The Things We Did for Earnhardt & Childress to Keep Them Going

In looking through Google News Archives yesterday to read a story about Mark Martin earning the Richmond Pole as a Rookie in 1981 and not being able to start his car at race time because of a rag left between the carburetor and air cleaner, I stumbled across another 1981 story that reminded me of something I had completely forgotten.

That story concerned efforts by sponsor, Wrangler to get money to Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt after they teamed for the final 11 races of 1981 following Earnhardt's and Wrangler's departure from the Jim Stacy team after the August 1981 Talladega race. Earnhardt was originally being sponsored by Wrangler in the #2 Rod Osterlund Pontiac for 1981 and without warning the team was sold to Stacy in July.

Wrangler had already done several fairly unusual things for Dale. In January 1981 I sat down with him at Daryl's Restaurant on Church Street in Greensboro, NC and signed a $100,000 Personal Services Contract. That meant Dale would earn $100,000 from Wrangler regardless of what he did in the car on the track. That was big money for 1981 and not many NASCAR drivers could boast such a deal.

Wrangler also put its in-house accounting department in charge of auditing the sale of Dale Earnhardt souvenirs. That meant that all money dealings between Dale and Little Bud Moore regarding the sale of Dale Earnhardt items had the money flow through the Blue Bell, Inc. accounting department for a complete audit and reconciliation to assure Dale received what he was entitled to receive from the sale of his souvenirs.

When Wrangler and Dale joined Richard Childress for the final 11 races of 1981, Wrangler incurred tremendous unanticipated expenses. First, we had to scrap all postcards, print materials, press kits, posters and advertising materials with the #2 car on them and reshoot materials with a #3 Childress car.

Childress tow vehicles & race cars had to be painted, as well as other peripheral gear.

In order to get Childress' race shop up to speed, Wrangler bought a great amount of equipment so that the Richard Childress operation would be on the same footing as other major NASCAR teams in terms of shop equipment.

Wrangler also paid the salary of Dale's former crew chief at Osterlund, Doug Richert when he joined Childress. We also paid the salary of PR rep, Joe Whitlock and secretary, Judy Tucker who had been let go by Stacy, as well as buying office equipment for them.

We paid for fabricator, Robert Gee to hang superspeedway bodies on the Childress cars.

We also did what I had forgotten - we negotiated with 11 racetrack promoters to pay to Childress and Earnhardt the same Winner's Circle money the Osterland/Stacy team received.

I believe that amounted to something like $6,000 a race, but don't hold me to that figure. However, it was money Richard Childress had never seen before.

We went to Darwin Doll at Michigan, Gary Baker at Bristol, Red Tyler at Darlington, Paul Sawyer at Richmond, Denis McGlynn at Dover, Clay Earles at Martinsville, Enoch Staley at North Wilkesboro, Humpy Wheeler at Charlotte, Frank Wilson at Rockingham, Walter Nix at Atlanta and Les Richter at Riverside. All eleven agreed to pay Childress the money to compete.

When Wrangler left Childress for Bud Moore after 1981, we also helped get Piedmont Airlines to sponsor Childress with Ricky Rudd and we left behind all the shop equipment we bought for Richard. To this day, Richard Childress owes a bundle to Wrangler for his success.

Here is the article I mentioned below. Forgive my lack of talent in printing from Google News Archives. I have attempted to hand write what didn't transfer very well and that doesn't look too good. I hope you can figure it out and enjoy reading the piece. We pulled out all stops at Wrangler for both Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt.

Did you check the book?

I love playing this role:

Tried to look up "Winner's Circle Plan" at the "New" NASCAR.com - Got the message below:

Restricted Access

Access to Restricted Pit Crew denied.

Now we can say it right to your face... "WE TOLD YOU SO. THE NEW NASCAR.COM SUCKS."

Those folks over at the new NASCAR Social Media Spy site must have it all balled up. NASCAR has finally reached the point that most of its employees know absolutely nothing about racing - or, evidently, running a web site.

Maybe we can get Mark Martin to send one of his publisher's other titles over to NASCAR.com:

Interesting!

Dave, as always, your personal experiences are priceless when it comes to presenting the history of this wonderful sport. Thank you for taking time to add such stories as this one. Adds much to my memories of certain great times.

Thank you, Tim and Cody.

Here is a link to another very interesting Google News Archive story from the Sumter, SC newspaper.

This story contains quotes about Earnhardt, Childress and Wrangler from Humpy Wheeler telling why he was "paying up."

You'll also see a quote from Joe Whitlock about the possibility of getting lawyers involved in the distribution of Winner's Circle payouts, as well as NASCAR starting to backpedal on how the program might work in the future.

Cody, of particular interest to you, residents around Dawsonville, and Bill Elliott fans might be that at the time, Alexis Leras (a good friend) was NASCAR PR head. She was later hired by Harry Melling and relocated to Dawsonville to become PR Rep for Melling Racing and the Bill Elliott team - soon to be a major rival of Dale Earnhardt. Bob Bahre later hired Alexis and she moved from Dawsonville to New Hampshire when New Hampshire got a Cup race.

Here's the link below to the story - full of interesting quotes :

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZBwyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yKoFAAAA...

Another interesting story from Associated Press:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vqMeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vs0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6641,2635238&hl=en

Whitlock: "It was a pretty gutless decision to give Stacy Winner's Circle status..."

Wow. Strong words. Almost the end of an era with a driver, owner, sponsor, PR rep, etc. candidly calling out NASCAR like that in a public forum.

Didn't know that Dave. Thanks!

Thanks, Woody. That is indeed the #02 pole winning car for the Wrangler SanforSet 400 driven by Mark Martin.

Cody, you ought to find the article at this link interesting. Alexis Leras relates how the Elliott crew would honor deceased crew member Mike Rich at Rockingham's pit crew competition with a "Missing Man" formation - leaving the right rear tire untouched on the stop in the competition:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19911018&id=...

That was some pretty amazing support Wrangler had for Dale. I know he was ROTY and a 2nd year Cup champ. But with only a handful of races with him as Wrangler's "face" in 1981, that could have been (and maybe was) considered as a pretty big risk for the business. So props for standing behind him.

As a 43 fan, I only wish Petty Enterprises could have had the support of a company or two to solidly back them during the 60s and 70s.

Oh. Wait. Nevermind.

Photo of the Elliott / Mike Rich "missing man" formation at this link:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1980&dat=19911020&id=5ooiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=F68FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2867,4280022

Wellllll, there mighta been this too:

well, excuse me PK & Chase, but....

Doesn't that pic belong under the Danica - Stenhouse post? Oh wait, maybe I'm thinking of a cougar instead of a puma. Hmm...

Chase, I know you've written in your Bench Racing blog about Richard and Southern Pride Car Wash. Some folks just didn't want to spring for the King's appearance fee, lol!

Woody, I remember Mark's ASA car with the one rear spring. It was a slick setup and worked out great for him.

In 82 when Mark had his own team and was running for rookie of the year I was part timehelp on his crew at the track.

That year started off bad for him at Daytona. The engine was hydraulicked on Sunday morning. The crew chief elected not to do an engine change and so the engine did not make but a few laps before she let go. After that race the crew chief was let go too.

Later in the year the sponsor (Apache Stove) ran out of money so with everything else happening as well it spelled doom for Mark and his team.

Some Raytona and a couple of other photos of Mark's 1981 and 1982 cars at this link:

http://www.randyayersmodeling.com/modelingforum/viewtopic.php?t=75255&sid=cf4c8d8a70000d7154a2a181332b41ae

Kings don't come cheap. But doesn't he look hip in his crown?

Woody... maybe you know the answer to this....

Racing Reference lists Al Elmore of Bishopville, SC having driven 5 Cup races for DK Ulrich - 1 in 1979 and 4 in 1983.

However, original qualifying results for the 1981 Wrangler SanforSet 400 show Elmore qualifying 14th. In the race results, though, the 14th starting position is Ulrich. Wonder what happened between qualifying and race time at Richmond between Elmore and DK?

Unsure of that deal - but interested in learning. But not the first time that kind of deal happened. In the 1979 Daytona 125 qualifier, Bobby Fisher raced DK's #40 Buick but crashed. The car made the show anyway, but DK raced a repaired car to a 13th place finish.

Qualifier results:

http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1979-01/Q

D500 results:

http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1979_Daytona_500/W

lol, So that's why you're on so many forum discussions that reference food.....You still have the Munchies from walking thru the purple haze on Willies bus.....

Bill... my assistant NASCAR program manager at Wrangler, Mel Parkhurst spent a year or two on Willie's bus after the 1982 season - and yep, PK... you're right. Didn't pick up on the belt buckle change. Money talks, Nobody walks!

PK, Bong?, pot?, grass? For someone so quick to point this out you sure know all the "terms"....lol

As long as we are into Waylon & Willie, I may as well post what I have for many years considered my personal anthem. When you're out racing and partying, you can do do some pretty stupid things. Helps - as Johnny has already pointed out - to have that steady hand waiting for you.

Willie was in Lakeland,Florida in the early 80's at the Lakeland Arena and opened for Hank Williams Jr.. Great show and there was talk that a young fellow rode the bus all the way back to Texas and no one knew him. Every body thought he was with someone else.. Willie paid his way back to Florida.

Now, y'all gonna make me have to get out my Hippie to English Dictionary to understand what y'all are talking about. And, I haven't worn sandals since I was 3 years old.

Interesting story, Bill.

Bill... let's throw out a trivia question here. If you go by his racing nickname and home town, which driver might have been sitting upfront at that concert you describe?

See Bobby Bare quite frenquently on Midwest Country Saturday nights on RFD Network.

Can't think of Bobby without thinking of Detroit Iron and the way our cars used to be built.

Dave, Great question as his race compound was about 3-5 miles as the crow flies from the Arena. FRJ would have been there fer sure. I owned a company that was located on the airport in the old Piper aircraft building and we used to see him a lot around town in the off season.
When I first got to the concert I wondered why Willie was the opening act as he was really big at that time. It was soon apparent as willie was so mellow and cool and Hank Jr. was drunk before the show was half over. Hank had thrown his shirt to the ladies and was standing on his guitar amp and put on a rowdy heck of a show. I didnt see them as a natural pair but one great time was had by all.

In January 1990, a writer from the Lakeland Ledger called me in Richmond to request credentials for our Pontiac 200 February Busch Series race. He wanted to follow Joe's attempt to break into big time racing. I'll never forget that the fellow (whose name I don't recall) rode a train to Richmond and wrote a ton of stuff.

Seems like yesterday.

33 years ago today (on September 13, 1981) rookie Mark Martin was scheduled to start on the pole for the very first Wrangler SanforSet 400 at Richmond. In a story that has filtered down to become racing legend, the car wouldn't start because of a rag left between the carburetor and air cleaner, causing the late crew chief Bobby Jones to pitch a fit and Mark to be in the pits when the green flag dropped.

The day remains vivid to me because it was the first time my company, Wrangler Jeans (Blue Bell, Inc.) had sponsored a race and the event was in my hometown of Richmond. Benny Parsons would win the race for Bud Moore.

Reply by Dave Fulton on January 26, 2013 at 12:52pm

Here's something else Wrangler did. While we were sponsoring Dale Earnhardt, we were also running a country music program and signed singer, Willie Nelson to a personal services contract and began to sponsor his tours. You may remember one year remember seeing Chlidress' Earnhardt Wrangler car at Darlington with "Red Headed Stranger" painted on the rear "TV" panel instead of Wrangler.

Well, one of Willie's huge hits was "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." Unfortunately for us (Wrangler), the song contained a line with the lyrics, "Budweiser Buckles and soft faded Levis." That wouldn't do. So we went to the writer and original singer of the song, Ed Bruce (he also played in the Brett Maverick television show) and also signed him to a personal services contract. Then we paid him to change the copyrighted lyrics to the song from Levis to Wranglers. After that, Willie Nelson could perform the song on his tours to our satisfaction and we also had Bruce and his wife, Patsy under contract.

I brought Ed Bruce and his Cowboy Band to the 1983 Wrangler SanforSet 400 at Richmond. Between the Saturday Miller Time 150 Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race won by Morgan Shepherd over "Terrible Tommie" Ellis and final Winston Cup practice, Wrangler threw an infield barbecue for all the drivers, crews and media, with entertainment by Bruce and his band.

By the time the band finished, final Cup practice was underway. Several of Bruce's band ran from the infield and across the back stretch with Cup cars on the racetrack to try to get to the back gate and out of the infield. Well, Bill Gazaway and Dick Beatty about had heart attacks. I blew up at that bunch and screamed so many obscenities at them over the sound of race cars that I was hoarse and couldn't talk on Sunday. That was the end of me ever bringing a band or performer to a racetrack again.

Ed Bruce was on one of the television Country Reunion shows recently. Listen and see if you can pick up where he changed the original "Levis" lyrics to "Wrangler" for us and the belt buckle to Budweiser.