DAVE DION

A Major Player on the Stock
Car Stage of Vermont


ACT File Photo


Norman Morley Photo
Ah  Dave, wouldn't you love to be this age again ?


Photographer Unknown

Dave Dion at a Quebec track with photographer
Denis "Le Boy" LaChance - around 1986.

    Dave Dion is easily one of the most beloved dd a Ford, and it was usually orange or reddish-orange.


Photographer Denis LaChance

The Dion car waiting to qualify 1980. Standing with his hand on his
leg, in the black shirt, is sponsor C.J. Stewart. of Cuttingsville, VT.

     Because of his immediate popularity and his effectiveness [partic


Photographer Denis LaChance

Dave Dion entering the Catamount racing surface around 1978.

 

     Dion found himself caught up in the mess in the 1980's when Catamount drivers were split into two camps: th

Courtesy of
OutsideGroove.com

Dion with an early Ford, probably at Norwood Arena.

Courtesy
Courtesy of Norwood Site

Dion with an early Ford, probably at Norwood Arena.
CLICK HERE to see more early Norwood Dion shots.

Courtesy of Norwood
Arena Site
Dave with the Torino
as it looked when he first arrived at Northern NASCAR.

Courtesy of Catamount
Program

Dave with the Torino
as it looked when he first arrived at Northern NASCAR.
Unfamiliar [to us] sponsors.


 Peoples gets by on the outside.

Ladabouche Photo
By this 1972 shot, Dave
now has a local sponsor - the Familiar Steward Ford.

Courtesy of  Glen Tavares
Dion
, misspelled name and all, still with the Torino.


Courtesy of  Glen Tavares
Still with the Torino in 1974.
leading the Milk Bowl.

Courtesy of Mike Bruno
DevilsBowl: 2 1973 For stawarts -Dion and Bridges.

Courtesy of Michael Sherman
The DIon boys thrashing
on the Torino somewhere.

Courtesy of Stephan Beattie
The DIon boys thrashing

Unknown Source
Early Torino shot.
 
Source Unknown
I think this Ford came in between the Torino and the Cougar.
 
Courtesy of  Cho Lee
Dion chases Marvin the Mauler [warily].
 
 
Courtesy of  Andy Boright
Dave and Bill Dennis chase
a car 88, who definitely is not
Peter Pizzagalli. [No idea]
 
Courtesy of Stephan Beattiettie
The stunning Cougar,
on the track at  T Road,
in front of his best fans.

Courtesy of  Denis LaChance
Next came the fast and homely Cougar. Photo by Denis LaChance, a big Dion enthusiast.

Courtesy of  Andy Boright
The lovely Cougar
at Thunder Road. Dions said looks don't shave a second off the lap times.

Courtesy of  Walter Newell
The Cougar chases Teddy Palino at Oxford.
 
 
Source Unknown
Dunno... kinda looks
like the Cougar.
 
Courtesy of Denis LaChance
More of that  gorgeous Mercury. This time at Mt Carmel, in Quebec.
 
Courtesy of  L.A. Weate
Dion at Mar
tinsville with the Cougar. Looks like they might have spruced it up slightly.
 
Courtesy of  Dan St. Pierreee
Dave, fussing with the
Cougar at the season opener.
 
Courtesy of  Denis LaChance
Sometime in this Mercury
phase, the number 29 made its way in.... I can't recall why.
 
Courtesy of Denis LaChanc
Sometime in this Mercury phase he also picked up the Green MT Ford Dealers deal.
 
 
Courtesy of Denis LaChance
More of that  Mercury.
 

Courtesy of Johnny Racer
 
Courtesy of Denis LaChance

The Mercury heading out
for practice.
 
 
Courtesy of Denis LaChance

The Futura, on the front stretch at Catamount with C.J. Steward [hand on leg].  It had almost the same sponsors as the Mercury. 
 
Courtesy of DelBridge
This is about the time they did some racing down South with late models. I am thinking there may have been another owner in the mix here.  See below for more photos.
 
Norman Morely Photo
Another Futura with a
different graphic scheme.
 
           
Tom Curle


Courtesy of Marty Kelly, Jr.

  
Courtesy of Mr. Chevy Black
Here h
e's in the shot -same car; same day.
 
Denis LaChance Photo
Courtesy o
f
Andy Boright
Here he has some of the Green MT Ford Dealers with the Futura.
 
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
More of that Futura.
 
 
Courtesy of Rich Palmer
I think Dion took his Southern Futura and set it up for Kevin Lepage to drive at Catamount.
 
 
Courtesy of Denis LaChance
The Futura, on the front stretch at
Val Belair with a Canandian sponsor.

Courtesy o
f  Denis LaChance
The Futura, on the front stretch at Oxford with a familiar sponsor.
 t
 
Denis LaChance Photo
More Futura at OPS. 
 
Vin Hilliard Photo
Somewhere in this time period, Dave took Harvey Sprague's six banger and won a race with it.
 
 
Photographer and Source Unknown
Bravely smiling at Catamount with a banged - up car. 

Courtesy of L.A. West
After the Futura, Dave's order of cars becomes a blur for me; so, I will keep the ACT cars last and bunch the rest togerther. This odd Futura variation comes towrads the end of the Futura era..
 

 

Photographer and Source Unknown
A good mug shot.
 
 
Courtesy of Freddie Richmond
The Champion Buses T Bird.
 
Courtesy of Denis LaChance
TA kinda radical - looking T Bird at Oxford.
 
Courtesy of Stephan Beatie
Throwback number and look, but a very unfamiliar body scheme.
 
Courtesy of Andy Boright
Beside Bob Dragon in what was the latter's arguably least popular graphic scheme efver.
 
Courtesy of L.A. West
That far out T Bird sure could draw a crfowd at Oxford.
 
Courtesy of L.A. West
The Futura,
carrying the Canadian sponsor but at Catamount.
 
Brian Manning Photo Courtesy of L.A. West
The
T BIrd, at OPS
.
 
Al Ward Photo
The Tate Bros ACT plastic car at Catamount.

From the Outside Groove
Website

At last an ACT FORD car ! 

Al Ward Photo
The Tate Bros ACT
car. Dave was playing both sides
in 1987 - running this at ACT and another car at BGNN.[right]

From the Outside Groove
Website

A BGNN car 

From the Outside Groove
Website

A BGNN pit stop. No more rough looking cars allowed.
 

Justin St. Louis Photo
At the 2006
Oxford 250.

Karl Baitz Photo
2005 Milk Bowl.

Courtesy of Andy Boright
A more  recent car - at Thunder Road - 2005.
         

THE SOUTHERN LATE MODEL CAMPAIGN


Woody Delbridge Photo
Dave had a year when he ran tracks like South Boston, VA. Check out the car - it is attractive and has professional graphics.


Woody Delbridge Photo
South Boston, VA. II

Woody Delbridge Photo
South Boston, VA. III
 

Woody Delbridge Photo
South Boston, VA. IV

 

Woody Delbridge Photo
South Boston, VA. V
 

 

 

THE GRAND NATIONAL CAMPAIGN


Source Unknown
The Grand
National car, at
Nordic Ford.


Photo Source Unknown
Behind Petty
at Richmond.

Courtesy of LA West
Arrival at
Richmond.

 

Courtesy of LA West
At speed, at
Richmond.


 

 Courtesy of Jack Anderson
Spinning out at
Richmond. Can you believe how much Richmond has changed from then ?

Courtesy of Jeff Elliott
At speed, at
UNK track.

DAVE 'N OTHER FOLKS


Source Unknown
God, CJ! I've never seen that done from an infield flag pole before, let alone a 70 year - old woman !

 
Courtesy of  Cho Lee
Dion watches T Road action with who looks like fellow Ford guy Jay Yantz at right.
 
 
Courtesy of  Cho Lee
Dion and Dragon. Probably deciding if they want to let
anyone else win thnat month :)

 

Courtesy of Walter Newell
Dave and NASCAR executive Pete Keller.

 

Courtesy of Stepahn Beattie
Dave and NASCAR star Butch Lindley.
 
 
Courtesy of Jack Andersone
With former circuit driver Jack Anderson at the Living Legends of Auto Racing banquet.

Courtesy of Pascal Cote
Dion joins Kevin
Lepage and Jean - Paul Cabana in a post - race conference.

Courtesy of Pascal Cote
Dion joins George McRae for a mug shot.

 

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