ISSUE 2NY

Plattsburgh Press Republican
The opening program for Plattsburgh's Airborne Park Speedway. July 6, 1954.

      This article covers the long - anticipated opening of Airborne Park Speedway. Named after the Strategic Air Command base that was still under construction in the nearby city of Plattsburgh, the track established by Maurice Broderick, Bert Blake, and Lyman Burnell would last, aalmost without interruptin - to the present day. It began as dirt, and within a few seasons had not only paved but had joined NASCAR. SInce then, it has had two more dirt periods and one more paved period.

Plattsburgh Press Republican
Almost every early ad was much like this and always listed the track owners.

      When Airborne opened in July of 1954, it was ironic that smaller and more rural Vermont - across Lake Champlain had more competitors and they had developed their skills and technology more than the locals at Airborne. For this reason, Burlington, VT's Bob Bushey [described by Bill Wimble in his book as "the alpha male" and "a real woodchuck"] established a record for feature wins that has yet to be broken according to local lore. This gets a little confusing seeing as articles in 1957 have Buck Holliday winnning at least 11 - and I am not sure Airborne ran much more than 11 programs that first year.

Bushey Family Collection via Jack Anderson
Bob Bushey strikes a very unimposing posture for photgrapher Bob Mackey at Airborne.
The SPUD 19 refers to the fact car owner Ralph Bushey [no relation] dealt in wholesale potatoes.

     Soon after that opening season, Airborne developed a core of effective drivers such as two future NASCAR national champions in Wimble and Dick Nephew. Also, in 1955, the track hosted a Grand National race won by Lee Petty. The names of prominent drivers to either start at Airborne and make it a part of their earliest races includes Mike Perrotte, Charlie Trombley, and Wes Moody, among others. Others like Buck Holliday and Canadian greats like Jean - Paul Cabana and Andre Manny were part of earlier shows. The Vermont domination wore off, but the Green Mountain Staters remained [and still do] an integral part of the track.

Bob Mackey Photo via Chris Companion Jackie Peterson, here with the potent George Palmetier 6 7/8.

Owens Family Collection via Cliff Owens Gordy Owens.

Bob Mackey Photo via Ardyce Blohm Rusty Reed.

    In the earlier years, one of Airborne's proudest moments came when tow of its early regulars, WImble and Newphew [both northern New Yorkers] tied for the 1961 NASCAR National Sportsman Championship.

Courtesy of Gary Nephew
1962 in Daytona. Nephew [left] and Wimble are accidentally holding each other's trophy.

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