BEAR RIDGE SPEEDWAY

According to area racing historian Cho Lee, Northeast Speedway, in Lower Waterford was one of the last bastions of the flathead coupes. But, by 1966, the track was not running the coupes any longer. What's more, Thunder Road - the other last bastion - had gone NASCAR and had also eliminated the flatheads. This made for a hiatus of almost three years, in which those who had the coupes were forced to mothball them and hope for another day.
That other day came when legendary car owner George Barber, of Bradford, Vermont, bought some remote land in his community and planned to build a temporary race track so coupes could still have somewhere to race. According to legend, when Barber and others were first on the land, trying to determine how they would lay out the facility, a bear was seen slipping away from its nearby hiding place and away from the men. Hence, the name Bear Ridge Speedway.

Courtesy of Cho Lee

C.V. Elms, Sr, or Chuck [center], poses with Devils Bowl promoter C.J. Richards
[left] and Bob Doyle

Barber recently told Lee he had only envisioned a lifespan of two or three years for the little dirt fifth mile oval, but it took on a life of its own and even rated an article in STOCK CAR RACING magazine. As we all know, the track is still there today, having been enlarged and improved gradually. Barber soon sold out to a group including C.V. Elms, Sr., and the Elm family still runs it today. This set of photos is from the late 1970's and early 1980's. I have recently learned that the first announcer at the track was Sam Hayward, whose family ran a local trucking firm called Hayward Transportation.

Bill Ladabouche Photo
With apologies to Cho Lee, this poor photo shows a poster from the first show at Bear Ridge.
It was dated and collected by George Barber, given to Cho Lee, and finally donated to
Butch Elms on the 40th anniversary of the track in July of 2007.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
First Bear Ridge starter Ted Wynot and other Bear Ridge Officials.

Courtesy Cho Lee Skip Elliott	Courtesy Cho Lee "Happy" Harold Derosia with Emilio Girelli	Courtesy Cho Lee Fred Kidder ex-Bud Messier 50	Courtesy Cho Lee Rabbit Chaffee	Courtesy Cho Lee Unknown heat winner.
Courtesy Cho Lee Kenny St. John	Courtesy Cho Lee Roger Rouleau	Courtesy Cho Lee Allen Whipple Claremont, NH Courtesy Neal Davis	Courtesy P Zampieri More Whipple	Courtesy Cho Lee The Sonny Moses Team Tunbridge, VT
Courtesy Cho Lee Cecil Bosworth, Athol, MA The Geo. Ingalls 888 He had raced since 1949 at this time.	Courtesy Neal Davis More Bosworth	Courtesy Cho Lee Bob Rushford, Bradford, VT with Bob Doyle	Courtesy Cho Lee Ed Jennings, with Merlin Bean	Courtesy Cho Lee Herb Gray, Thetford, VT
Courtesy of Cho Lee Jim Currier	Courtesy of Cho Lee Dale "Tubby" Hatch, Groton, VT	Courtesy of George Hill A very blurry action shot.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Ronnie St. John	Courtesy of Phil Whipple Via Cho Lee Ralph Stygles is congratulated by starter Ted Wynot.
Courtesy of Davis Family Another Bosworth shot.	Courtesy of Davis Family Another Ralphie S. shot.	Courtesy of Davis Family Another Ralph shot.	Courtesy of Davis Family One more time.	Courtesy of Alexander Family Steve Ladd's Hudson.
Elms Family Photo Ted Wynot hustles during a re - start lineup.	Elms Family Photo Bob Rushlow gets a win.	Pete Fournier Photo The Bob Moore frantically works on a broken rear end.	Fred Carpenter Photo The pits are full of coupes.	Photo Courtesy of Buzz Fisher A later George Barber coupe for Bear Ridge.
Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Unknown car 413.	Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Unknown car 219.	Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Unknown car II.	Benjamin Family Photo Early Ridge official's jacket.	Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Another Bob Moore win.
	Courtesy of Andy Boright Robbie Benajamin victory.	Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Brother Eastman.	Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Brother Eastman and Gene Pierson, Jr..

Courtesy of Butch Elms
An aerial shot of the track - likely early into the quarter mile era.

Evelyn Elms Photo Two unidentified Coupe Division cars at speed. The second is #96, Robert "Rabbit" Chaffee.	Evelyn Elms Photo Chuck Beede [orange shirt] looks on as Frank Keene receives his trophy.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Gassing up the Chuck Beede coupe in the pits at Bear Ridge	Courtesy of George Hill A Bunch of trophy kids - I don't get the occasion.	Bill Ladabouche Photo Bradford Bob Rushford, the spirit and soul of Bear Ridge, straps in
Courtesy of Cho Lee Allen Whipple, Claremont, NH The Former George Barber #47 coupe.	Evelyn Elms Photo Butch Burbank leads Ervine "Brother" Eastman	Evelyn Elms Photo Butch Burbank leads eventual winner Bob Shepard	Courtesy of Scott Haskell The original 3J of Jim Martell. It's been restored since.	Courtesy of Scott Haskell The original 3J of Jim Martell at O'Connell's Texaco.
Evelyn Elms Photo Late model driver David Gomo [now running Lebanon Valley] leads a coupe.	Evelyn Elms Photo The late Duncan McKay gets a victory.	Neal Davis Photo More Duncan	Bill Ladabouche Photo Some last-minute work in the Brother Eastman pits.	Courtesy of Andy Boright Dave Simpson, Graniteville, VT


Bill Ladabouche Photo Preparations in the C.V. Elms pit area.	Evelyn Elms Photo The C.V. Elms Gremlin at speed around 1982ish	Evelyn Elms Photo Frank Keene's Gremlin pressures the Gremlin of Butch Elms	Neal Davis Photo Ralphie Stygles	Ladabouche Photo Special Bardahl jacket for Bear Ridge. The track was something special to Bob Doyle.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Bunky Adams Courtesy of Alex Alexander	Courtesy of Cho Lee More Hana	Courtesy of George Hill Bob Shepard, Graniteville, VT	Courtesy of George Hill Ervine "Brother" Eastman, East Thetford, VT	Courtesy of Andy Boright Tom "TR" Waters, Washington, VT Former Catamount Grand American standout.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Pete Dunn	Racers' Bored Sitee Paul Parker, New London, NH	Racers' Bored Site More Parker	Courtesy of Andy Boright More, newer Parker	Courtesy of Cho Lee Paul Eastman
Courtesy of Davis Family Bob Moore	Courtesy of Davis Family Clayton Hatch	Photo Courtesy of Buzz Fisher A scary - looking 1970's entry.	Photo by Fred Carpenter Bill Phelps	Photo Courtesy of Andy Boright UNK coupe.
Photo Courtesy of Andy Boright Coupes out of turn 4.	Courtesy of Ray Heath, Jr. Later Clayton Hatch car.	Photo Courtesy of Andy Boright Frank Keene win one with the former Bob Moore sedan.	Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Jim Currier.	Photo Courtesy of Andy Boright UNK coupe.
	Davis Family Photo via Rob Davis Paul Parker.	Photo Courtesy of Andy Boright Cecil Bosworth, in the George Ingalls 888, chases Ralphie Stygles.	Photo Courtesy of Alex Alexander Ricky Roberts works on a sedan apparently at Alexanders'.	Photo Courtesy of Rob Davis Robie, with the sedan.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
The last George Barber car and the final flathead - powered car to win at Bear Ridge. Some different from his first car,
[below] which came and went long before Bear Ridge was created. George [far right in top photo] looked a
little different as well.

Denzil Rice got this shot of Bob Moore, deep in thought, preparing to go out onto the Bear Ridge track.

Al Ward Photo
Bear Ridge lineup in the 1980's. For some reason, both divisions are in one race. Might
be kiddie rides. Below - Lining them up in the pits.

Source Unknown - Maybe Al Ward
Vermont legend Beaver Dragon trying out one of Butch Elms' sportsman mods at the Ridge. Below - Brother Bob doing the same thing/

All Photos Courtesy of Denzil Rice Ken St. John 09, with Danny Beam 24, and Bob Moore's silver 98.	An unidentified flat head coupe arrives in 1968.	Denzil id's this as 88, Jim Durkee; 74, Burton Covey; 24, Danny Beams; 29, Junior Coffin; and 6 CV Elms III. Didn't know 43 I guess.	98, Bob Moore ahead of Dave Boyce. That same Boyce family was in on the track in Wells River, VT in 1951.	Bob Moore winning one ahead of Art Pettingall in a former George Barber 46.	Danny Beams - 24, with Ervine "Brother" Eastman to the outside.
Ervine "Brother" Eastman, after opening practice day late 60's or early 70's.	Butch Bixby leaving practice day with the Bob Benjamin car in background.	Former Claremont star Walt Brown, Jr appears to be giving Brother Eastman a push.	A Bear Ridge mixup with Danny Beams, Gene Pierson's P2, and Butch.	Beams got away but, Gene Pierson's P2, and Butch Elms are still hitched.	Ralphie Stygles in front of Moore and Eastman.
CV Elms II in a dustup with the backstretch berm.	The SIlver sedan of Bob Moore after opening practice day.	Art Pettingall in one of the former cars of Bear Ridge founder George Barber.	Track star Bob Moore, looking up at the starter. Apparently fire suits were not yet mandatory.	Brother Eastman in a difference of opinion withj Turn Four.	Danny Beams
Rabbit Chaffee's car, along with a sideways Art Pettingall.	A different Ralph Stygles car, getting an adjustment in front of the crowd.	Ernie Covey, 9.	One of Ralph Stygles' cars has come to no good.	The same Ralph Stygles car as seen at far left.	Skip Scattinos car,
Don Emerson in the infield at Thunder Road. Scott Haskell has restored this car.	Butch Bixby leads Bob Moore onto the front stretch.	The SIlver sedan of Bob Moore after opening practice day. The car's future owner and driver, Frank Keene, has an ad on the rear.	Ervine "Brother" Eastman, after opening practice day late 60's or early 70's.	CV Elms III in an early Victory Lane.

George Hill Photo Brother, with his trophy collection for one period of time.	George Hill Photo Brother, with his most famous coupe at speed	George Hill Photo Brother, with his most famous coupe and lots of trophies.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Brother Eastman	George Hill Photo Brother, with a newer modified.	George Hill Photo Brother's familiar 3 window.

George Hill Photo Fans admire his latest modified, around mid '80's	George Hill Photo A later coupe with a victory.	George Hill Photo A modified, in the Gremlin body era.
Ladabouche Photo Butch Elms talking to Mike Richards at Devil's Bowl.. The topic was cattle, not racing.	Ladabouche Photo Butch Elms' Coupe pitting at mid - feature. I bet they held the field.	Ladabouche Photo Butch Elms' Coupe pitting at mid - feature. I bet they held the field.

Courtesy of Rob Davis 1980's Bear Ridge Program Cover.	Courtesy of Rob Davis 1980's Bear Ridge Program Page 2.	Courtesy of Rob Davis 1980's Bear Ridge Program Page 3.	Courtesy of Rob Davis 1980's Bear Ridge Program Page 4.	1984 Bear Ridge Program Cover.
Courtesy of Rob Davis 1984 Bear Ridge Program Page 2.	Courtesy of Rob Davis 1984 Bear Ridge Program Page 3.	Courtesy of Rob Davis 1984 Bear Ridge Program Page 4.	Courtesy of Rob Davis 1984 Bear Ridge Program Page 5 - standings.	Courtesy of Rob Davis 1984 Bear Ridge Program Page 6.
Courtesy of Rob Davis 1984 Bear Ridge Program Page 7.