DON MACTAVISH

DON MACTAVISH

Don't Let the Looks Fool Ya

Chrome Horn Photo

     Don MacTavish, a product of Dover, Massachusetts is the source of constant arguing as to whether he was the greatest driver to come out of New England. Problem is, he didn't live long enough to truly establish a record of performance as lengthy as some of those he'd be compared to.. Realistically, Don ran from 1961 to 1969, whereupon he was then killed at Daytona in February. I was not ever around MacTavish because my journalism career in racing was still years in the future when he died. Starting in support divisions at Norwood Arena, he was propelled into national notoriety by winning Larry Mendelsohn's "World Championship" demolition derby at Islip in 1963, and it was shown on ABC's Wide World of Sports.
         Don went into sportsman racing in the early mid '60's, and was famous for his own Circle J cars, as well as driving impressive L&R cars out of Len Bosley's shop in Malta, NY. MacTavish may have been the most impressive when he took of the potent 24NY of Cliff Wright abnd Bob Zautner after they had a parting of the eways with tempestuous Kenny Shoemaker. When Don was killed at Daytona, a heartbroken Wright would own cars no more. Intelligent and witty, Don could come off like the clean cut college kid type; but don't fooled. The Circle J meant "circle jerk" and the mock trojan ads on the trunk [symbol of safety] might have had their best customer in the car.
         I know that, when I moved into Milton, VT in 1968 to begin teaching, I was disappointed to learn the modifieds had been moved out. But what I heard, over and over again, was how much townspeople enjoyed having MacTavish [and other traveling drivers] visit their homes and sometimes use their garages. Hell, one family named a dog "Tavish" in his honor.
         I will do my best to break down his career in . Bear with me if I don't have all info perfect. By the way, I refuse to put fatal crash photos on this page.

EARLY YEARS

MacTavish Familyy Photo via Paul Mascitti Looking tough with a buddy in trhe U.S. Coast Guard.	Paul Conley Photo via Paul Mascitti Don's first stock car , a bomber at Norwood Arena.	Paul Conley Photo via Paul Mascitti Don's first stock car feature, 1958, at Norwood Arena.	Paul Conley Photo via Paul Mascitti Don's won a stock car feature, at Norwood Arena with perhaps creative equipment.	Paul Conley Photo via Paul Mascitti An early demo derby win, at Norwood Arena. Might be prepping for Wide World show.	Howie Hodge Photo Do in one of his later demo cars. Already had the edgy number then
	Spectacular Promotions Photo via Paul Mascitti Don's famous win in the World Championship demo derby.	Norwood Arena Site Photo Don's early stock car success, at Norwood Arena shared with fellow bomber drivers.	MacTavish Family Photo via Paul Mascitti Don's #27 sportsman that would become the famous black Circle J.	Norwood Arena Site Photo Norwood Arena demo derby win.

THE CIRCLE J YEARS

Norwood Arena Site Photo One of my favorite Black J shots. Some prudish SOB cropped it so you couldn't see the Trojans ad on the trunk lid.	John Grady Photo via Paul Mascitti The MacTavish book claims this shot at Malta is among the most popular of his photos.	Unknown Photographer via Paul Mascitti Don at the wheel of the black J. Looks like they were getting into the tuned headers era.	NASCARPhoto via Paul Mascitti Don poses with the famous black Circle J for the NASCAR files.	Paul Conley Photo via Paul Mascitti Don chases Leo Cleary beside Johnny Thompson as he leads Slater.	Paul Conley Photo via Paul Mascitti Very busy leading Barney Matte while beside Bob Melnick at Norwood Arena.
Shany Lorenzet Photo via Paul Mascitti Shany caught Don at Stafford when it was still dirt.	Photo Courtesy of Phil Smith This color shot shows the black J here, at least is not yet fuel injected.	Bob Mackey Photo viaMike Watts, Sr. Don ran at Airborne Park Speedway in this car and later, in the 24.	Bob Mackey Photo via Phil Butler Don smiles patiently for Bob Mackey as his crewman waits for it all to go away.	Unnknown Photographer via Otto Graham Another good color shot.	Balser Photo via Paul Mascitti Don winning one at Thoimpson. George Crowell is by the car.
Blue Summit Advisors.com This shot shows the concentration before a race.	Russ Bergh Photo Ladabouche Collection This is the cleancut Don look at one of his rare trips to Fonda.	Shany Lorenzet Photo via Paul Mascitti Don wth the puke green car at Riverside.	Paul Conley Photo via Paul Mascitti Don wimning with that banana - colored version of the car.	carcabin.com Photo via Paul Mascitti Racing Thompson - at Thompson.	bluesummitadvisors.com Photo via Paul Mascitti Racing the car 00.
Photo fLou Modestino via Stock Car Racing Magazine and Paul Mascitti Working on the Black J at Seekonk.	From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD Lining up the Black J at Albany - Saratoga.	Courtesy of Phil Butler This must have been a third J.	Source Unknown Someone's prized autograph.	Bob Mackey Photo via Paul Mascitti Good shot of Don at work at Airborne.	Courtesy of Justin St. Louis Another Black J win.
	Courtesy of Justin St. Louis Light - hearted shot with the yellow J.	From Jalopy Journal The Black J finishing at Islip.	Source Unknown The Yellow J, unoccupied.

THE L & R YEARS

Courtesy of Mike Pa Don apparently made this L&R T Shirt famous while trying to promote Lennie's shop.	C&F Photo via Paul Mascitti The injected, pavement L&R. I don't know if Roland was still in the picture with Lennie at this time.	Russ Bergh Photo via Otto Graham Don with the L&R car after the Fonda win. This time he appeared with a modidfied, unlike the 1968 visit.	Courtesy of Mike Pa Don poses with the same car as at left, but set up for pavement.	Unknown Photo via the Shoemaker Book Another win at an undetermined venue.	Photo from Stock Car Racers' Reunion Site Good color shot of Don with the L&R in Victory Lane.
Photo from Stock Car Racers' Reunion Site Good color shot of Don pushin' the product.	Photo from Russ Bergh via Paul Mascitti The trophy from his Fonda win in 1968.	Photo from HAMB Message Cite No L&R section would be complete without at least one of Lennie Bosley. Don would have insisted.	Photo from Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD Faded 8MM color shot of Steve Bosley manning the L&R truck at Malta.	Photo by Dick Berggrenh via Paul Mascitti A Thompson win with a happy fan and what appears to be Bill Slater.	Bob Mackey Photo via Andy Boright Chasing Charlie Trombley at Catamount.

THE WRIGHT / ZAUTNER YEARS

Bob Mackety Photo
Courtesy of John Rock
Don poses at Airborne
with the potent Cliff
Wright/Bob Zautner 24
recently vacated by Ken
Shoemaker.

Stock Car Racers' Reunion
The injected, pavement
24 at an undetermined
track.

Fred Smith Photo
via Paul Mascitti
Don with the car
likely at Malta.

Dick Berggren Photo
Courtesy of Paul Mascitti
Don pushes the 24
around Stafford in 1969.

Bob Trombley Family Photo
Another shot at Airborne.

Courtesy of Justin
St. Louis
Good color shot.

OTHER CARS , OTHER PHOTOS

Source Unknown Said to be a MacTavish late model. I have my doubts.	Balser Photo This is supposed be an early All Star League drivers' lineup in which I see Don and Jerry Cook. I have my doubts; they always had at least the helmets.	NASCAR Photo via Paul Mascitti Don gets the National Sportsman Champion trophy in Daytona.	Provided by Wayne Patnode Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Don shows disappointment at Trenton in 1968.	Stock Car Racers' Reunion Photo A composite art piece on MacTavish.	Balser Photo via Paul Mascitti At a cub scout Pinewood Derby.
Dick Berggren Photo Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Don somehow ends up in a David Pearson driver suit during Speedweeks.	Morris Bailey Photo Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Don, in the 1966 Permatex race.	Dick Berggren Photo Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Don in the ill - fated Permatex car.	Stock Car Racers' Reunion Photo Someone's memorial page to Don.	Courtesy of Karinos 200 Don seemed to spend some time with this particular modified coupe.	Courtesy of Norwood Site Same coupe, at Norwood, in color.
Norwood Site Photo Very young here, at Norwood Arena.	Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Don MacTavish, Dover, MA- NASCAR Sportsman Nat'l Champ meets Ernie Gahan, Dover, NH , the Modified Nat'l Champ. This was at Fonda; they rarely met, apparently.	NASCAR Photo Courtesy of Paul Mascitti This is about as long - haired as you'll see him get.	Lou Modestino Photo for Stock Car Racing Mag. Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Don and Seekonk's Deke Astle.	NASCAR Photo Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Here's one time they met. :)	Unknown Photo Courtesy of Paul Mascitti Another portrait.
NASCAR Photo via Paul Mascitti Working on that 1963 Ford Permatex car.	Balser Photo via Paul Mascitti This may have been all star racing, but Lee didn't have an All Star League race, to my knowledge. [At least not in Don's lifetime].	Stock car Racers' Reunion Photo Grim news.	Shany Lorenzet Photo via Paul Mascitti In the well - known M-6 modified.	Photo from EJ Waitbeck, Jr via Paul Mascitti Langhorne frustration.	Unknown Photographer via Paul Mascitti A Happy moment, on the shoulders of George Crowell and others.
Balser Photo via Paul Mascitti With Stonkus and Crowell at Dover. It might have been for the All Star League, in which he was always an "open" driver.	Flemke.com Photo With the equally - famous Bay Stater Pete Hamilton..	Berggren Photo via Paul Mascitti A pre-race conversation at Thompson.	Shasny Lorenzet Photo via Paul Mascitti In the Robie 86 at Stafford. Bobby Sprague spent a lot time in this car.	John Grady Photo Same team, this time at Malta.	Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock This is a time when he was running the Robie 86 at Airborne and Catamount.
Bob Mackey Photo via Mike Watts, Sr. This is supposedly at Catamount.	Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Looking at the 86 at Airborne in 1968.	Stock Car Racers' Reunion I don't know when he ran NASCAR mod points - likely 1969.	Midstate Club Photo Better quality version of a photo above.	Courtesy of Dave Dykes A pretty potent - looking sedan.	Ace Lane Sr Photo via Ace Lane, Jr. This may have been at Langhorne. Could be Irv Fried interviewing [ or Al Gerber].
		Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Talking at Airborne with Ken King, Jerry Cook, and Eddie Flemke, Sr.	Shany Lorenzet Photo via Dave Dykes Looks like a pickup ride at Stafford.

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