Bob, arguing with his evil twin brother, Skippy.

EARLY RACING PERIOD - EARLIER 50's


Dick Bruce
Don Hayes
Len Barcomb
Possibly Howard Rock -
with flagger Paul Demers.
 

Maybe Ron  Carter
Rod Ritchie
George Bridges
Rusty Reid
With George Palmetier 6 7/8.

 

Dick Bruce 
Anyone know 101 ?
 7 is Dick Nephew 
Ed Dukette leads someone in the
Rowe T7 
Ed Dukette 

Dick Nephew leads
George Bridges 
Dick Manning 		  
Junior Bruno leads Charlie Trombley
and others.
Bob Mackey Photo
Courtesy of C.J. Richards
An Airborne start under
the flag of Art Prairie. 


Darrell Cloce's 21 enters the turn at
full throttle. It's either Cloce or Bill
Wimble at the wheel. 

  
Wes Moody's 66, at speed. [Driven by either Shorty Carmichael or Ed Dukette because
Wes was still too young].

  
Although Mackey labeled this as Aden Lewis, Wes Moody's long-time mechanic Fran Kane
insists this was his car. It looks like a
young Fran.


A young Henry Jarvis gets the flag from
Paul Demers.
 
Record - setting Bob Bushey of Burlington
with a car he drove in seasons after
his famed 1954  year.
Don Smith's 88 lines up beside the
99VT of Royce Tucker [driver
unknown here].
 
  
Dick Nephew lines the George Palmetier
6 7/8 beside Don Smith's 88.


Wayne Chandler, another very strong
Vermont entry in the earliest years.
 
 
Bob Trombley's B1 got up close
and personal with a big wreck.		  
Car 00 in a pit lineup. Could be Bob Bruno,
Len Barcomb, or others.
The Allie Swears
#51 comin' atcha ! 
Bob Mackey Photo
Courtesy of C.J. Richards
Jack Liberty takes the green from
Chet Hames

3 and 7/8 leads the field which includes
Shorty Carmichael, Jr. Bruno, and
others.
Harry Provost, Cadyville
50 NY Bud Besore is trophied
by Bert Blake.		  
Early lineup including Rod Ritchie
[outside back row]
 
Mrs. Dick Manning of Chateaugay
accepts a trophy from Vic Wolfe
for her husband.
Signalling for the ambulance for an injured
Shorty Carmichael. 		  
NASCAR National Sportsman Champion
Bill Wimble, at speed around the time of
his titles.
 Jean-Guy Chartand with the
Ed Cloce's legendary Courtesy
Motors Hemi Cuda.
 
Bob Brunell of Peru, NY wore many
hats over the history of Airborne:
race driver, speed shop operator,
and sometimes track saviour.		  
The iconic Bert Ratiogan Studebaker,
often driven by Ernie Reid - who was
a far more accomplished driver than
he is given credit for.		  
Originally from South Burlington, VT
tall, quiet Jackie Peterson was a
sprint car driver, a Vermont State
Champion, and a Fort Covington
Speedway champ. Nearly totally deaf,
since childhood,he still is a
sentimental favorite around Airborne.		  
 Mackey shot this iconic photo of
the mayhem and aftermath of
the Pete Corey crash at Langhorne.
Corey, who had raced that very
car at Airborne, got into some
fluids on the track, hti the wall, lost
his brakes, and veered into
onlookers in the infield, killing
at least one.

 

Many of Bob's Color Shots Can Be Seen on the Mike Watts Page

SOME OF BOB'S PORTRAITS
All of the Track Photographers Liked to Do These


Carl Gorman with the Ralph Jarvis' 57
Earl Maille with a Henry
Caputo 11.
George Baumgardner with a
Henry Caputo 11.
Jeep Herbert with the Kittler/
Wolfe 37.
 

Johnny Johnson
Familiar track cop Everett Peryea
Two - time track champion
Andre Manny with Gaston Ethier's
 East End Auto Body modified.
Andy Romano

Former sprint car driver Art Prairie,
one of the track flagmen.
Bob Bushey of Burlington, VT.
He still holds the record for
most wins in a season [with this car].
Bobby "The Frito Bandito" Santos
with Art Barry's 909 modified.
Hall of fame modified driver Brian Ross,
at a young stage in his career.

Someone took a portrait of Bob
Mackey [and of course they
blurred it].
Hall of Famer Carl "Bugs Stevens"
Bergman, Rehobeth, MA.
Winooski, VT Terror Ernie Barcomb.
He liked to fight as much as
Roland Trombley.
Dick Fowler, Voorheesville, NY

George Bridges with the early
McGee / Bridges MB1.
Danny Bridges, George's son and
a bigger star in his own right. Dan
was the king of low budget racing
success.
Harold Ormsby, the racing
well driller. He drilled a few
things besides wells in his
career.
Jean - Guy Chartand, Montreal
with his own car. He would make
his biggest dent in the history of
Airborne with Ed Cloce's famed
Hemi Cuda.

Louie Lazzaro with his ever -
present dog, Blackie.
Very early competitor Paul Green
of Potsdam, NY.
Popular and likeable Chief Pit Steward
 Kay Hanson, with wife, Toni.
Studebaker loyalist Norm Burl.

Ronnie Roberts		  
Hall of fame modified driver
and future Grand National
driver Pete Hamilton- here with
the Worcester Sand & Gravel 69.		  
The Pride of Saranac Lake and
certified wildman Wes "Slugger"
Moody [my good friend].		  
Shelburne, VT's charismatic
and flamboyant Black Jack Dubrul.
who raced many types of cars
while running a pretty good
night club as well.

Many Photos To Come in Future

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