CLIFF

Ladabouche Photo
The door off one of Howie Westervelt's earliest Wright cars,
as it sits at the Saratoga Automobile Museum.

    Starting in the 1950's, Cliff Wright developed a name in the New York State racing community, mostly as a car builder and owner. Throughout much of the years that Wright had highly competitive coupes, he was partnered with sponsor, Tollgate Ice Cream - from Slingerlands, New York. Toll Gate owner Bob Zautner and Wright were familiar figures at tracks ranging from the Pine Bowl, to Fonda, to Lebanon Valley, to Stateline Speedway. I also think Don Zautner had involvement inthe team, as well.
    There is now nformation that Wright began working on race cars in the roadster era of 1949 - 1950, with a car rum by well - known roadster pilot Del Moak from Albany.
   The team had anywhere from one to as many as three cars during various time periods in the 1950's into the early '70's. Perhaps, the team reached its highest point of success in the later 1960's when they fielded the modified #24, driven mostly by Kenny Shoemaker, from Westmere. This car ran roughshod over the competition at major league tracks like Fonda and at smaller venues like Victoria.
   I feel privileged to have met Wright and Zautner at the once-monthly breakfast meet in Watervliet.

Courtesy of Sam Barlow
It doesn't get much earlier than this Del Moak car. Don't know the track he is at.

Courtesy of Sam Barlow Said to be Jerry Papp, spinning with the team's very first stock car.	John Grady Photo Howie with the same car, the source of the door at Saratoga. Looks like Cliff at right.	Photo Source Unknown Howie with an early victory, with the whole team.	Joe Connors Photo Doug Garrison, Wright, Zautner, and a very similar car.
Photo Source Unknown Howie	From Racers Bored Site Stretch Van Steenberg, with what I believe to be a Wright car.	Arnie Ainsworth Photo Howie and Stretch in Pine Bowl action.	Photographer Unknown Howie with one of the team's earlier cars, at Pine Bowl.
Otto Graham Site Schenectady Collection Howie Westervelt, Ravena, NY at Fonda	Photographer Unknown The car is beginning to have that familiar Wright / Zautner look- particularly the roof light.	Russ Bergh Photo Similar car, with more refinement - at Fonda.	Ed Fuez Collection Westervelt
Ray Williams Photo Westervelt against Van Steenberg at The Valley.	From Tom Domery, Jr Westervelt, in the midst of his record - setting win spree at Lebanon Valley in the '50's. From Left- Zautner, Tom Domery, Sr., Cliff, and Howie.	Ken Gypson Collection Westervelt wins one somewhere.	Ken Gypson Collection Nice old color Westervelt shot.
Lebanon Valley Classics Another Van Steenberg.	Ken Gypson Collection Early Fonda shot of Westervelt with admiring fan or presenter.	Ken Gypson Collection The Wright/Zautner Ford at Menands.	Unknown Source A Wright car.
Ken Gypson Collection Pine Bowl Victory Lane.	Ken Gypson Collection Another Fonda shot of Westervelt with Wright's T Bird - powered Ford.	Ken Gypson Collection Westervelt, Cliff, UNK, and Bob in some Victory Lane.	Ken Gypson Collection Howie Westervelt in Victory Lane enjoying the spoils.
Irv Conron Photo Courtesy of Bud Verge via Leb. Valley Classics Westervelt 2with checkers at Empire Raceway.	Source Unknown Westervelt posing at Empire.	Sam Rosenberg Photo Courtesy of Chas Hertica Middletown, Sure looks like the Wright / Zautner 83 in background.	Courtesy of Chas Hertica Westervelt battles Garrison at Lebanon Valley.
	Gene Strenkowski Photo Howie with an early Wright/Zautner 83.

Russ Bergh Photo
Ladabouche Collection
Donny Wayman,
Cobleskill, NY
A circa 1964 version
Wright car - one of
last Fords

Conde / Parry Site
Donnie Wayman,
Cobleskill, NY
A car very similar
to the one Westervelt
poses with above and at left.

Russ Bergh Photo
Ladabouche Collection
Donny Wayman,
Cobleskill, NY
A circa 1965 version
Wright car - one of
first Chevies.
The one Shoe would drive.

Frank Simek Photo
Donnie Wayman, with the car
Shoe would take over.

Courtesy of Dan Ody
Shoemaker with that same car
as to the left.

Russ Bergh Photo Shoemaker Biography Ken Shoemaker, Westmere, NY At Fonda Speedway with the car shown with Wayman above.	Frank Simek Photo Shoemaker, at speed., early on in his stint with Wright and Zautner.	Russ Bergh Photo via Dan Ody Shoemaker with a win at Victoria.	Russ Bergh Photo via Dan Ody Shoemaker with that same car .	Shaney Lorenzet Photo via Andy Fusco Shoemaker at Stafford.
	Russ Bergh Photo via Dan Ody Shoemaker with a win at Victoria.	From Dan Ody Shoemaker at Fonda.	Jim Young Photo Ladabouche Collection This older man decided to clown around and give the posing Shoe a hard time before the shot at left.	From Dan Ody Shoemaker at Victoria.
Courtesy of Keith Shoemaker Shoemaker with that	Walter Mateer Photo via Joe Grossetti It is said this is Johnny Flach at Langhorne driving the 9A.	Ron Wilson Photo Still Shoemaker; still upright. This is Malta.	Courtesy of Glen Tustin Shoemaker with checkers.	Shoemaker Book Cliff, behind Ken SHoemaker [as he always was] at Shoe's NYSSCRA induction.

John Grady Photo Shoemaker still driving; the car is now lowered.	Ron Trombley Photo At Airborne Speedway, where both Shoe and MacTavish drove it.	Russ Bergh Photovia Lew Boyd The 24 on its roof after mixing it up with Dick Clark.	Courtesy of The Shoe Book Shoemaker with another pavement win.	Ladabouche Collection Richie Evans succeeded Shoemaker ended up in the now - lowered pavement mod and had only a brief stint with it.
Frank Simek Photo Shoemaker walks away after dumping the 24 at Fonda.	Frank Simek Photo Another shot of the same 24 wreck at Fonda. Car 10 unknown.	Ladabouche Collection Don MacTavish ended up in the pavement mod and had a brilliant run with it.	Courtesy of Ace Kolar Don, in color.	Courtesy of Joe Nett MacTavish with the car, altered to 24X.
Courtesy of Justin St. Louis Don with the earlier version of the pavement modifiedd.	Courtesy of Stock Car Racers Reunion The potent 24 under a tree in pits somwhere.	Courtesy of Frank Cornell Collection MacTavish with yet another win.	Bob Mackey photo Courtesy of John Rock Mac, at Airborne.

Ladabouche Photo
Cliff Wright [ black hat] Bob Zautner to his right The monthly Watervliet racing oldtimers' breakfast, Sam Barlow is at left [I don't know the other guy yet].
Bob Novak, a strong supporter of my work, is at the counter.