Final preparations being made for 50-year Reunion at Northeastern Speedway
Final preparations being made for 50-year Reunion at Northeastern Speedway
WATERFORD, Vermont (July 2, 2009) – After 13 months of work to clear away what Mother Nature had accumulated in 42 years, the old Northeastern Speedway is well on its way to becoming a living museum to short track auto racing.
On Saturday, July 18, exactly 50 years to-the-day after the speedway held its first race, former drivers like 1959 track champion Johnny Gammell of St. Johnsbury, Glen Gadapee, Harold ‘Hard Luck’ Hanaford and Maine’s Glen Andrews will return to the historic oval for a 50-year reunion celebration.
Since the land on which the 1/5-mile paved oval sits was purchased from former St. Johnsbury police chief Clem Potvin in March of 2008, new owners Paul and Lise Bellefeuille of Waterford have worked tirelessly to make this historic event become a reality.
With help from friends and those who were involved in the track’s construction, the goal of restoring the facility and hosting a 50-year reunion for former drivers, officials, and fans is now within reach.
“It’s been a long road to get to this point,” said Bellefeuille. “When we first started clearing the infield last May, we knew we had a ton of work ahead of us. We kept at it, and had a lot of help along the way. After the infield was cleared, leveled, and planted, we had to repeat the process in the grandstand and pit areas.”
Once the actual physical work on the grounds was completed, Waterford native Bill Keach and Mike Bean of St. Johnsbury built an exact replica of the old ticket booth, right where the first one once stood. Bill’s father Ken built the speedway’s original ticket booth in 1959. Fans who attend the reunion will see this sharp-looking addition when they walk up from the parking lot. A small replica of the grandstand and announcer’s tower was also planned, but town officials denied the permit. Tom Flanders has masterfully replicated the speedway’s original roadside sign that his father, Doonie Sherburne, painted when the track first opened.
“When people visit today and comment on the green grass, flagpoles, and clean grounds, it all seems worthwhile,” continued Bellefeuille. “We only did all this so we can host the drivers, officials, and fans that made this place a thriving, popular racetrack back in the day. It will be very rewarding to see them come here, along with those beautiful old Coupes, and relive those years.”
Several of the cars that raced on this high-banked bullring have been restored and will be on hand, along with restored Coupes from all over New England. Members of the New England Antique Racers (NEAR) group will also be at the track, adding a regional flavor to the event.
The state of Maine will also be represented, as several members from the Maine Vintage Race Car Association (MVRCA) are also planning to attend. Cho Lee, of Barre, considered the state’s leading auto racing historian, will be on hand July 18 with hundreds of photos from Northeastern’s rich past. Lloyd Hutchins, who owned the car driven by Henry Montandon at the speedway, will be in attendance with his beautiful restored Coupes.
From restored race cars, former drivers, old trophies, and other memorabilia, even a rolling museum filled with old racing photos from Bob Doyle, there will be something of interest to every racing enthusiast at Northeastern Speedway on July 18. Northern Vermont and New Hampshire have a rich history in short track stock car racing, something to appreciate and celebrate at the track known simply as “the birthplace of organized racing in Vermont.”
Tickets for the Northeastern Speedway 50-year Reunion are $15 for adults. Lunch will be available on the grounds from the Waterford Volunteer Fire Department. Cars will be on display to the public from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. A driver recognition ceremony is slated for 11 a.m., while at approximately 2:15, cars will be allowed one hour of slow-speed parade laps around the oval.
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