4th of July and every thought turns to THE beach. It just wouldn't be right if ya didn't go to the red-neck riviera, and blow up some M-80's. So.........every next thought turns to "Willard's Fireworks"............one of those super-iconic Myrtle Beach titles like Mammy's Kitchen, THE Pavililion, Swamp Fox and Spanish Galleon.In 1969, there was only one "Willard's" location on old US 17 at Nixon crossroads...right up the hill from the old swing bridge. In those days, it wasn't "old" 17, it WAS 17. But, that summer, Mr. Hope Willard had become the promoter of the local dirt track, the newly named "Little River Raceway". For its first three seasons, the track was known as "Grand Strand Raceway" but that all changed with Mr. Willard and his new managment team. Willard's '66 Chevy pick-up truck also received a brand-new paint/lettering job and became a yellow/white (with race tires) #10 a rolling race car inspired billboard for the track........ 30 years before race trucks existed.Ahh, the air was electric..........that Saturday night 40 years ago. The infield pit area was jam full of race cars, plenty of late models for their special "twin 50" program, and the ever-popular 6 cylinder powered "jalopys". As if the racing program weren't enough, the advertised firework spectacular had everybody on the edge of their seat. Afterall, who could put on a better firework show that the master himself..........Mister Willard Fireworks?? The place was standing-room-only.The program was smoothly clicking along........practice, heats, the jalopy main, and the late models had lined up for their first 50 lapper. SOON the lights would be dimmed and the gala firework display would begin after this first 50 lapper. The race began, uneventfully, and was shaping up as a barn-burner. Coming outta the 4th turn, battling for the lead, and side-by-side was local hero H.P. Larrimore of Conway in his gold/white #9 Chevelle, AND the orange/white #82 Chevelle of "Big Daddy's Papa" Sam Ard of Florence. Neither Ard nor Larrimore gave and inch, and as they apporached the first turn, they were still dead-even.But, as they approached the first turn, a STREET CAR, a big green land yacht, a Pontiac Grand Prix, lunged out of the infield in a effort to exit the speedway via the first turn cross-over/pit gate. The Pontiac sped onto the speedway and right into the path of the still dead-even Ard and Larrimore. WHAM!!!!! Both race cars slammed into the passenger side doors of the big Grand Prix. The double impact lifted the Pontiac straight up into the air, spinning it about 180 degrees before it landed, right side up, and pointing back towards the infield, from which it came. Best I can recall, that was the first and only time in my 47 year stock car carreer that I ever saw a street car take out ANY race car, much less the two lead cars.The rest of the field got slowed down, and nobody else ran into the Pony-ack or Sammy and H.P.............both DONE for the night. I just recently learned that H.P. had to have a 'new' (another '55 chevy front end, as that was the car's chassis) front clip on his car....and took it to Florence, S.C.'s Junior Johnson for the repairs. Also, years later, I learned the tantalizing details..........the green Pony-ack driver had managed to get into a race-track-infield "fight". Remember it WAS the 4th of July, and, evidently, he was loosing the battle. After a momentary break in the action, he promised to............. "go home and get my gun........................." thus explaining the hastily attempted exitThe rest of the night, including the fireworks display, must have paled in comparison to this un-rehearsed activity. I don't remember much about the race, who won, or anything, and my dad was a participant. Funny how 40 years works on the ol' memory. Come to think of it, didn't Neil Armstrong and the moon rocket land that very same day? Nevertheless, I won't soon forget the loud WHAM, and the big green monster with the white vinly top rising skyward and pirouetting perfectly.......... all in a cloud of red dust.....................GOOD TIMES on the 4th of July!