DAVE BROOKS

The Manchester Missile


Brooks Family Photo Courtesy of Bud Brooks

          Dave Brooks was just a name I had heard when - as a five year - old boy - I first saw racing at the old Pico Raceway near Rutland, Vermont. The next time I ever heard of him again, a young Dexter Dorr put him in Dorr's flashy 1955 Chevy hobby car at Fairmont Speedway [a track on which Brooks had distinguished himself ten years before]. Brooks, not having raced in years, easily won the hobby feature that day.
          50 years later, when doing this kind of work, I happened upon an usual - looking early thirties coupe, numbered 33 and 1/3, which featured an enclosed engine compartment and solid wheels. I found out later this was Dave Brooks, back in the day. I was thrilled when his son, Bud, put all of Dave's photos on a You Tube page. Given the fact that no one had commented on the display, it is doubtful anyone had any idea how exciting and important these grainy old photos were.
          I don't know if Brooks ever had a nickname, but I thought "The Manchester Missile" was fitting as that car, with the special Plymouth motor, really flew.


Brooks Family Photo Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Very early action in
which Dave leads a car 5 at Manchester. Recent photos of the site show that building.
 

Brooks Family Photo Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Very early action.
It is likely this is
at Manchester.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Dave's first car looks
to be a Plymouth.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
More Manchester
action.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The Manchester
car.

 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The best - known
Brooks car, under
construction.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The best - known
Brooks car, under
construction. Note
another car in
background.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The famous Brooks
car, apparently
newly - built.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The famous Brooks
car, apparently
newly - lettered.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Behind a wrecker.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Brooks by the car
with an unidentified
boy. I am hoping Bud will
id some of these shots.
 


Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Maybe Mrs. Brooks.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Might be another
shot of car when
new.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Might be at home.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
I don't know if Dave
wrecked the family
car - or what.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Apparently, the Brooks
team trailer.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
This is either the
secretive Brooks
Plymouth motor or
one he had in an
open wheel car.


Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Another 33 1/3 with a
later model body he
drove especially at
Stateline Speedway.
 

Brooks Family Photo Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The Brooks car, at an outbuilding on the grounds of the some early race track.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
With a sprinter.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
With a sprinter,
maybe Dave's. The
kid could be Bud.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The office of the sprinter,
maybe Dave's.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Check out where the
spare tires went.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The preceding car,
sitting with what
might be a spare
body.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The 33 1/3 on a
flatbed truck.

Brooks Family Photo 
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
In a pit area - likely at
Fairmont Motor Speedway.

 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The body of another 33 1/3
with a later model body he
drove especially at
Stateline Speedway.

 

 
   

PICO RACEWAY SCENES FROM THE BROOKS COLLECTION

 


Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A pit shot at Pico
Raceway, Rutland.
Car is not clear
enough to id.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A shot at Pico
Raceway, Rutland.
The 303 is Al
Romano, star driver
and son of the track
owner.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A pit shot at Pico
Raceway, Rutland.
This could be Gene
Tetrault's 1st car.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A pit shot at Pico
Raceway, Rutland.
The car in the foreground
could be Jackie Peterson.
The other is George Barber's
46, likely with driver Stub
Piper.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A lineup shot at Pico
Raceway, Rutland.
Car 39 may possibly
be Rodney Davis, of
Cavendish, VT.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
An accident off the
backstretch at Pico
Raceway. I believe the
car to be the 2nd Romano
team car.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A good shot of the Pico
Raceway judges' stand.
I can't id the cars.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Another good shot of the
Pico Raceway judges' stand.
Cars include Al Romano
and the 36 of Spencer
Parkhurst.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The familar 9Jr.
of Catskill, NY's
Walt Roberts.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A wreck off the Pico
Raceway backstretch.
If the shot was clearer,
you could see the hundreds
of people in the distance,
watching for free on some
railroad tracks.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Prominent Saratoga, NY
racer Spence Parkhurst.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Vic Love's crew
works on the UP3.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A good shot of the Pico
Raceway pits in the
infield. This is one
section.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A good shot of the Pico
Raceway pits in the
infield. This is
another section -
much like the next
view.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A good shot of the Pico
Raceway pits in the
infield. This is
another section.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A good shot of the Pico
Raceway pits in the
infield. This is
another section.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A good shot of the Pico
Raceway pits in the
infield. This is
another section.
 

 

FAIRMONT PARK  MOTOR SPEEDWAY SCENES FROM THE BROOKS COLLECTION

 


Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A shot at Fairmont
Park Motor Speedway,
Fair Haven, VT.
Dave is in Victory
Lane.
 

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A lineup at Fairmont
Park Motor Speedway.
The foreground car is
George Barber's 46
out of Bradford. The
red and white car is
Tony Provencher.
 

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A lineup at Fairmont
Park Motor Speedway.
The 467 is frequent
winner Charlie Morse, and
the rear car is Ted Langlois
from Connecticut.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Ernie Blackburn,
possibly. [Right
era and number]
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The P38Jr. - it
probably  a Loomis car,
 out of Granville, NY.
 

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
 A look at some of the
Fairmont crowd. That
is the old dairy, in the background, which was
on US Rte 4.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The Fairmont flag man
displays the white
flag.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A Fairmont lineup:
Gene Tetrault in front
of F40, Hank
Schimdt.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A Fairmont lineup:
F40, Hank Schimdt
and the UP2 of George
Rogers.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Possibly Spence
Parkhurst, judging
from the design.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A shot across the Fairmont
first turn, towards the
old dairy.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A Fairmont win.
 

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Working Fairmont between
turns 1 and 2.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
At speed, in the lead,
at the Fairmont track.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
With the Fairmont flagger
after a feature win.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
With a Fairmont trophy
after a feature win.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
With a Fairmont trophy
presenter and the
flagger.

 

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The usually unspectacular
Tony Provencher had the thrill
of his career finishing 3rd
behind Brooks.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Leo Nadeau's nifty
Rocket 88, out of
Schuylerville, NY.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The Ted Langlois crew
at Fairmont, all the way
from Putnam, CT.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
A very early Ted Langlois
car #12 CT.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
With Fairmont checkers
after a feature win.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Hey Tony ! Lean out"
and smile !

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The highly successful
Ed Winn 467, driven
by Charlie Morse.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
An unidentified car X
at Fairmont.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The UP2 of local
driver, George Rogers.

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The 61Jr. - A Danish
family team car. Driver
would be either the
legendary Steve Danish
or brother, Al.
 

Brooks Family Photo
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The 61Jr. - A Danish
family team car. Driver
would be either the
legendary Steve Danish
or brother, Al.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The Danish car, preparing
for the feature. He
would finish 2nd to Dave
in this race.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
The 37 of local
driver, George Pritchard,
at speed in the 2nd turn.
 
Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Charlie Morse chases
Steve Danish into
turn 1 during the 1st
feature, won by Morse.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
George Rogers wins
a qualifier.

Brooks Family 8MM
Courtesy of Bud Brooks
Charlie Morse won the
first feature race of
the day.
   

 

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