First and Second: Bobby Ely
Third and Fourth: Gary House
Fifth: John Gallant Jr.
Sixth Kevin Montanye
First and Second: Chuck Ely
Third and Fourth: Unknown
Fifth: Unknown
Sixth: Unknown
Top Photo: Mystery Drivers #6 and #7
Bobby Bruekner, famous for driving/owning the #97’s that frequented Accord and Middletown for decades, was the original driver of this ride, as well as a partner in the 33.
That partnership dissolved soon after... making Don Partete sole owner. The car was then kept at Poppa Rich Ricci’s shop in Rosendale . N,Y.
Barry Tripp; usually found behind the wheel of the violet coach #34’s, had the ride for a while, but was fired from the #33, and after Montanye quit driving for the potent Sharkey #44, Harold took the ride in this #33 car. The unison between Montanye and Partete was a short lived one. Harold scored 6 Big Block feature wins at LV in his tenure, pretty signifigant, looking back at the competition that existed back in the day.
This is the story behind the great
looking 54 in this photo:
Dave “Zeke” Pelczar showed up at
Lebanon in the late 60s from Riverside Park Speedway, in this 54 owned by
Mickey Barlow.
Even though they were from the Canton,
Ct area, they would work on the car at Eddie Waters Garage (The
same garage that housed the Water’s family cars just a ¼ mile from the speedway
for decades) after the races Sat .night at L.V., they would race the
next night at devils bowl in 1969 getting back home at 4 am ,if they
were lucky. on Monday mornings .
One of the kids on the crew of the 54 at that time was a kid with the last name of Bahre, yeah his dad was Henry...soon to be owner of the 24’s driven to many wins by Dave, Butch Jelly and some guy named Eddie Delmolino.
Arlene S. was the only visitor to identify Harold. No one identified Dave.
Second Photo: Mystery Driver #78 Harold Montanye behind the wheel of this #117 coach against some stiff competition for a Sunday Open Show.
Third and Fourth Photos: Gary House sent in these two pictures of the #17 and #117 cars his Dad, Dewitt House, owned to run the Sunday night LV Open shows with.
Fifth Photo: This is pretty much how this LVC staff member (of two) associates what Harold Montanye was to Lebanon Valley.
Sixth Photo:
Harold’s son, Kevin, sent along this picture of his Dad in the
Flyin’ M, a car Harold fabricated himself, as most did back in the day. Sadly, Harold passed away unexpectedly back
in February of ’14.
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