THE BRIDGES FAMILY OF AIRBORNE SPEEDWAY

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock and Bobby Castine
Danny Bridges with what must be his first car - or at least a very early one.

Around 1966, of my racing friends decided to take in a race at Plattsburgh's Airborne Park Speedway. It would turn out to be the only race I ever saw there until I began traveling regularly there with the Beaver Dragon race effort in 1972.For some reason, the coupes did not leave a lasting impression on me from that day. Odd, in view of the fact that I was used to seeing good coupe racing at that time. Instead, what I remember most is the track's late models - and one of those was a big old '57 Ford #2.

That turned out to be Danny Bridges, a man so closely interlocked with the life of the track that his residence was scant yards down the road from the track itself. What I didn't know then that Dan, a lifelong shoestring racer, was a second generation star at Airborne. In fact, his father - George - had raced there a decade before and - in view of his very long career - may have been driving something there the day we attended in the mid '60's.

I have always felt people like Danny and his father deserve to have pages of their own because, like Red Meade at Catamount, Ted Brown at Claremont, and so many others like them - they were the heart and soul of their race tracks.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts The classic photo most people see of George, from the late '50's.	Bob Mackey Photo From Outside Groove George is seen in this field at Airborne's unique ice races.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts George, winning a race at the 1958 ice race program.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock and Bobby Castine George, receiving a trophy from Vic Wolfe.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of CJ Richards George, with the McGee / Bridges car, MB1.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock George avoids a spinning car at Airborne in the late 1950's.
		Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock George, winning one of the Airborne "ice races".	Bridges Family Collection A color shot [somewhat blurry] of George in later years.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts One of the first shots of Danny, from the early '50's.	Bob Mackey Photo From Outside Groove Danny looks over a midget during a 1960's Airborne show.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy John Rock & Bobby Castine Danny receiving a trophy at 1964 Airborne banquet - from Mr. Broderick.	Courtesy of Steve Pecor With his well - used, but fast little Fairlane 500 at Catamount. A contrast is Bob Giroux's well - financed Bank Americard/ Howard Bank car in the background. This is well after the Keeseville Bank withdrew.	Courtesy of Andy Boright Danny sits out what appears to be some carnage at Catamount in 1971. He hasn't painted and lettered the Fairlane yet.	Courtesy of Dan Nolin On the starting grid at Catamount. The car is now painted, but he doesn't yet have the Keeseville Bank sponsorship.
Ladabouche Photo Arriving at Catamount with new bodywork and the Keeseville National Bank sponsorship. This was the high water mark for Bridges, in terms of having a budget to race with.	Ladabouche Photo Another KNB arrival shot. Notice the 2 is different - more like the one above when he first painted the car. I believe this is before the one on the left,which may have been after a wreck had been repaired.	Ladabouche Collection Another color shot of the original KNB lettering. Below - Same car - Devil's Bowl. Ladabouche Collection	Ladabouche Collection Another variation - the second car with that other style 2 - but no KNB graphics. May have been awaiting the sign painter. Looks like he has three feature wins here.	Ladabouche Photo Massachusetts tire dealer ra n a car eerily similar to that of Bridges. One week, both cars were repainted and unlettered. There was chaos among the scorers.	Courtesy of Bobby Castine Another late model Dan built after the Fairlane 500 could go on no longer.
From Justin St. Louis An ACT car he once ran around 1992.	Courtesy of Phil Butler One of his earliest cars.	Burlington Free Press Photo Courtesy of Wayne Bettis Another shot of that first little Fairlane - before the KNB sponsorship.	Burlington Free Press Photo Courtesy of Wayne Bettis Maybe the Milk Bowl win helped him attract the KNB support.	Burlington Free Press Photo Courtesy of Wayne Bettis Victory Lane at the Milk Bowl.	Burlington Free Press Photo Courtesy of Wayne Bettis A shot of the 1972 version of the Fairlane, with KNB graphics.

Courtesy of Ray Lasnier
A big win at Catamount - likely before the KNB era.