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. Things 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 ArgusAn 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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