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Bob Mackey Photo - Courtesy of Bobby Castine, via John Rock
Dick Goodell, of Mooers Forks, NY poses with the Gaylord Rowe T-800. This was a later version that has window posts and more metal
in the body. Probably NASCAR got after Rowe about the open sides on the previous body driven by Bill Wimble.

One of the important figures around racing in the North Country of New York was Ellenburg Depot Ford dealer Gaylord Rowe, who fielded some potent cars with good drivers at tracks like Plattsburgh's Airborne Park. The two cars with which I am the most familiar are the T-800 [whose remains have survived to today] and the #26. On his way to the NASCAR National Sportsman Co -Championship in 1961, Lisbon's Bill Wimble drove both cars. Eventually, Wimble seemed to settle into the #26, which Dick Goodelle took over in the T-800 and drove around New York, Canada, and probably Vermont.

Bob Mackey Photo - Courtesy of Chris Companion
Wimble became more associated with the Gaylord Rowe 26. He never liked it, however.

Wimble would win a track championship at Airborne in Rowe cars, but his national title would come after the had moved on to the S-33 team of Sherburne's Dave McCredy. The Rowe cars ran a while longer before the 26 disappeared and the T-800 was left in a little junkyard outside of Ellenburg Depot, on Route 11. Gaylord Rowe, Sr. would make the car a gift to Eugene Bushey, and the car would disappear behind the fences at Bushey's garage, where it remains today.

Bob Mackey Photo - Courtesy of Bobby Castine, via John Rock
Dick Goodell in action with the Gaylord Rowe T-800 @ Airborne

Around 1985, when I was working at Airborne, I had the occasion to go into the region to interview Wimble's co _champion, Dick Nephew - in Cannon's Corners. My son and I passed by the carcass of the T-800, duly noted it, and moved on to Dick's house. Twenty years later, I returned to where I thought was the exact spot, and the whole junkyard was gone. After two frustrating years of searching and asking, Nephew's son, Gary, put my onto to where the car had gone. I went to Bushey's and took these few photos on the page. I'm glad I did, although I never - to my knowledge - saw the car race.

Courtesy of Rob Trombley
The T-800 serves as backdrop for this dangerous gang hanging around Airborne: Jackie Peterson, Harold Ormsby,
Bill Wimble, Ernie Reid, Bob Bushey, and Gaylord Rowe, Sr. [owner of the T-800]. This is likely 1955.

Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock
Bill Wimble, with the 26, and Goodelle in the T-800 in a arce in 1957 at Airborne. Howard Rock leads. WallyRussell is ahead of
Wimble, and Charlie Trombley or Ernie Reid is in the 99NY. Don't know the unlettered car, but it is cool.

Ladabouche Photo The T-800 today, as it sits at Bushey's. They had, at some point, replaced some body panels - before the Goodelle era.	Ladabouche Photo More T-800 remains Ladabouche Photo More T-800 remains, other side.	Ladabouche Photo More T-800 remains	Ladabouche Photo More T-800 remains, rear view	Ladabouche Photo More T-800 remains closer up.
Bob Mackey Photo - Courtesy of CJ Richards Dick Goodell in T-800 and Bill Wimble in the 26 start an Airborne heat.	Courtesy of Scott Richner A shot from an old 35 mm film of the track.	Courtesy of Richard Chartrand via Cam Gray Dick Goodell's T-800 and Wimble's 26 in a 1958 Bouvrette Speedway wreck.	Bob Mackey Photo - via John Rock Dick Goodell's version, leads the field in 1955.	Courtesy of Gaylord Rowe via Gary Nephew Wimble in the T-800. Note how the doors have no posts or small side windows

Bob Mackey Photo - via John Rock Dick Goodelle's version, behind Mack Miller.	Courtesy of Gary Nephew Dick Goodelle's T-800 with the Bouvrette Speedway flag man.	Courtesy of Gaylord Rowe Jr. A very rare shot of Dick Goodelle with the Wimble version of the T-800.	Bob Mackey Photo - via John Rock An un known version of the car leads the field at Airborne. Check out the demo cars in the infield.	Bob Mackey Photo - via John Rock This photo of an early Mackie Miller car shows a strong Rowe influence on his body style. The T880 and Jackie Peterson's V1 are in the background.
Courtesy of Mike Watts A lineup shot of early cars at Airborne, Wimble sits on the 26 with probably one of the Nephews.	Courtesy of Gaylord Rowe Jr. A shot of Wimble at Bouvrette with the 26. Bob Trombley would wreck it there.	Courtesy of Mike Watts A lineup shot of early cars at Airborne. Wimble's Rowe 26 is visible. Bill is standing on the front of Wally Russell's 13, with hand behind back. The T800 is visible at left.	Courtesy of Gaylord Rowe Jr. A shot of Wimble at Airborne, leading the all - time feature wins record holder, Bob Bushey.	Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock An unusual shot of Bob Trombley, at speed in the 26 before they made body modifications to look more like the T800.
Courtesy of Gerard Major via Roger LaBreche, Jr. A fuzzy 8MM shot of one of the Rowe cars on the inside lane at Bouvrette.	Courtesy of Gerard Major via Roger LaBreche, Jr. A fuzzy 8MM shot of Guy Chartrand the pits at Bouvrette. One of the Rowe cars [26] in the background is wrecked.	Courtesy of Gerard Major via Roger LaBreche, Jr. The next three 8MM shots show the damaged Rowe 26 at Bouvrette. I think Bob Trombley may have been driving.	Courtesy of Gerard Major via Roger LaBreche, Jr.	Courtesy of Gerard Major via Roger LaBreche, Jr.
Courtesy of HAMB Site When Wimble was driving thi, he truly was the "Dairy Farmer ro Lisbon".	Courtesy of Rob Trombley Bob Trombley's 26, after being rear-ended at Bouvrette.	Courtesy of Rob Trombley Bob Trombley with the 26, as Bouvrette champion.	Courtesy of Rob Trombley Bob Trombley with the 26, at Airborne.	Courtesy of Rob Trombley The actual accident at Bouvrette with Bob Trombley.

Photo from Pascal "Magnum" Website
Goodelle and the T-800 at a Canadian track around 1960.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts
The T-800 and the sister car 26, in a 1955 Airborne lineup that included V1, Jackie Peterson
and the George Palmetier 6 7/8 of Dick Nephew. Starter is likely Chet Hames.

Courtesy of Gaylord Rowe via Gary Nephew
Wimble with the evil - handling Rowe 26. Neither he nor Bob Trombley could
get it to behave. [below] Wimble poses with his preferred car. This must have been
the inaugural year for his trademark Hawaiian shirts.