Year:  1963
Drivers:   Link Petit, Joe Messina, Doug Garrison, Stretch Van Steenburg and Scootch Schoonmaker.
Article Contributed by:   Joe Grossetti Photo Credits:   "Momma" Marion Grossetti
The Back Story: 

Mystery Drivers: #This photo is from Nov. 1963.  It's at the points party which was held at the former Jug End Resort in South Egremont, Mass.  (I believe a few points parties were held there in the early 60's.) 

This photo features the top 5 points finishers for the 1963 season.  They were:

Doug Garrison - Champ, Link Pettit - 2nd place, Joe Messina - 3rd, Stretch Van Steenburg - 4th, and Scootch Schoonmaker - 5th. 

As far as who's who in the photo, Garrison is in the forefront receiving the "High Points Champion" trophy from Promoter Lou Spanier in the striped shirt.  The guy at far left is Uncle Art Stuart the emcee.  In the background with the eyeglasses is Link Pettit Sr.  Joe Messina is to Pettit's left.  Stretch Van Steenburg is 2nd from the right and on the right is Scootch Schoonmaker.

Quite a historic picture if you ask me.  I know Garrison, Van ,  Pettit and Uncle Art are in the Lebanon Valley Speedway Hall of Fame, and the others might be too.

-Joe Grossetti

This a true Lebanon Valley Classic photo. At the Valley alone, these five drivers had 68 feature wins that I count. I was a young guy during this era and these guys were amazing. The cars were true stock cars and weighed in at just under manufactured weight. Look at the size of the hands on stage. It took big hands and arms to be in the top five in those days.

Linc

 

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