THE LIFE PHASES OF NORTHEASTERN SPEEDWAY

 

            

 Active Life - 1959 - 1966

FLATHEADS ON DIRT


Courtesy of Cho Lee


Burlington Free Press
An advertisement from 1959. There were
few items for the track found in that
year.

The Times Argus

An article from May, 1960.

Season opener.

 
 
Newport Daily Express
An article from 1960. Th
ings were
running along smoothly, from
the looks of it.
 
The Times Argus
An article from August, 1960.

A week or two later, Mable
Densmore would be. hospitalized after flipping three times in the powder puff segment.

FLATHEADS ON ASPHALT

 

 Times Argus
An opener ad mentions both
the upgrades to the track and Roy Forsyth, who was absolutely red hot at T Road in 1961.
 
Burlington Free Press
A
good thing the close points race went most of the season - Northeastern was facing huge competition from T Road and Northfield in 1960 - 63.

Times Argus
September 16,1963. It kind of
speaks volumes when the
crowd at their big season
ender race was small.


St. Albans Messesnger
This brief comment in a usually -
uninvolved Vermont paper speaks
to the fact the 1964 season was in trouble.
After the earliest months, there were no more news stories about the track.

Courtesy of Paul Bellefeuille
I have been told there was racing in 1965, with both classes. C.V. Elms was running it as Waterford Motor Drome in 1966. It had only B Class cars and didn't have much of a season. Thunder Road [and later Groveton] had undermined it too much to survive.

Burlington Free Press
May, 1966 race program.

Burlington Free Press
June, 1966 article.

 Burlington Free Press
July, 1966 program planned.

 

            

 Inactive Life - 1967 - 2007

TOTAL ABANDONMENT

 


Ladabouche Photo
Around 1977, I stumbled across the track
on a road trip with the kids to St. Johnsbury. The track was growing in but still was driveable enough for the property owners to put a huge pile of soil in the middle of the frontstretch.


Ladabouche Photo
Looking back down the backstretch,
in 1977.


Ladabouche Photo
1977. From backstretch across infield
to the frontstretch.

Ladabouche Photo
1977. From track looking south.
Probably the parking lot.

Ladabouche Photo
1977. The front retaining wall
with remnants of the poles that
held up the wire fence.


Ladabouche Photo
1977. Wreckage of the bleachers
and the announcer's stand.

Ladabouche Photo
1977. Closeup of the
condition of the pavement.

Ladabouche Photo
1977. A great view from
part of the track.

Justin St. Louis Photo
2007. The track, after 30 years'
more of nature's encroachment.
Frontstretch - Compare with my similar photo.

Justin St. Louis Photo
2007. The track, after 30 years'
more of nature's encroachment.
Down backstretch back to turn 2.
Compare with my similar photo.

Justin St. Louis Photo
2007. The fourth turn suffered
the most over the 30 years.
 
Justin St. Louis Photo
2007. A pile of junk right
on the frontstretch.


Courtesy of Johnny Gammell
Same view of frontstretch - 2005. John Gammell took
a number of former track attendees on a tour.

            

 Inactive Life - 2007 - On

THE BELLEFEUILLE ERA

 


Ladabouche Photo
Around 2008,
my wife and I visited the site
to see all the work Bellefeuille had done. This shot shows the arrow in the wall that
helped drivers find the pit entrance.


Ladabouche Photo
Looking back down the front stretch,
from turn one in 2008. Infield
and other areas are now cleared.


Ladabouche Photo
2008. Frontstretch view similar
to the two above, but now
much clearer.

Ladabouche Photo
2008. My wife is amazed that
any old fencing still exists.
 
Ladabouche Photo
2008. A  view across the
now - cleared and lawn -
sown infield. Notice the
flagpoles.

 
Ladabouche Photo
2008. Railroad ties still protect
the path that spectators used to
enter the track area. Those
things don't rot easily.
 
Ladabouche Photo
2008. No bleachers, but some
wit left lawn chairs right at the
start / finish line.
 
Ladabouche Photo
2008. Back stretch, with the
improved infield..
 
Ladabouche Photo
2009. Paul's iconic first reunion.
The only thing that is off is the 1965
Chevy pace car. The track didn't
run that year, I think.
 
Ladabouche Photo
2009. Johnny Gammell [rt] and car
owner Charlie Ely were major
figures in the creation and running
of the track.
 
Ladabouche Photo
2009. Track star Harold
"Hardluck" Hanaford is
interviewed.
 
Ladabouche Photo
2009. The Silsby - owned and restored
92 sedan - the exact car driven here
by Silvio Bilodeau.

 

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