Malletts Bay Speedway The Barcomb Track Near the Drive

Malletts Bay Raceway or
Colchester - Bayview Speedway
The Walter Barcomb Track Near the Drive-In

The main track in Colchester was always the Malletts Bay Raceway, on the road down to the lake past Malletts Bay Salvage and the famous drive - in theater. Supposedly, the Barcomb family, which operated the salvage yard, owned the track. The track started out in the 1950's with some of the most bizarre - looking machinery you'd ever want to see. Sanctioned by NASCAR near the end of the '50's, the cars were getting pretty good by the end of the track's life.

Courtesy of Don Richards
A great framed poster which verifies that the Barcomb track was called "raceway". Don ended up as the owner
of the Malletts Bay salvage yard that was almost next door to the race track.

Cars from Malletts Bay ran there, at Thunder Road, at Airborne Speedway, at Otter Creek Speedway, and even reached out the Northeastern and Fairmont Speedways. According to one popular legend, the owners of the drive - in, incensed by incursions into their shows by various "things" from the race track, managed to buy the track under some sort of disguise and summarily bulldozed it.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of C.J. Richards
A field races down the front stretch at Malletts Bay. Note the drive - in theater in the background.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Bobby Castine and John Rock
Mixup at Malletts Bay. The # 128 and three I can't make out.

Pay records from the track - notice yet another name for the place.
[So, that includes Malletts Bay Raceway, Bayside Raceway, and finally Colchester - Bayview Speedway]
Bayside Raceway
July 6, 1958

Pos     #                      Driver                         Laps
1.         358                 Bob Bushey               20
2.         X                     Bill McDonald           20
3.         888                 Allan Maskell            20
4.         7-11                Ron Weston               20
5.         16                    Tommy Cross            20
6.         385                 Clarence Rock           20
7.         3                      Wayne Chandler       11
8.         97                    Gordie Owen             10
9.         2                      Bob Santimore            8
10.       56                    Junior Graves             5
11.       19                    Rex Shattuck              2
12.       71                    Ernie Barcomb            2
13.       12                    Oliver Wescott            2
14.       78                    Sonny Godin               1
15.       1                      Herb Trayah               1

Car#   Driver                                                             Total
358     Bob Bushey                           45        15        60
X         Bill McDonald                      30          5        35
888     Allan Maskell                       20        10        30
7-11    Ron Weston                          15          5        20
16        Tommy Cross                       10          5        15
385     Clarence Rock                        5         10       15
19        Rex Shattuck                                               15
1          Herb Trayah                                                 15
3          Wayne Chandler                                          15
71        Ernie Barcomb                                             10
2          Bob Santimore                                             10
78        Sonny Godin                                                  5
27        Foster Guyette                                               5
12        Oliver Wescott                                               5
113     (?)                                                                    5
21        Pat McGrath                                                  5
56        Junior Graves                                                5
7          Buddy Barnes                                                5
97        Gordie Owen                                                  5
(?)       Pat Robare                                                     5

Anderson Collection Photo Jack Anderson, Burlington, VT	Courtesy of Cho Lee Keith Ballard, Hinesburg, VT	Catamount History Book Photo Ernie Barcomb, Winooski, VT	Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Leonard Barcomb, Winooski, VT
Catamount History Book Photo George Bridges, S. Plattsburgh, NY	Catamount History Book Photo Shorty Carmichael, Plattsburgh, NY	Catamount History Book Photo Wayne Chandler, Colchester, VT	Bob Frazier Photo Art Cody, Keene, NH Infrequent guest star from Claremont and Cheshire
Catamount History Book Photo Mickey Cross, Winooski, VT	Courtesy of Dooley & Blow Families Red Dooley, Burlington, VT	Courtesy of Bourgeois Family Beaver Dragon, Milton, VT	Courtesy of Cho Lee Jack DuBrul, Shelburne, VT
Courtesy of Cho Lee Johnny Gammell, St. Johnsbury Ctr., VT	Courtesy of Lloyd & Gregg Gilbert Lloyd Gilbert, Burlington, VT	Catamount History Book Photo Junior Graves, Burlington, VT	Courtesy of Cho Lee Jim Hampton, Vergennes, VT
Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Buck Holliday, Wadington, NY	Catamount History Book Photo Ben Keys, Plattsburgh, NY	Catamount History Book Photo Pat McGraff, Burlington, VT	Miller FamilyPhoto Howie Miller, Vergennes VT
Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Dick Nephew, Mooers Forks, NY	Lew Boyd Photo Sonny Rabideau, Brattleboro VT	Catamount History Book Photo Ernie Reid, Massena, NY	Courtesy of C.J. Richards Rex Shattuck, Winooski, VT
Photo Courtesy of Dooley & Blow Families Don Smith, Winooski, VT	Courtesy of Cho Lee Chet Streeter, Burlington, VT	Catamount History Book Photo Trombley Brothers, Mooers Forks, NY	Tucker FamilyPhoto Lee Tucker, Burlington, VT With grandson, at Bear Ridge
Courtesy of Cho Lee Ollie Wescott, Burlington, VT	Courtesy of Chris Companion Bill Wimble, Lisbon, NY	Courtesy of Cho Lee Jimmy Saltus, Colchester, VT	Bushey Family Photo Thanks to Jack Anderson Norm "The Flying Frenchman"Chaloux, Barre, VT Recovering from broken shoulder and walking with former car owner Ralph Bushey
Bushey Family Photo Thanks to Jack Anderson Bob Bushey, Burlington, VT	Courtesy of Chris Companion Aimer "Sonny" Gover, Hartford, CT	Owen Family Photo Thanks to Cliff Owen Gordy Owen, Williston, VT	*The Fightin" Trayah Brothers* Bushey Family Photo Thanks to Jack Anderson Herb, #100 Bushey Family Photo Thanks to Jack Anderson Carl, #111 No idea who the guy in the foreground is.
Courtesy of C.J. Richards Jackie Peterson, So. Burlington, VT	Courtesy of Linda Hedelund Ronnie and Ira Farnsworth Burlington, VT	Photos Courtesy of Bob Maynard George Maynard, Burlington, VT Wrenched by Joe Maynard	Courtesy of Maskell Family via Cho Lee Allen Maskell, Wolcott, VT Car built by Erwin Bettis
Courtesy of FE Hart Family via Arnie Hill Frank Hart [left]	Courtesy of Gary Poirier Bud Poirier, Burlington, VT *The "Little One" 5*	Courtesy of the Owens Family Buddy Barnes, at Colchester Raceway

Courtesy of Don Richards
Sorry it's blurry. It is behind glass, goofing up my camera's focusing apparatus.

Terraserver Satellite Photo The old track is discernable on the left, with the drive-in in the center and the Malletts Bay Salvage yards to the right. Even though it did not exist when the track ran, Interstate 89 is seen at far left.	Terraserver Map The Terraserver map of the same location.	Cris DaBicaPhoto This street is in the housing development that has wiped out all traces of the layout.	Dooley Photo A field going into Turn 1. Below is approximately the same place today. Cris DaBica Photo	Ladabouche Photo These railroad ties supported the frontstretch fence.	Ladabouche Photo These railroad ties formed the support for the frontstretch retaining fence. Note the cinder base for the old track.
Photo Courtesy of Blow and Dooley Families Red Dooley tinkers with the coupe while an unidentified woman poses for the camera.		Photo Courtesy of Blow & Dooley Families Red looks on as a crewman makes an adjustment before leaving the track.

Competitor List	Satellite Photo & Vestiges	More Red Dooley Photos
A 1958 Payoff List

Red Dooley Photo A race lineup sits on the front stretch at Malletts Bay. Note my photo from 20+ years later, showing those railroad ties. Ladabouche Photo Those railroad ties.	Red Dooley Photos Red Dooley's wrecked coupe sits in the infield. Notice the hated drive-in in the background. Red Dooley	Red Dooley Photos A field of cars thunders into Turn One. Red Dooley Photo Red Dooley's original car leads Don Smith's F80 at Malletts Bay.	Bob Bushey Fmily Photo Curious pit onlookers give Bob Bushey's super hot Spud 19 car the once over. Bob Bushey Family Photo Bob Bushey comes down the tower steps after talking to track owner Walter Barcomb [hat on].	Bob Bushey Family Photos Although it is not 100% certain, I'd say this is turn 4 action from Malletts Bay Raceway. Bob Bushey Family Photos More turn 4 action from Malletts Bay Raceway.
Red Dooley Photo Big wreck on the backstretch halts a race early in the track's history.	Red Dooley Photo Dooley's hand writing id's #31 as Ernie Barcomb. I always thought Ernie used #71. It ought to be Gordy Owen.	Red Dooley Photo Red poons a wierd- looking car near Turn Four.	Bob Bushey Family Photos Even more turn 4 action from Malletts Bay Raceway.	Bob Bushey Family Photos Red Dooley having clear difficulties with the track.
Red Dooley Photo A field lines up on the front stretch, right in front of the stands.	Bushey Family Photos Thanks to Jack Anderson The crowd in the stands at Malletts Bay	Courtesy of Mark LeFrancois The Ivanhoe Smith car, a Colchester area regular. Smith also owned Colchester Raceway: Clarence Rock, driver Willard Rock, co-owner CLICK HERE for info	Courtesy of Mary Lou Richards The final season - NASCAR limited sportsman coupes line up: C37 Jim "Sapphire" Leclaire, 50 Bud Besor, and others.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Ardyce Blohm Another M Bay wreck. Bob Mackey Photo M Bay drivers Wayne Chandler [left] and Red Dooley. The photo is tiny - it isn't a thumbnail.

This appears to be the Charlie Ely 88, with Johnny Gammell aboard. Starter might be Bucky Barlow.	Action on the backstretch. Let me know if you recognize anybody.	Bob Bushey with the Sullivan 586, which he also drove in New York State.	Action in the pits.
Car 8 [maybe Frank Hart] finishes and takes the flag from Archie Blackadar.	A lineup that includes 3Jr, Wayne Chandler, and 37, Mickey Cross.	The drive-in is seen clearly in the background as a field of Cars takes the green.	The starter jumps as a feature starts on the pavement. That same #128 Hudson that is seen above, as well as the 88 of Johnny Gammell.
Vermont State troopers talk with a man in front of the Malletts Bay F.D. ambulance.