This past week, a Blog post was added to the site by Tony Whetstone. Whether you all know it or not, I read every word that is posted to this site every day. I comment on some, but most I read and store away for future reference. When I don’t comment, it’s not because the post doesn’t interest me because, believe me, everything posted on this site by members is special to me in its own way. Such was Tony’s Blog post. The reason for the title of this Legendtorial results from my contacting Tony via e-mail to ask permission to use his Blog and his name in this Legendtorial. He was most gracious in allowing me such a privilege.
I will not recite his Blob post here, but would encourage you all to go to the Blogs at the left column of the Stock Car Page and read his. It is entitled “Our Hero’s”. It is short, to the point, and was very touching to me. Tony starts out by mentioning such famous folks as Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Tiny Lund, Wendell Scott, Don Gartlitts and others, most of whom we all have heard. But Tony goes on to say that his two biggest heroes were/are his oldest brother, Larry Yardley, and his “Mom”. He does not name his Mom, but that’s ok. We know she is Tony’s Mom. What was fascinating about the post was the description Tony gives us of how his brother handled a race car. Go read the Blog and be impressed. I was. Then, and wait until you hear this, Tony’s Mom was a race driver as well! What is really impressive to me is that Tony goes on to say that he has met many of his “larger than life heroes” but that his older brother and Mom remain his biggest heroes. I think that speaks a great deal for the character of Tony Whetstone, his Mother and his older brother.
Our own Jeff Gilder commented on the post as to the women that have been involved in the sport, not only as drivers, but as supportive family to the drivers in their lives. He mentions Frances Flock. Mention of Frances set me thinking immediately that we have overlooked many of the women who have been behind the scenes but who are extremely important to the world of racing. Tonight, I would like to mention a few of those whom I have personally encountered over the years. Oh, yes, I know I have been the biggest critic of Sparkle Pony and chances are I will continue to be, because, in my opinion, Sparkle Pony is not worthy to even wash the dishes of the ladies I will mention tonight.
First, let's go to Louise Smith, Sara Christian and Ethel Flock. All of these ladies were drivers in NASCAR’s early days and although none won a Grand National race, all were forces in the early days. Although I never met Sara and Ethel, at least that I remember, I had several opportunities to encounter Louise Smith. Back in 1993 when I was hosting a radio racing show on the local FM sports station, we had a full day event at the business called “Race Time” located here. Among those attending were Joe Penland, Tim Flock, Raymond Parks, and several other early NASCAR icons. I heard, first hand, all the exploits of Louise Smith and had an interview on tape, which was never edited for air play, but was over an hour-long. Unfortunately, the radio station retained the tape and when I went over to get it, somehow it has been misplaced.
When I spent the day with Louise, she was the epitome of the Southern Belle type. In fact, the several times afterwards that I encountered her, she was always more like Melanie Hamilton from “Gone With the Wind” than she was Scarlett O’Hara. Sort of hard imagining her mixing it up on the dirt tracks but she did and she left her mark. Hanging on the wall here in the Lair is one of her die-cast cars she autographed for me. I have very special memories of that fine lady.
Frances Flock! What more can you say about a dedicated wife and then widow than you can say about Frances and her love for Tim. She was by Tim’s side throughout his racing career, his banishment from NASCAR, and then with him as he worked for Charlotte Motor Speedway traveling around from race to race as an ambassador for the track. When Tim passed away, Frances made the pledge that she would do whatever it took to keep his memory alive in the racing world. She worked tirelessly to promote Tim’s entry into NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, and this January, her dream will be realized. Tim is being inducted. Frances still travels around to many of the events in which RacersReunion is involved and she is always one of the highlights of the day. I have truly been honored to have become a friend of Frances Flock.
I want to also talk about a lady who brought laughter to so many during her life, Wanda Lund Early. Wanda was the widow of Tiny Lund. Their love story is well worth a Hollywood effort to make a love story movie about. Oh wait, don’t let Hollywood screw it up. Maybe The Hallmark Channel could do it justice but Hollywood would only try to add icing to a cake already so perfect that it defies description. It was my sincere pleasure, as well as my wife Ann’s pleasure, to have known Wanda. Let me tell you a little story about her personality. In 1992, when I was working with a major television network on a Christmas special show about racing families, I turned around in the pits to encounter Wanda and Doris Roberts, Fireball’s widow. I introduced myself and then talked to the Director of the program who agreed that would be a good addition to the special. This was Darlington, Labor Day, and presidential candidate Bill Clinton was making an appearance.
As the race got started, we sought and got permission to use the infield press facility for the interview in order to have some quiet. We were off to the corner of the room where Darlington was entertaining Clinton and all of the South Carolina democratic high folks, including at least a Senator and a couple of governors. Who do you think was getting the most attention? Yep, it was Wanda. Of course, the fact that we had the lights and camera focused on Wanda and Doris may have contributed to that attention a little, but it was really Wanda’s infectious personality that brightened up the place. Even Clinton got distracted watching what we were doing. Wanda was that kind of person. If you ever met her, you came away a better person for it.
Many of you may never had heard of Carol Bodie, but I can’t let this Legendtorial go by without mentioning her and what she did. My first encounter with Carol was when she was driving at Columbia Speedway in the Limited Sportsman Division as I recall. At one time she had a pink Pontiac she raced. I really have no special recollection of her success as a driver, but what she did after she retired from driving is to be commended. The Historic Columbia Speedway closed in the 70s for reasons that will always be debated but nevertheless it closed. Carol was not content to have racing cease in the area. She constructed, on her own property, a 3/8s (I believe is correct) dirt track where she staged races for almost 20 years. She called her creation “The New Columbia Speedway”.
I was both honored and shocked when Carol asked me to be the track announcer there about 1994. I spent two seasons announcing for the track’s weekly program, which included a number of classes. I got the opportunity to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Awards Banquet Carol put on at the end of the season for the drivers. Carol did that up first class for those drivers. Everything Carol Bodie did for racing was first class. I haven’t spoken to Carol in a couple of years but I guess I’m going to have to look her up now and she how she is. Last I heard, she was writing columns for a local weekly newspaper.
As Tony acknowledged his mother, I would also like to acknowledge mine. As I have referenced before, when I was going to races at a young age with Uncle Bobby, her brother, Mama would always remind me not to mention racing at church on Sundays. Back then, racing was not exactly the sport to be acknowledged in the Methodist Church. Her usual comment when I would ask her and my Daddy about going to a race was “I wouldn’t walk across the street to see a race if they paid me to come”. That all changed in 1963 when Richard Petty walked over to meet then while she was grocery shopping next door to the Chrysler-Plymouth dealership. After that encounter, Mama and Daddy went to the race at The Historic Columbia Speedway that night and the rest, as they say, is history. My Mama became one of the biggest fans of Richard Petty the world has ever known.
Race weekends would always find her, after we got the motor home in 1974, cooking and taking care of a whole gang until the green flag waved. When that race started, she was on top of the motor home watching the 43 every lap. One little story to relate here. In 1979, coming back from the Daytona 500 on Monday, we stopped at the Union 76 Truck Stop in Richmond Hill, GA, for lunch. As we were standing in line to pay, someone walked up behind Mama and put his arms around her neck and said “what are you doing here Mama?”. She turned around and was staring directly into the face of Richard Petty who had just won the Daytona 500 the day before. What a day that was for her, for all of us really, but especially for her. As I write this I can look just to my left where there is a picture of Mama and Daddy on top of the motor home and Mama has on that Richard Petty cap she always wore on race day.
And lastly, but certainly not the least, is my wife, Ann. When Ann and I first met in 1980, I’m not sure she had ever heard of stock car racing. She was a nurse with two young children and between her job and all the responsibilities she had with them, it certainly left little time for sports although she is a Carolina Gamecock fanatic. She just didn’t know about racing. Today, she is a fan, though not necessarily the “fanatic” that the term fan implies. She watches most of the races and she knows much more than she lets on. She actually surprises me at times with what she says when I had no idea she even knew about that particular subject. I’m not sure who her favorite may be, but I know she likes Jeff Gordon and doesn’t have a problem with Jimmy Johnson. I guess I’ll let her keep her favorite to herself so if it turns out to be one of those drivers I don’t especially care for, we won’t be throwing pots and pans through the kitchen!
To member, Tony Whetstone we give credit for this week's Legendtorial to include the women heroes stock car racing from your blog "Our Heroes". So, Tony Whetstone, thank you for the inspiration. I do hope you will write many more Blogs of your memories. Everything you remember about your brother and mother racing IS racing history and that’s what this site is about. We are honored that you are a member and chose to post that Blog.
