephew in the process. When Wimble started out the year deciding not to go for another national title, Nephew persevered and was racking up oints at Airbone, through parts of Quebec, Saranac Lake, Fonda, and anywhere else he could. Both men had run Speedweeks in Daytona and accrued many points there, as well. Wimble decided finally to run again and the chase ended up in controversial tie - with each man claiming NASCAR fudged things for the other. Ironically, they were even given each other's trophy at first, and didn't seem to notice. Ten Airborne regulars were occupied in the points race, and all finished in the top twenty in points. No other track [even the mighty Fonda] could claim that.
Courtesy of Gary Nephew
Nephew, Wimble, Charland, Gahan, Cabana,
Reid, Chartrand, Corey Bruno,
and Goodelle all race more or less regularly at Airborne in 1961.
Courtesy of Gary Nephew
If
you could read the trophies, you can see that Dick is too busy reading to notice
he has Bill's trophy.
Courtesy of Gary Nephew
Dick's actual trophy, on display at
Airborne.
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