by: Tim Leeming
Last week, in my Legendtorial, I made mention of a commercial shown during the Kansas race ONLY ONE TIME, in which NASCAR acknowledged its beginnings in the Southeastern United States. The commercial contained some excellent historic video from the early days and was, in fact, a commercial that caught my immediate attention. There was something about the look back to Darlington in the mid-sixties and the earlier dirt track days being acknowledged by the sanctioning body that warmed my heart to think that those of us here who were so loyal to the sport, are being acknowledged for that loyalty. Especially after being overlooked, ignored, belittled, and abandoned over the past ten years. A friend of mine saw the commercial as well so I know it is not a figment of my imagination. The commercial ends with the script across the screen stating that this is “The United States of NASCAR” as explained by the growth of the sport across the U.S.
I set out to find out where I could view the commercial again, say on YouTube, or on the NASCAR commercial site, and yes, there is such a site, or anywhere else. I could not find it. PattyKay went on the hunt and she could not find it. When PattyKay couldn’t find it I would have thought of hallucinations had not my friend acknowledged the existence of that spot. I emailed Buz McKim at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and, as of this writing, he has not located a source, but is looking. I posted a request on the NASCAR website and several parties responded with ideas, but still nothing. It was interesting however, that two of those responding actually read my Legendtorials on the Home Page and were very complimentary, for which I thank them.
With all that effort by so many without success, my only shot was the hope the commercial would air during the Martinsville race but, alas, it did not. At least I didn’t see it and I tried to watch every commercial break. But I hope it is shown again, and shown many times because it will help, I think, introduce the newer fans to the fact that we have a great heritage to this sport and while it is still debated whether stock car racing began in Georgia or North Carolina, the fact is, it began in the Southeast. I don’t think there is a dispute to that. Being a South Carolina boy, I’m proud to say it may not have started around here but it certainly flourished here. Just think; if Harold Brasington hadn’t taken such a chance on a place called Darlington, would there ever have been a Daytona? A Charlotte? Harold started the super speedway asphalt era for NASCAR, although it took some time for other venues to come “on line”. So, whether born in Georgia, or North Carolina, the sport was brought into childhood in Darlington, South Carolina all those years ago.
As I have been spending a lot of time in a state of half awake, half asleep, the past week, my mind would roll back over all these years I’ve been a race fan. Part of those “roll back” experiences included recalling conversations I’ve had over the years with the sport’s pioneers and heroes, especially since becoming the front man for RacersReunion at so many events where I get to meet fans and hang with those said heroes. But what really came to mind this week was a conversation Tim Flock and I had way back in ’93 or ’94 when we spent the day together at an event in Cayce, South Carolina. Anyone who ever encountered Tim knows he could hold your attention for hours with the recollections he had of the early days. He was, you know, one of the very first “superstar status” drivers. Anyway, during the conversation, Tim was telling of all the tracks he had run all over the country. I also remembered a conversation with The King once when he mentioned they travelled all over the country when he was a kid and his Dad was racing. I decided to do a little research into this “United States of NASCAR” deal just to see if it is a current day thing inspired by fans all over the country or the sanctioning body’s never ending efforts to encompass new markets, whether or not they may be want encompassed, and, believe it or not, some places don’t want them. I can think of a location in New York and one in Washington State that have said “no thank you”.
I decided to go to my research source and do a little checking. For me, my research source for all things concerning NASCAR Cup racing, from “Strictly Stock” to Grand National to Winston Cup, to Nextel Cup to Sprint Cup to the soon to be “Rice Cup”, does not involve the computer. Instead, I head for my trusted “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing” volumes authored by Greg Fielden. I got to meet Greg in Hillsborough last month, which was a very exciting event for me. When Greg came out with the first volume, I called to order it and ended up speaking with his mother. Over the release of the next three volumes, I always spoke with his mother and my order was shipped immediately. Greg even autographed a couple of them. What an extremely nice memory it is for me to think back on those pleasant conversations with that wonderful lady. But whoa, I’m a little off subject here. Forgive me.
For the my purposes here, I am considering the States of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida as the base “Southeastern U.S.”
It really only took the 1949 through 1952 seasons, four seasons, reading Volume One of the “Forty Years” to show the very obvious. The United States of NASCAR did NOT begin with the marketing efforts of current NASCAR management or advertising experts. For instance, in 1949, there were 8 Strictly Stock races, 5 of which were in the Southeast. The other three were in Pittsburgh, PA, Hamburg, NY and one in Langhorne, PA which drew 20,000 spectators.
In 1950, the circuit, now known as The Grand National, ran 19 races, only 8 of which were in the Southeast. Tracks from Langhorne, PA, to Dayton, OH, to Hamburg, Rochester, and Vernon, NY along with Winchester, IN, played host to the traveling band of wheel warriors.
In 1951, the Grand Nationals ran 41 total races, 19 of which were in the aforementioned Southeastern States. Added to the tracks that hosted events in 1950 were venues in Gardenia, California, Phoenix, Arizona, Detroit, Michigan, Toledo, Ohio, Oakland, California, Hanford and Thompson, Connecticut and other locations in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
1952 included 34 Grand National Races, 21 of which were in the Southeastern States I designated. But, please note there were several venues in Ohio including, Dayton, Canfield, and Toledo, in addition to venues in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York as well as Indiana. And... Ready for this?... also in Ontario, Canada!
While doing my research for this Legendtorial, because it was the Tim Flock conversation of all those years ago that brought these things to mind, I was especially cognizant of Tim’s performances in events. Let me point out this one little aside. Between June 1, and July 20, 1952, the circuit ran TEN races, on tracks from Ontario, Canada, to Hillsborough, NC, to Toledo, OH, to Detroit, MI, South Bend, Indiana and five other locations from New York to Michigan. Tim’s record in those ten events is SIX wins and TWO second place finishes. And 1952 is not even close to being the best season Tim Flock had in racing. Oh, and remember this: In 1952, there were no Interstate Highway systems to make those trips, just two-lane black top with little towns every few miles. Someone please tell me why he is NOT already an inductee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame? I’m well aware of the many adverse opinions in our group regarding the NASCAR HOF, so I will only say that ignoring Tim Flock as an inductee while including Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip, and I mean NO disrespect to Rusty and Darrell, just absolutely baffles me. As I have said before, I know how difficult it is to decide who should be in and who should be out, based on my experience trying to pick inductees for our RacersReunion Hall of Fame at Memory Lane Museum in Mooresville. Yes, I know I have gotten off-track again, but please forgive me.
The point of this Legendtorial is to point out that, for race fans, we have ALWAYS been the United States of NASCAR. In all my years of going to races all over, even once to a track in Trenton, NJ sometime in the 70s, I have met people, not only from all over the country, but from other countries as well. This site has members all over the world, some of whom I hear from regularly, in Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, England, and in India. In fact, there is a fine young man in India who comments on Forum posts regularly. The sport unites us, even today, in spite of our differences of opinion about such things as the Hall of Fame in Charlotte and as to the drivers we support. While I thoroughly enjoyed watching that commercial for the historic video, those now in control of NASCAR advertising need to know that this concept of a National Sport is nothing new. While they are at it, they may wish to research the ventures into England back in the sixties and to Japan not all that long ago.
I suppose, overall, we have an international sport. We have people the world over who keep up with the sport. Whether or not I like everything going on today in the sport, is not nearly as important as knowing that it was me, and so many like me all over this country, who traveled all over to watch our favorites race. We bought the tickets, the programs, the often terrible track food and it was through our efforts that the sport grew. Grew into what now is proclaimed as “The United States of NASCAR”. To all of us gathered here tonight, and to those of you who will read this later, let us not forget from where the sport came, while remembering to continue our efforts to direct its future along the path to prosperity. If that sounds a little political, it IS that season. But the bottom line is that I want a successful NASCAR. NASCAR is now listening to us. Not only my diatribes, but to the rest of the United States of NASCAR. We, the people, have a voice so let’s keep using it.
-Tim
Email: legendtim83@yahoo.com
Twitter: @legendtim83
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