101WATE
RFORD, Vermont (July 11, 2015) – Track owners Paul and Lise Bellefeuille are pleased to announce the seventh annual Northeastern Speedway Reunion and Vintage Celebration will be held at the historic Vermont oval alongside Route 18 on Saturday, August 22.
After a highly-successful 50th anniversary celebration at the speedway on July 18, 2009, fans and former racers have gathered off-site in recent years due to municipal restrictions. For 2015, a permit has been granted for the annual vintage celebration to take place on speedway grounds, with 30 minutes of parade laps allowed for the old Coupes.
Northeastern Speedway operated from 1959 to 1966 and was recognized by the State of Vermont as a historical landmark in 2012. A marker was erected and unveiled in June of that year designating Northeastern Speedway as “The Birthplace of Organized Racing in Vermont.” It was an honor Bellefeuille does not take lightly.
“Lise, myself and everybody involved with preserving the rich history of this beloved oval were so pleased to see the place recognized,” Bellefeuille said. “We know Charlie Ely, Reg Garand and many others worked hard here to create and enforce rules.
“By creating the Northeastern Racing Association, the state’s first sanctioning body, officials organized the sport and even helped Ken Squier launch the famed Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre. We’re proud of the track’s integral role in Vermont racing history.”
The reunion will feature guest appearances by former drivers at Northeastern, including icons like Harold ‘Hardluck’ Hanaford, Skip Easter, Glen Gadapee, Pete Racine and others. Several restored Coupes and sedans from the track’s active era will be on display, along with tons of vintage racing memorabilia. Food vendors will be on site with a variety of items and cold drinks. For fans of racing history, this celebration is a must-see event.
This year’s reunion will be held in honor of two former track champions who passed away in 2014; Vermont short track icon and NEAR Hall of Fame member Johnny Gammell, who won the inaugural championship at Northeastern in 1959, and Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame member Glenn Andrews, who traveled over from Maine every week to claim eight features and the coveted title in 1960. Both men loved their years at Northeastern and beamed with pride during that 50th reunion celebration in 2009.
“Johnny and Glenn made a huge mark in the early days of racing in Vermont,” Bellefeuille said. “Both men loved Northeastern and the extended family they developed here over the years. Even today, when older race fans gather to discuss the sport’s early heroes, the names Gammell and Andrews come up often. I know both will be looking down from above when those old Coupes roar to life.”