Richard Petty 200th with Ronald Reagan 1984 Daytona Firecracker on TV TONIGHT - June 30

SPEED TV at 8:00 pm Thursday June 30 is supposed to have a 1 hour restrospective titled "The Day" recapping Richard Petty's 200th career win and President Ronald Reagan's visit to Daytona on July 4th, 1984. That was the best 4th of July picnic I was ever invited to and I hope they show Tammy Wynette snuggling with Reagan in the old Daytona GN garage as she sings "Stand by Your Man". I thought it deserved it's own headline so everyone who wants to see it tonight will know.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Thanks, Dave. I watched that, thanks to your post or otherwise I wouldn't have known it was on. What a great honor to The King, The President, and the time when our country was truly great!! The U.S.A. has the potential to return to greatness but certain individuals must be returned to the slum areas from whence they sprang.


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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

I thought the show was exceptionally well done. Lots of video footage I hadn't seen before. And I think Speed / NASCAR Media Group did a great job with the dual stories: the focus on the King's possibly winning #200 and the patriotic campaign stop by President Reagan.

Having commentary from Richard, Cale, Bobby, etc. was to be expected. But having the additional input from Chris Wallace and the guy from the President's advance team also added perspective.

I think my 2 favorite quips were:

• Buddy Parrott saying they had a tough time getting through tech. He said "it was ... uh... a nice piece" followed by a sly chuckle.
• The King recalling how he slowed the pace a bit on Cale when he realized the 28 was really pushing him. He said he figured out how he could "hoodwinkle" him.

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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.

So right TMC, loved the quotes from many of the ones shown last night. I didn't like seeing the race at Charlotte and the problems after the race. Kidda put a cloud on the theme of the show, but I guess it was needed to explain why Petty left PE and joined Curb. All in all, love it and thought it was honest and true. Good piece...

I'll have to chime in and agree with the thoughts y'all have expressed. I thought the show was surprisingly well done and my wife and I jumped out of our recliners when they showed Tammy with Reagan. More than anything else (other than Richard winning) when Tammy came out and she and Reagan bussed, it was the absolute highlite of the day and those assembled went nuts. It was one of those defining moments you'll carry with you the rest of your life. I didn't think there was any way they could show it, but just before Tammy came out, the old man, Bill France, Sr. put his arm around President Reagan and said, "Mr. President, what's all this old man s--- they keep talking about you and me?!" That one also brought down the house. I found out years later that my brother-in-law was on Air Force One that day. He worked Air Force Security ansd was stationed at Andrews at the time. Eveyone was right about the security. We went through metal detectors everywhere. They had prepared a room at the Indigo Resort kind of across International Speedway BLVD through the woods to use as a command center and had blocked off the roads all through that complex with dump trucks and earth movers. On top of the Daytona control tower and on the roof of the dog track, if you knew where to look, were a number of snipers/sharp shooters. I don't know of a more wonderful day my wife and I ever had in racing. It really contrasted with the visit to Daytona a few years later by President Bush (the senior). He wouldn't get out and mix and they actually locked the doors of the Infield Media Center for about 45 minutes during the race and wouldn't let anybody in or out. Any support he had from the motorsports media wqas lost that day. But again, I think they did a surprisingly good job in an hour, especially for it to have been a NASCAR production.


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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

I was there when Bush showed up in 1992 and he was booed from the main grandstand. It was real hot that day, real hot !

Ronald Reagan in my opinionwas thegreatestAmercian president of the 20th century and he truly loved America.

What a story book day for Richard. What can you stay ? He drove a great race period.

I was at the 92 Pepsi 400 too. Richard was the outside of the front row & led those 1st 10 laps. But the King about sweltered to death standing there in that July heat in his driver uni for about 2 hours. What I remember about Pres. Bush was when they let him ride in the pace car. France Jr was driving and they were doing the normal 80-90 MPH to stay on the banks. A black Secret Service Suburban was riding beside the pace car on the track apron trying desperately to keep up. We laughed - yet shuddered - wondering how much armament must have been in that thing.


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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.