THUNDER ROAD International Speed Bowl

Courtesy of Cho Lee A Ned Lemieux wreck. Thunder Road was not just the superstars like Ronnie Marvin. Ned came from the Northeastern Speedway, which T Road was in the process of putting out of business. Low budgeteers like Ned did their darnedest to compete with the hot shots at T Road.	Courtesy of Cho Lee One of those T Road hot shots was one Rex Shattuck, bringing his considerable experience in from the tracks west of Thunder Road - especially in Colchester. Here, he has managed to climb the Widow Maker, onto the lawn above. The western guys were badly outnumbered by the eastern Vermont and New Hampshire drivers.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Young George Whitney and future Bear Ridge promoter C.V. Elms were part of the overwhelming majority of T Road teams from the eastern side..
Courtesy of Cho Lee Shelburne's Jack DuBrul, a future Ken Squier partner, would entertain the T Road fans with a variety of his expensive toys. [Above] a dragster used on the Milton dragstrip. [Below] his NASCAR Permatex entry.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The infamous Wayne Vincent wreck. No HANS devices in those days. He suffered serious head injuries. Courtesy of Cho Lee No Thunder Road scenario would be complete without Bardahl dealer and photographer Bob Doyle. Sorry it is so blurry.	Courtesy of Cho Lee One of the first [if not THE first] Governor's Cups. Tony Colicchio, a Walpole, MA transplant, drove Libero Buzzi's [far right] #93 to victory. That is Governor Bob Stafford. Courtesy of Cho Lee Early Thunder Road was strongly defined by these two men: Roy "Pappy" Forsyth and car owner George Barber, of Bradford.
Courtesy of Cho Lee A pivotal moment in Thunder Road was the 1965 season, when the NASCAR overhead V-8 sportsman cars invaded and made life hard for the original flathead teams. Here, Dick Nephew, former NASCAR National Sportsman co-Champion, is on the track with flathead star Harold Hanaford.d driver Paul Martell.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The Bud Messier 50 was usually driven by some sort of star du jour. In this case, it is Jean-Paul Cabana, looking for NASCAR national points. Ironically, T Road regular [and flathead driver] Ronnie Marvin outdid most of the NASCAR hotshots in the national standings in that 1965 season.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Perennial Thunder Road tow truck driver, Dick Blake, figured - if ya can't beat 'em - join 'em. He put local drivers like Merlin Bean in a sportsman of their own for a couple of seasons.
Courtesy of Cho Lee The B Class cars - later called Flying Tigers would become the future of Thunder Road. Here a Kentucky transplant \| named Tom Tiller, brought to Vermont by the US Air Force, returns the flag to Starter Bob Quinn. Jack Paradee, himself once a B Class driver, is behind.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Stub Fadden, arguably the symbolic driver in the history of the track, came in with B class. Here, in a Flying Tiger, he has experienced uh awful accident !	Courtesy of Cho Lee From 1965 until about mid - 1968, the NASCAR modifieds and sportsman stars were all rage at T Road. Here, Ken Squier is interviewing hardbitten racing veteran Leo Cleary. [This happens to be a Catamount shot].
Photos Courtesy of Cho Lee The Ed Pelletier #51 crew. [Above] with driver Russell Ingerson at the end of the coupe days. [Below] With Ingerson and their 1957 Chevy limited late model sportsman. Partner Doug Falzarano [glasses] is seen in both shots. Courtesy of Cho Lee Russ Ingerson enjoyed a second career high point when he joined forces with the White River Jct. team of Ed Pelletier and Doug Falzarano.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The loyal Hardwick, VT contingent of Thunder Road's hurricane division is seen in a tangle with Guy Brown, spinning, and Milt Wright in the 03. Courtesy of Cho Lee Veteran stock car legend Johnny Gammell took a turn with the Suzanne LeGault mini at both T Road and Catamount, joining division star, Harry, whose car is seen at left.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Barre's own Mark Rossi wins a mini stock race at the home track. And we wonder where son, Tony, got the hair from ? Courtesy of Cho Lee Moretown's Carl Nelson was one driver who made the transition from full-sized hurricane car, to six - cylinder Grand Americans, and then the new Tigers.
Courtesy of Cho Lee This is a classic Thunder Road photo of track co - founder Spade Cooley [left] with prominent car owner Fred LaPrade, likely in Ronnie Marvin's pit area.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Ford stalwarts: Dave Dion [ctr], along with Jay Yantz and another man.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The crews of Russ Ingerson and John Rosati gather on the Thunder Road start/finish line to celebrate fast qualifying times for the 1972 Milk Bowl.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Thunder Road's longest - active driver, Joey LaQuerre, walks by as future Busch Grand National North driver Barney McRae unloads his mini stock. Also seen are Barney's ex - wife Fran and Mr. McRae.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The Richard Buzzi gang, in their hurricane period: Dennis Tucker, H.C. Harvey, Louie Cassani, and Richard.	Courtesy of Cho Lee This is a classic Thunder Road photo because no TR photos series would be complete without a few of Bob Doyle.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Thunder Road had its own weekly radio show - before such things were in vogue. That is host, Bob Doyle, at right.	Courtesy of Cho Lee When Ralph Nason wanted to express displeasure with NASCAR late model sportsman body rules in the late 1970's, he came out with this retro Chevelle. Everyone else was into the Pontiac Le Mans and similar bodies.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Harold Hanaford and his daughter, in Victory Lane.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Bob Quinn hands the checkers to some unknown B Class winner named Beaver Dragon.	Courtesy of Cho Lee I love this B Class shot ! It is either a former Northeastern Speedway entry or maybe it's Ralph Stygles, early in he career.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Some of the Thunder Road coupe stars did double duty in B class cars. Here Leland Ingerson [lft] is in Victory Lane with future Groveton promoter Mike Beattie and future LMS star George Horn.
Courtesy of Cho Lee The massive Ronnie Marvin fills his car completely as he gets checkers from a wary Bob Quinn.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Rex Shattuck is joined in Victory Lane by wife, Peg and a daughter. By this time, Rex had already been driving for more than ten years.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Thunder Road flagman Archie Blackadar looks ready to jump as car 70 Meriden Nelson loses a wheel on the front stretch.
LEE CARPENTER SERIES Courtesy of Cho Lee Lee Carpenter, of Colchester, a veteran of 1950's racing in that town's tracks, spent some time at Thunder Road. Carpenter leads fellow Colchester racing veteran Rex Shattuck.	Courtesy of Cho Lee In 1965, Thunder Road saw the newly - arrived NASCAR overhead V-8 sportsman mixed in [for one season] with the Road's traditional flatheads. Here is a rare shot of Bob Bruno in Vic Wolfe's sedan leading Ronnie Marvin. Marvin went on to a high finish in NASCAR national sportsman points with a car that was decidedly underpowered. Bruno and owner Vic Wolfe also went down to Fonda and pulled a major upset with this sedan in 1965. Courtesy of Cho Lee Former Northeastern Speedway runner Perley Densmore dumped his best - looking car ever at T Road in 1962.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Thunder Road's ever - popular Chester T. Wood was injured in this wreck. This is a rare post - 1934 body on the X-1. Courtesy of Cho Lee Someone [likely Jack DuBrul] brought a Studebaker Avanti to the races; so, they put it to use as a pace car du jour.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Karl Lingenfelter and his Hardwick Ambulance Service were a fixture at the track for years and years.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Harold Hanaford shares a trophy with one of his crew - one of those wild Havelock boys from New Hampshire.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The pit area of Henry "The Frozen Logger" Montandon. Facing us is his brother - in - law and car owner, my good friend Lloyd Hutchins.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Thunder Road was about to have a baby brother called Catamouint Stadium. Here, Jack Dubrul is towing into T Road with "Nascat", the mascot for the new track.	Courtesy of Cho Lee A Thunder Road street stock mixup back before they were four cylinder. Popular John Clark is on the wall.	Courtesy of Mike Gilbert The glory years of the original Flying Tigers. Tom Tiller.
Courtesy of Wayne Bettis Ken Squier and Big John Untied conduct the pit meeting.	Courtesy of Andy Boright Thunder Road's interesting 1965 points race. The flatheads had been grandfathered and were racing against overhead V-8's. Marvin finished only 11th here but in the top ten in the nation that year.	Courtesy of Andy Moore This flying car is avoiding climbing the Widow Maker behind Dickie Southworth's 43. It looks like another car [in the dust] wasn't so lucky.
Courtesy of A. and A. Ward B.J. Willard's 33 pits in the back of the T Road pit area. She pitted next to Red Mead.	Courtesy of Melody Mattison Anukem Ken Squier has his hands full with rough and tumble Flying Tigers stars: left - Norm Cyr, Larry Demar, Tom Tiller, and Lennie "Tiger" Stockwell.	Courtesy of Alex Alexander This shows one of the least known successful female drivers in T Road history - Linda Lexander in the red car 2nd from left.
Ron Pittsley Photo During an often - frustrating and under - funded career, Barney McRae occasionally grabbed the brass ring .	Courtesy of Walter Newell Two of the most thrilled people when Northern NASCAR got T Road back from Kalimiris were Tom Curley and Stub Fadden.	Courtesy of Andy Boright Two of T Road's most important and beloved figures. Bob Doyle and Archie Blackadar.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Listening at a pit meeting around 1962/ Recognizable are Lee and Russ Ingerson, Larry Granger, Ronnie Marvin, and Harold Hanford [along with one of his wild Havelock] crewmen.	v Courtesy of Cho Lee A little old picklup from the East Barre Fire Dept seems to double as track cleanup. Seriously ? An Indian fire pack ? Not exactly Whelen.	Courtesy of Marty Harty After the departed George Barber team, the next super team at Thunder Road was that of Andy Cote. Said to have made big money in muinitions development, Cote fielded cars for icons Ron Marvin [13], Tony Colicchio [0], andPaul Martell [3J]. The team was controversial and may have been banned for a while.

Some T Road Views

BOB DODGE FAMILY PHOTO SET
These photos give you a good sense of what it was to be in the stands in 1963.

Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge The pace car in 1963, with a field in tow.	Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge Silvio Bilodeau is on the pole for this heat.	Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge Another heat comes up to speed.	Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge In this shot, you can make out the 3J of Paul Martell and the 51 of Russ Ingerson.	Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge This shot has one of the George Barber team cars I can make out.	Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge A great look over toward the pits. Similar view; just fewer pit buildings.
		Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge A similar look east maybe during intermission.	Bob Dodge Photo Courtesy of Troy Dodge This one shows the infield with that go - kart track they put in when they built the place.

Courtesy of Cho Lee
This midget, carrying the ad for famed photographer Les King, has wrecked in an early T Road show.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr.
This midget, carrying the ad for famed photographer Les King is involved in another mixup and King heads out to check.

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Courtesy of Cho Lee MIdget racers in action at T Road circa 1961.	Courtesy of Andy Boright MIdget racer Elmer Peckham gets pushed off.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Ed Clouthier under way after a push at T Raod.	Courtesy of Cho Lee A heat rface of MIdget racers ready to take green at T Road circa 1961.	Courtesy of Cho Lee T Road winner Len Thrall in the Milt Smith Offy.
		Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of Mike Watts, Sr. Work goes on with this midget as their special flagger waits for action.

Courtesy of Cho Lee Ken Squier, the face [and co - owner] of Thunder Road with Roy "Pappy" Forsyth, arguably the track's first superstar.	Norman McIver Photo Courtesy of Cho Lee Archie Blackadar, first flagger and later the pit steward.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Spade Cooley, the most visible of the owning Cooley brothers [maybe because he was so tall] interviews Rex Shattuck.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Huge, intimidating Ronnie Marvin may have arguably been the track's first villain. He definitely inherited super star status after the Forsyth retirement.
Courtesy of Cho Lee Bob Doyle was the Bardahl representativ, a speed parts retailer, and a photographer. More importantly, he was a godfather of sorts for the track.	Courtesy of Cho Lee George Barber, a Bradford, VT auto parts dealer, owned the first dominant team at the track. He would later establish Bear Ridge Speedway in his home town as a refuge for the flat head race cars which had been legislated out of T Road.	Courtesy of Cho Lee Tough, charismatic, and very good at driving, the Ingerson brothers were synonymous with earfluy T Road. A fourth brother, Don, also finished well in the 1965 standings. Left - Doug, Lee. and Russ.	v Courtesy of JT Racer Dick Blake and his familiar Blake & Loso wrecker was at the first race program and generally hasn't missed one since. When needed, he sometimes doubled as a car owner.