NASCAR Crew / Driver Plane Stuck in Mud at Concord Airport

Just saw this on the local Charlotte television news;

Plane Carrying NASCAR Drivers Gets Stuck In Mud At Airport
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By Jeff Gluck on Sep 27, 6:20p

From @scottspeed's Twitter account

Well, this sucks. A charter flight carrying several NASCAR drivers including Casey Mears, Scott Speed, Landon Cassill, Travis Kvapil, David Stremme and Paul Menard got stuck in the mud at Concord (N.C.) Regional Airport on Thursday afternoon while taxiing to take off for Dover.

Some NASCAR teams use charter flights to ferry crew members back and forth from the track instead of using their own plane. That was the case for those who were stuck on Thursday.

As you can imagine, the passengers on the flight had plenty to say about their experience (and ongoing delay):

twoninereyes
Well folks we cut the corner and we r stuck in the mud. I hope nobody is landing. pic.twitter.com/CbVEyPZo
Billy O
2 hours ago
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WendyVenturini
Our pilot just drove the plane off the runway and we're stuck in the mud at Concord Airport #notkidding
Wendy Venturini
2 hours ago
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DavidStremme
Well the plane we are on just dropped the wheels off the run way and got stuck. stay tuned to how this turns out
David Stremme
2 hours ago
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scottspeed
The idiot pilot turned too short and got stuck!!! No joke! #FeelingSafe pic.twitter.com/s3pRMdmg
Scott Speed
2 hours ago
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CJMearsGang
My camera is level right now, looks crooked because the guys up front ran the RR in the mud. We are stuck! instagr.am/p/QF7-ibBKh7/
Casey Mears
2 hours ago
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landoncassill
They cut the corner taxiing out and our plane is stuck in the grass at Concord Regional. Yay Miami Air!
landon cassill
2 hours ago
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TravisKvapil
Now we have to "lighten the load" get off the plane. He turned the corner to sharp and put the RR in the mud! Say tuned for photos
Travis Kvapil
2 hours ago
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DavidStremme
Better yet the other plane can't take off till we get unstuck pic.twitter.com/dOPesQwk
David Stremme
2 hours ago
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RCR27PMenard
Paul took a picture of @hoeg79's phone app. Chk it out! Yup, the plane is leaning! #stuckinthemud pic.twitter.com/eFjHdAdy
RCR 27 Cup Team
an hour ago
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WendyVenturini
Our 737 has blocked the runway. NO ONE can take off from Concord Airport. All team planes delayed at least 1 hour. #notkidding
Wendy Venturini
an hour ago
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TravisKvapil
We are switching planes now!! #737stuck
Travis Kvapil
an hour ago
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scottspeed
I feel like he didn't even TRY and make the corner!! pic.twitter.com/V8Qg6uyp
Scott Speed
an hour ago
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WendyVenturini
One pilot's "minor error" has just delayed several HUNDRED #NASCAR peeps. Concord Airport Runway closed at least 90 minutes.
Wendy Venturini
an hour ago
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landoncassill
Man the harpoons Concord Mills mall there are about 700 people from the Regional airport headed your way probably looking for beer and food!
landon cassill
38 minutes ago
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DavidStremme
I hope they bring another pilot in.
David Stremme
29 minutes ago
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twoninereyes
We have a solution. Clint is lifting the plane out of the mud. Red bull gives u wings. Beer gives u strength pic.twitter.com/OAUjtxOf

I'm reminded of Cale Yarborough's reply to Darrell Waltrip getting stuck in the turn 1 infield mud at Michigan in 1982...

"How'd it feel getting bogged down there?"

Was this the pilot?

A longtime friend of mine was on this particular plane...his wife called me this morning to tell me about it. She said that it was a horrible night for all involved. She said that when he called her, he said they were taxiing down the runway to take off and the pilot just turned, like he was going to cut across or something...LOL By the time they all finally arrived in Dover, they were starved and exhausted. Not to mention the fact that having to be in the garage by 6:30 am......would make for a long and tiring day for them. Not happy campers.....any of them, I am sure!

During 1984 SpeedWeeks at Daytona, one of the Southland Corporation pilots turned off the taxiway too tight and got one of the huge 7-Eleven Gufstream G-II 14 passenger jets full of execs coming in to see the Daytona 500 stuck in the mud. Years later the ground crews at Daytona still had not forgotten. After the incident, I tried to avoid having to go to the Daytona aviation terminal to meet any 7-Eleven planes.