We were greeted by a lovely lady that treated us like the royalty we certainly were not, throughout our visit. She guided us through the garage area, which had highly polished floors that you could have eaten from without concern. Work was proceeding on at least a couple of cars, but we couldn't get up close and personal with them, as they were behind velvet ropes, obviously there to suggest to visitors that this area was restricted. Look, but do not touch! We obliged.
Then came the older cars; some that had helped win Championships and a couple that had somewhere lost the battle with a wall. And then, there was my husband's favorite, he being the hunter while I was the race fan... the trophy room. If anyone has forgotten or did not know, Richard and Dale were both avid hunters and the imposing size of some of the now stuffed creatures lurking in that room well attested that they hit their targets regularly. Deer? Certainly... but also moose, black bear, mountain lion and African lion all glowered at visitors through glass eyes looking real enough to scare small children back through the door by which they entered.
Lastly, the nice lady took us back to the front of the building and into an office which was also serving then as a place to display trophies and memorabilia. That was as close as I ever got to an actual Winston Cup, and I promise, I was properly awed by being allowed to touch it. All throughout our tour, the lady and I had been talking. We were girls, after all. Now, back in the office, the topic of the Daytona 500 came up. Remember, this was 1990, and if you check the record books, you'll see that Derrike Cope won the race that year.
If you are or were ever an Earnhardt fan, you will know that Dale dominated throughout most of the race and still held the lead by a wide margin as he approached the fourth turn... the turn that eleven years later would claim his life. Then he slowed... markedly... flat tire! Once again, Daytona had beaten him. As she and I talked of that day, there was no way to disguise the tears that came down both her cheeks and mine. We both had wanted him to win so badly, but it wasn't to be for another eight years.
On Wednesday last, I was working on an article and listening to the music on my page when my personal chat box opened and someone told me of the passing of Cecil Gordon, one of our "Independent" racers of bygone days and long-time member of RCR. Her name is Carole Houchins, and as we talked on and off through the day, it came to light that she IS that sweet lady who was our guide all those years ago. She and I found it pretty special that we had actually cried together way back then. Now though, she sheds more tears at the loss of a close friend. Sometime, way back through the years, she worked as Cecil's spotter, and then of course, worked with him at RCR as well.
Carole had the advantage on me, in that she knew I was a writer because she reads my columns when I post them here on RacersReunion. She asked me if I might do a piece on Cecil, and I kind of put her off, as I don't do very well writing about folks I've never met. Cold facts on paper, after the fact, don't really give an accurate feeling of what a person was like when living.
BUT... what I do have, that others do not, is the feelings of many of Cecil's old friends, coworkers and racing buddies right here at RR, which they have been kind enough to post upon learning of his passing. After reading so many of them, I feel so sorry that I never got to know this man. I know I would have liked him very much because so many of my friends did.
Please allow me here to give you a brief part of Cecil's obituary notice, as published by BlueRidgeNow.com on Wednesday, September 19, 2012:
Cecil Owen Gordon, 71, passed away in his home in Lexington, NC on Sept. 19, 2012, after a short battle with cancer. He was the son of the late Rupert and Mildred Gordon of Mills River, NC. He was also preceded in death by his daughter, Charlene Gordon.
He is survived by his wife, Elaine, of the home; sons, Douglas Gordon (Susan) and Tyler Carpenter, all of Morganton, NC; daughter, Stefanie Gordo, of Durham, NC and son, Jonathon Gordon, of the home; a brother, Lee Gordon (Joyce), of Mills River, NC, and a sister, Carolyn Carland (Wayne), of Mills River, NC.
Cecil's racing career spanned the years from 1968 through 1985, though in the last three years, he ran only 12 races with just one coming in 1985. After that, he spent 10 years as Shop Foreman for RCR before moving to Travis Carter Racing with Jimmy Spencer's team from 1995 until 2000 when he retired after knee surgery. It occurs to me now, 22 years after the fact, that I probably did at least have a nodding acquaintance with Cecil, as there were several Goodwrench clad men at work in the garage when we stopped to gawk.
For an independent racer, which translates to one without factory backing or nationally known sponsor, Cecil acquitted himself quite well. While racing, he ran 449 races without a win, but chalked up 29 top-5s and 111 top-10s. Between 1971and1976 Cecil finished in the top-10 in points six straight years. His best points finish was third, and he did that twice, 1971 and 1973. He scored his best career finish at Dover when he finished second to David Pearson in the 1975 Mason-Dixon 500 on May 18, 1975.
Now, because I didn't know Cecil personally, please accept instead of my words, the words of some folks that did. (There is simply not room to reprint all the words that have been said here about Cecil, so I have chosen a select few. If your post is not one of those that follow, I still love you; it's only that those reading this didn't come to stay the week. )
Posted by Randy Myers,
I spoke with David Smith. He and Will Lind went to visit him yesterday but he had already lapsed into a coma. I knew Cecil from his racing days as well as his time at RCR. He and his wife operated a Hot Dog House/Ice Cream parlor in the shopping center in Midway that I helped manage as well. They were great people. David said there will be some type of memorial service next Monday or Tuesday at RCR. I'll post the details as I get them from David.
Posted by Billy Biscoe
DEVESTATING NEWS.....I let Cecil drive one of my vintage racers last year at Occoneechee with the gentleman's agreement that he would bring me a composition book of his own personal career highlights back with him this year. I've managed to follow his health issues thru a personal friend, Carol Houchins, who is employed at the RCR museum and had very special ties back to when Cecil was one of NASCAR's top independents. Now this, a mere nine days before our celebrated reunion at Hillsboro, NC.
This my fellow racers and fans is why you need to make the Occneechee-Orange Speedway event a spot on your BUCKET LIST, you're not promised Tomorrow.
May you rest in peace my dear freind, you and your entire family will be remembered in our nightly prayers. Arustyracer
Posted by Tim Leeming
I was privileged to sit next to Cecil at the autograph table last year at the Stocks For Tots event at The NASCAR Institute. Every time a fan would hand Cecil one of the "hero cards" from back in the days of his racing career, you could tell the emotion inside him as he looked at it carefully and signed each autograph in a slow and deliberate way. He truly appreciated his fans.
After the event Cecil and I chatted for a few minutes before we went our separate ways. He remarked that he is always amazed how fans remember him and, he said, seem to look back to the old days of racing. I don't think he realized how big a part of the building of the sport he really was.
I have many wonderful memories of Cecil and his racing career. We laughed about that day in Charlotte, all those years ago, when he was driving his own tow truck out of the track and I climbed on the running board and talked his ears off for 15 minutes in all that traffic. Cecil was truly the epitome of a great guy. God bless his family and comfort them and all of Cecil's friends.
Posted by Will Cronkrite
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Cecil.
He provided me with my second job as a crew chief, and was more than willing to give me a great opportunity. He was kind enough to allow me to make my own decisions after discussing things with him regarding the race team and would allow me to accept the responsibility if I screwed something up and was quick to provide praise if things went well. This specific photo was taken after a call that was made in the pits regarding tire management at the first race that I attended with Cecil as his crew chief.
[caption id="attachment_2488" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Photo courtesy of Will Cronkrite (left)[/caption]
He expected a spotless shop and immaculate race cars, and that is one of my strong points, so we meshed well from the start. We raced this year with ONE car and ran 33 or 34 races. The gentleman kneeling is Michael Hill from Spartanburg and was my first and ONLY crew member for that entire year. Things sure have changed.
During my entire employment, he never missed a paycheck, was always courteous, friendly and listened to ideas that did not originate with him. This first car was the first in NASCAR to utilize a rear sway bar, when Bobby Isaacs sat on the pole, led all the laps and won an invitational race at the Hickory Motor Speedway. He was always willing to squeeze out a dollar or two if I wanted to build a fixture, or build a 'test' component for an upcoming practice.
In hindsight, I can think of no negative things to associate with Cecil. He was a class gentleman, and will surely be missed.
Rest In Peace, my friend!
Posted by LaVerne Zachary
May you Rest In Peace. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.Was an honor to meet Cecil on several occasions.
[caption id="attachment_2489" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Photo courtesy of LaVerne Zachary[/caption]
Posted by Dennis Andrews [Son of Winding Wayne Andrews]
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. May the Lord comfort them in their time of loss. With no disrespect to the current generation for me the #24 will always be Cecil "Flash" Gordon.
Posted by Tommie Clinard
I was privileged to meet Cecil during my racing years. He was a regular at Middle Georgia Raceway running in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series that I was also racing in. Cecil won the track championship one year and that date escapes my mind. Cecil and Lee spent the night after the races at our home on several occasions before pulling back to Horseshoe, N. C. May you rest in peace Cecil my friend and prayers and condolences to your family.
As I said, there were many, many more, but my intent is to inform, not drive away our gentle readers. Those who knew him called him "Flash", which I guess is a natural for someone named Gordon. It is mere coincidence that today another man named Gordon drives the same #24 that Cecil drove all those years ago. The two are not related and I've no idea if they've ever even met.
No Cecil, though it appears that our paths crossed at least once, I never officially met you and cannot say that I knew you while you lived, but everything I've heard from friends since you left us makes me feel that I somehow know you now. Thank you dear man, for brightening the lives of so many in my racing family. You will be and indeed already are missed greatly!
A Memorial Service for Cecil Gordon will be at Shiloh Church, 943 North Hwy150, Lexington, NC on Monday the 24th at 11:00 am. Friends will be received at the home afterward at 337 Chestnut Grove Church Road on Hwy 150 in Lexington (Just down the road from the church.)
~PattyKay... by special request of Carole Houchins
