NORTH CONWAY, NH (Nov. 6, 2009) — After months of restoring old footage, scanning photographs and countless hours in the studio assembling the many components, fans of Vermont racing history are about to enjoy the fruits of an incredible project.
In a first-of-its-kind video/photo documentary of short track stock car racing in Vermont, Covered Bridge Productions (CBP) is proud to announce the Nov. 13 release date of its latest DVD: “Northeastern Speedway 50th Anniversary Celebration.”
This historic DVD is broken down into four main sections, including a video interview with legendary motor sports broadcaster and Vermont native Ken Squier, who announced at Northeastern Speedway in the early years of his career.
Also included is a photo slide show with audio track history; 30 minutes of restored vintage footage where the viewer has a choice of two audio tracks (one features the comments of 1959 track champion Johnny Gammell, Glen Gadapee and Pete Racine; while the other contains comments from 1960 points champion Glenn Andrews); and 72 minutes of footage from the track’s 50-year reunion celebration on July 18, 2009.
This comprehensive effort also includes a Special Features section that allows the viewer to scroll through detailed track history information. Thanks to the research efforts of track owner Paul Bellefeuille, along with veteran motor sports writers Justin St. Louis and Big Bigelow, full lists of track champions, all-time race winners and event winners from 1959 to 1966 are included.
Thanks to the contribution of nearly 100 photos from Vermont racing historian-archivist Cho Lee, the shots from track photographer Norm McIver make the photo slide show a true masterpiece.
“Restoring the grounds of Northeastern Speedway has been very rewarding for me,” Bellefeuille said. “My wife Lise and I, along with Alan Pike and many others, worked hard to prepare the track for our 50-year reunion, and it was a big success. To have that wonderful day and the track’s rich history preserved forever on DVD is incredibly valuable. After watching the DVD, I’m confident that all of the former drivers, officials, spectators and fans of vintage oval racing in general are going to appreciate the quality and depth of this project.”
While attempts have been made to document the history of other tracks in New England, this may be the most thorough effort made for a DVD. Everyone involved with this special project shares a passion for short track racing history in New England.
“I never thought Northeastern would be cleared away and look as good as it did at the 50-year reunion,” Andrews said after he contributed his comments. “I had a great day at the reunion, and I sure enjoyed the days when I raced there. Seeing the reunion and track history recorded on DVD means a lot to me. I’m thankful to Paul and Lise for what they did at the speedway, and to Covered Bridge Productions for preserving part of my career and an important chapter in Vermont racing history.”
The Northeastern Speedway 50th Anniversary Celebration/Track History DVD will be available initially at www.coveredbridgeproductions.com. Look for more details on other distribution channels in the coming weeks.
