“Flyin’ Brian” McCarthy was one of the most colorful personalities in Speedbowl history and a winner in the both Late Model divisions the track has had over the course of its history.
Getting his start in the old Grand American division in the mid-1970’s, when Modified car owner Al Gaudreau challenged a young McCarthy, who had little experience racing at the time, could jump in Mike Daignault’s potent #76 car and come within a second of Mike’s average lap time. Brian did just that and his racing career began.
McCarthy got his first Speedbowl win on July 2, 1977. He would end up battling Wayne “Mr. Mysterious” Smith for the track championship that year. A mere 7 points behind going into the scheduled last race, which was worth double points, the event was rained out and track owner Harvey Tattersall Jr chose not to reschedule, clinching the championship for Smith, and leaving McCarthy as the runner-up.
The Speedbowl dissolved the Grand Americans after the 1979 season, with McCarthy choosing to compete in the Super Stocks, a division that was upgraded from Street Stocks the previous year (and has evolved into today’s current Late Model division). Winning in each of the first 5 Super Stock seasons (1980-1984), he was always a title contender, finishing 2nd to Harry Rice in 1980, and runner-up again in 1982 to Andy Guimond despite co-leading the division with 7 wins. He would win 4 times in 1983 and 5 more in 1984. Nobody won more Super Stock races from 1980-1986 than Brian McCarthy.
McCarthy’s “slideways” driving style through the turns made him a fan-favorite with the Speedbowl faithful. He put it all together in 1986, winning 6 races and finally capturing a Speedbowl Championship. His last 3 wins at the track came in 1987.
McCarthy won 3 more races in 1987 and finished 5th in points and then left the Speedbowl’s weekly competition. At the time, his 28 career wins in the division were a track record, although Phil Rondeau would eclipse it the following season.
McCarthy would sporadically return to the Speedbowl throughout the 1990’s, but never as a regular weekly competitor nor did he visit victory lane again after the track was repaved prior to the 1988 season. “Flyin” Brian’s charismatic personality and entertaining driving style made him a fan-favorite who is still remembered fondly to this day.
STATISTICAL SNAPSHOT
| TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS | 1986 Super Stock (now the current Late Model division) |
| CAREER WINS | 29 – (1 Grand American, 28 Late Model) |
| SPEEDBOWL RECORDS | 25 wins during the Super Stock era (1980-1986) of the Late Model division |
| SPEEDBOWL FIRSTS | 1st driver to win 20 races in the current Late Model division |
| Late Model Career Wins leader from 1984-1988 | |
| OTHER NOTABLE STATS | won 2 Late Model races on July 10, 1982 |
| AWARDS & HONORS | 2000 Speedbowl’s 50 Favorite Drivers |
BRIAN McCARTHY
SPEEDBOWL PHOTO ALBUM
