THOSE CRAZY CUTDOWNS !   

Shany Lorenzet Photo via Dave Dykes
Big Butch Caswell in a little, tiny cutdown.

        In the 1950's, there arose a class of stock car that has been commonly referred to as the cutdown.  Apparently, in addition to the most power technology and the rules of the era would allow, the cutdowns also featured bodies were - for want of a better term - quite minimal. When a number of serious injuries involving these cars happened, the class was evenrtually phased out. A few scattered track like Claremont Speedway in New Hampshire still had some cars similar to the cutdowns. I always felt the Frank "Stroker" Smith 311, driven by Sonny Rabideau was one of tghe last functioning cutdowns.

Shany Lorenzet Photo via RA Silvia and Dave Dykes Dan Rogoff at the New London - Waterford Speedbowl.	Shany Lorenzet Photo via Dave Dykes This early Sharkey Gaudiosi 4 driven by Ed Moody is likely considered to be cutdown.	Shany Lorenzet Photo via Dave Dykes Ray Dizzy Delisle in a fuller - bodied cutdown.	Riding Dirty Collection Photo via Dave Dykes Red Foote ran this cutdown before becoming one of the famed Eastern Bandits and moved down South.	Courtesy of Frank Lopes George Pendergast with what looks like a cutdown.	Courtesy of Frank Lopes Sparky Belmont's Plainville 40 looks like a cutdown.
Shany Lorenzet Photo via Dave Dykes This early Stafford Springs car is not ID'd.	Courtesy of Ed Duncan The Alligator Car of Bobby Edwards may be the most famous cutdown of all.	Balser Photo via Bob Nelson Collection Chappy Chapman raced this one at West Peabody, MA.	Courtesy of Ed Duncan This early Stafford Springs car also made appearances at Safford Park, Keene, NH.	Mel Ogden Photo via Midstate Club Dick Schoonover's coupe was not tehnically a cutdown - it raced at Midstate Spdwy, Morris, NY. But it sure resembled one.	Bob McDowell Photo via Dave Dykes Doug Benjamin's polka dot car is close to, if not a cutdown.
Luke Bedell Photo via LVC Doug Garrison cut his former Gordon Ross car down so far it would have been a cutdown if they still had them. It was safer.	Courtesy of Dave Dykes Red Bolduc, At Norwood Arena.	McDowell Photo via Phil Miller and Hertica This early Cutdown of Tim Hallock's ran at Riv. Park and the Pine Bowl.	Shany Lorenzet Photo Mal Phillips Collection via Dave Dykes Andy Anderson.	Seekonk Site Photo Fred Luchesi wins an early one at Seekonk.	Shany Lorenzet Photo via Dave Dykes Moneybags Moe Gherzi, with an early Garuti Car.

Courtesy of Dave Dykes Another cutdown for Moe Gherzi.	Courtesy of George Hill Pete Janovsky's Claremont car was essentially a cutdown.	Courtesy of Maine Vintage Race Car Association Harold Pappy Wilcox, Unity Raceway.	Courtesy of George Hill Stroker Smith's Claremont car 311, driven by Sonny Rabideau, was the most famous cutdown ever in Vermont.	R.A.  Silvia Collection  via Dave Dykes This is an early Falconi cutdown driven by legendary Freddie Borden.	Shany Lorenzet Photo  via Dave Dykes George Pendergast with a cutdown at New London Waterford Speedbowl.
Courtesy of Dave Dykes Joe McNulty.	Courtesy of The Bullfather Eddie Hoyle.	Courtesy of Ron Wetzler Danny Gaudiosi.	Courtesy of Glen Tavares Hop Harrington. Crossfire flathead engine.	R.A.  Silvia Collection  via Dave Dykes George Summers	Ladabouche Collection Art Rousseau, in Bob Oliver's 621, is arguably THE most famous cutdown of all.
Cal Lane Photo Courtesy of Lew Boyd Gavin Couper.	Courtesy of Bob "Red" Rudne Fred Luchesi.	Courtesy of NE Mod Site Danny Gaudiosi.	Courtesy of Ed Duncan Eddie Hoyle.	Likely a Shany Lorenzet Photo Courtesy of Dave Dykes Whitey Brainerd.	Likely a Shany Lorenzet Photo Courtesy of Dave Dykes Cutdown or not ? This George Summers car is right on the edge.
Courtesy of Paul Benaske Collection Gavin Couper, at Norwood Arena.	Courtesy of Maine VIntage Race Car Assoc. Site Mac Moore. A rare look at a car from Lewiston Fairgrounds, Maine. That site was in the ill - fated circuit Jack Kochman tried with full - bodied NASCAR modifieds in 1949.	Courtesy of So. Seneca Speedway Facebook Page Popeye Vincent, a PA driver.	Courtesy of Dave Dykes Tommy Sutcliffe, at West Haven.	Shany Lorenzet Photo Courtesy of Dave Dykes Ed Priest, at New London - Waterford Speedbowl.	Shany Lorenzet Photo Courtesy of Dave Dykes Gene White, the future Firestone king.
	Shany Lorenzet Photo Courtesy of Dave Dykes Joe Couillard, at New London - Waterford Speedbowl.	Shany Lorenzet Photo Courtesy of Dave Dykes Kenny Torrent. His cars were not boring.	Bill Balser Photo Courtesy of Doug Paul Red Seguin. The Tewksbury Flying 5	Ladabouche Photo Dick Gerard, a Claremont Speedway car.

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