The Earliest Car Was a 1

Shelburne, Vermont's Jack "Blackjack" Dubrul is a unique character - not just in the world of motor sports, but in life, in general. Not only a motoring enthusiast, but also an entrpeneur, the tall, suave Dubrul not only ran his speed shop [Speed and Race Engineering] but he also could boast of owning a nightclub called The Cave. Dubrul would also go on to form what is now one of the Greater Burlington, Vermont's most formidable car dealerships - Automaster Motors.

Jack Dubrul was a figure at Milton's dragstrip, Milton Speedway, well before he was a co - founder of the town's famous Catamount Stadium stock car oval. He may have displayed some interest in those dragging his beloved car brand - AMC; but he is best known for coming out with a small, front - engine rail job around 1960. Soon, he would become interested enough in stock car racing to get his own car.

Jack's first stock car appears to have been a 1934 Ford coupe built and successfully run by Burlington's Rex Shattuck, a crafty veteran of racing since the early 1950's. All of Jack's motor sports pursuits were dealt with at his speed shop on Lower Church Street in Burlington, in a two bay garage located under what would become his brother's upstairs night club, The Red Dog. The familiar Shattuck number 19 would be trimmed off to a #1 [also a numeral Dubrul would use in future cars].

Jack was apparently well suited to driving the coupe, as one set of photographs from the old Otter Creek Speedway attests. The Dubrul black coupe is far enough back in a heat photo not to be readily visible; but, by the backstretch, it is seen flying up through the field that also included future hall of famer Beaver Dragon. It probably didn't hurt that his motor was likely the best money could buy at the time. Jack Dubrul would then launch off on at least a decade of fairly frequent and ambitious stock car campaigning.

The '34 flathead coupe soon gave way to an overhead V-8, NASCAR - style '37 Chevy coupe built by a number of the area's savvy stock car folks that included Royce Tucker, of South Burlington. Tucker had already built an eerily similar 7VT which Jackie Peterson [one of drivers] had said flexed way too much in the turns. A photo of Dutch Reed taking a victory lap in the first Otter Creek program in 1961 seems to bear this out. [This would have been the same program at which Dubul debuted the '34 Ford.]

So, the Dubrul version of the 7VT featured a '37 chassis, which was - according to Peterson, much more braced up. Jack would go on to at least one more Tucker - built coupe, as well as also buying a former Elmo Langley '59 Pontiac from Jean - Paul Cabana to race at Daytona Speedweeks. He did well with the Pontiac, while running the tough New York sportsman circuit with he coupes bore much lessspectacular results. He would finish one long distance race at Fonda in 1963 in the top ten through sheer tenacity, running the inside of the track, getting lapped [but not crashing and burning like many of those who flew by him]. Jack's sportsman racing hero, Steve Danish won the event - one of the last for him in his loing career.

When Jack got in on the ground level in the establishing of Catamount Stadium, he was running pavement sportsman cars. He seemed to back off a bit in driving during the early Catamount seasons, although he did have a former Vic Wolfe coupe at the ready. It was a surprise to see him sometimes taking the car out for practice still wearing a dress shirt and tie. Jack would go on to try a late model sportsman Chevelle [also from Cabana] when Catamount converted to those in 1971. He would also drive a '68 Chevelle, as well as trying a coupe versions of his beloved Javelin he had first bought to run with the NASCAR Grand Touring division in 1970. I didn't see him race much more after 1972 or so, although it is said he did run in road rallies, hill climbs, and the like for a while.

If one googles the name Jack Dubrul today it is almost certain that his son, an extremely accomplished author, will be what surfaces. I am sure Jack doesn't maind that at all.

The Earliest Car Was a 1 and Several 1's Also Came Later

Courtesy of Cho Lee
Winning one at T Road around 1961.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Jack's first car is seen 4th from left, in this Otter Creek heat flagged off by Archie Blackadar, who would become his Chief Pit Steward at Catamount.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock By the backstretch, Jack's flying by cars on the outside [seen furthest to top of photo beside Ollie Wescott's 12].	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr. Jack's first car at Catamount: this snubnosed coupe is a former Vic Wolfe 66.	Photo UNK [Maybe Grady] Courtesy of Bob Novak Jack's first car at Malta around 1966. The snubnose GMC hood is probably gone, as they often made cars run hot.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr. Jack's first pavement car. He had his cars lettered by my signpainting hero, Irving Stecklar [Steck].	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr. Jack's first car at Airborne: this was freshly bought from former Vic Wolfe, who never hesitated to sell his successful cars and build another.	Bob Doyle Photo Courtesy of Jack Dubrul Jack, with Vermont racing pioneer Bob Doyle, at Catamount around 1966.
Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr. The second year at Daytona saw the Pontiac renumbered as 1.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr. The second year at Daytona saw the Pontiac renumbered as 1.	Ladabouche Photo Jack's 1972 entry, a Cabana - built Chevelle LMS.	Courtesy of Chris Companion A disconsolate Jack sits on the Chevelle and watches John Rosati fly by.	Courtesy of Andy Boright I went to Catamount every week and I don't recall seeing this Chevelle # 1.	Bob Doyle Photo Courtesy of Cho Lee A car 1 of sorts: one of his beloved Javelins, numbered 1 and serving as Catamount pace car.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Jack Dubrul The Javelin, converted to a modified, at Airborne.
		Courtesy of Jack Dubrul The pavement coupe, outside Jack's Yamaha dealership on Williston Rd. This may have been the 1st car in VT to have tuned headers.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul The Cabana - built Chevelle, at speed. The SSK seems to be a reference to the Dubrul Yamaha dealership.	Courtesy of Getty Images The Permatex car at Daytona. Good portrait photo.

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The Next Car Number Used Was a 7 - only With Sportsman Coupes.

Ladabouche Photo
Jack's first sportsman, at Otter Creek around 1962.

Ladabouche Photo Graphically identical to the first Royce Tucker 7VT, Dubrul's version was less flexible and likely had more money invested under the hood.	Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Jack Dubrul or Bob Novak This is said to be a 1962 consi win at Fonda - no easy feat.	Courtesy of Bob Novak Said to be Fonda; looks more like Otter Creek.	Ladabouche Photo Jack's first sportsman, somewhat altered in appearance by 1963, at Otter Creek.	Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Bob Novak The same car at Fonda in 1963, with the graphics altered.	Ladabouche Photo Dubrul arrives at FOnda for the big extra distance race in August. He would finish 10th while his hero, Steve Danish won.	Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Bob Novak Novak says this a 1963 consi win at Victoria. Again, not an easy place to win.
			Courtesy of Neal Davis a 1963 pileup somewhere involving Jean Guy Chartrand.	Courtesy of Neal Davis The 1963 version, out front of Speed & Race Engineering on Lower Church St. Jack is in background.

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The Next Car Number Used Was an 11, Which Might Have
Been Used Simultaneously With the Other Two Numbers.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
"The Pontiac" at Thunder Road

Courtesy of Cho Lee The superspeedway Pontiac he bought from Cabana first carried the number 11. Here, he shows it to the fans at Thunder Road.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The superspeedway Pontiac he bought from Cabana first carried the number 11. Here, he waits to show it to the fans at Thunder Road.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul The Pontiac team, ready to leave for Daytona in Febrruary.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul Either the Shattuck car got snazzied up and renumbered or they built another flathead for T Road by 1963.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The flathead for T Road in 1963.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul The flathead 11 on the T Road track in 1963.
		Courtesy of Richard Chartrand The Permatex car got inadvertantly captured in this 8MM footage of Jean Guy Chartrand practicing at Daytona.	Courtesy of Richard Chartrand The Permatex car got inadvertantly captured in this 8MM footage of Jean Guy Chartrand practicing at Daytona.

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The Last Car Number Used Was an 13, Only on the Javelin

Courtesy of Andy Boright
This looks to be when he had the Javelin for the modified All Star League race at Catamount around 1972.

Burlington Free Press Photo Courtesy of Rich Palmer
The Javelin, straight on. This is when it was to run in the NASCAR Grand Touring race at Catamount in '69.

Burlington Free Press Photo Courtesy of Rich Palmer
The Javelin, freshly purchasee. This is when it was to run in the NASCAR Grand Touring race at Catamount in '69.

Ladabouche Photo
Shot in poor light as he arrives fashionably late for the All Star League race, the Javelin, didn't do much. I don't think he even got to practice.

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Drag Racing, Other Motor Sports, Personal, Etc.

Courtesy of Jack Dubrul
Heavily into early go - kart tech, apparently.

Burlington Free Press 1963. Jack aims for lap record at Thunder Road.	Burlington Free Press 1963. Jack sets a new record for lap time at Thunder Road.	Burlington Free Press The Javelin, and other topics.	Courtesy of C.J. RIchards Jack with the 1VT at Catamount around 1966.	Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Jack with the 1VT at Airborne around 1965.	Courtesy of C.J. RIchards Jack with the Javelin at Catamount around 1969. Elvis is in the house.	Burlington Free Press via Jack Dubrul At speed during a hill climb.
Burlington Free Press via Jack Dubrul Hill climb article.	Norman McIver Portrait via Cho Lee Most of these McIver portraits were done around 1964 and 65.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul Two results sheets from Daytona. 1 shows him qualified 32nd; the other shows him finishing 16th and 2nd in he sportsman cars.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul Jack says this shot of him showing the Vicked Volf dragster to the fans at T Road is 1963. Must be the track still had those RR ties later than I thought.	Courtesy of Bob Novak New Yorker Bob Novak, a Dubrul super fan, models this jacket he had made up. Looks a lot like the originals.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Jack arrives at T Road in 1965 in the new Catamount pace car with "NASCAT" in tow. The old wildcat, bought as a track mascot, did go over big. Jack lost a wad selling it back to the Catskill Game Farm.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul Jack keeps this SCR magazine shot of freshly - fireproofed driver suits drying on the pit fence. Not sure if there is a personal connection or not.
Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy of C.J. RIchards Jack [ctr looking away] awaits introductions as Otter Creek Speedway runs a sportsman feature around 1963.	Courtesy of Automaster Site The hot air balloon.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul The enigmatic domes on Williston Rd housed his Yamaha dealership. But rumors say they were built to house some sort of car development.	Courtesy of Mike Bishop The Speed and Race Engineering speed shop on Lower Church St. Burlington in the 1960's.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Jack with his dragster. I don't know if this was his driver or a happy admirer.	Burlington Free Press Photo This well - known shot at Airborne shows Jack with the Dragon brothers, when Beaver and Bob were not running at Catamount.	Courtesy of Jack Dubrul Jack, ready to recieve Champlain College's Distinguished Citizen Award.
	Courtesy of Milton Speedway Facebook Page This is said to be the Dubrul rail job being pushed by a classic Falcon pickup at the Milton drag strip.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Jack, with one of his AMC Catamount pace cars.	Courtesy of John Danish Dubrul was a big admirer of legendary Steve Danish [far left] and would park next to SD whenever possible. See Jack's black car behind Steve's. Jack and John Danish [2nd from left] still correspond.	Courtesy of Milton Historical Society Hard to imagine a match race, in that Keefer did not usually drive race cars of any kind. He was an engine builder.