Hello All! I live in Spartanburg and was wondering if anyone can remember where Mario Rossi's shop was located when he had his race shop here. Any and all information or replies much appreciated.
updated by @brian-hill: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Hello All! I live in Spartanburg and was wondering if anyone can remember where Mario Rossi's shop was located when he had his race shop here. Any and all information or replies much appreciated.
Contack Bill Rossi he is here on RR that was his dad and Bill lives in Spartanburg
Thank you Mr. Phillips and Mr. Wood for your swift and informative replies. I had read about Mario having a shop here in town. When Stephens Aviation opened their facility at the GSP jetport in the late '60's / early '70's, they had exhibits in that new hanger. My cousin took me to it and I do remember seeing the Golden Products Dodge Daytona there. That was also the very first model car I built in my life. I hope they reissue it. But I digress. Not calling anyone old, LOL, but, seriously, it is getting more difficult to find folks who remember things like those race shops back then. Also, who owned the shop on the Asheville Highway that Dick Brooks ran the #32 Simoniz Dodge Charger out of? Wasn't that shop located near where the Goodwill store is now? I think Cotton Owens told me that the shop burned down. And, again, I really do appreciate the responses. Yall are awesome.
That would be awesome, sir, especially if you were the guide and gave us some background and stories at each stop.
These two Gene Granger articles in the September 24, 1974 and October 4, 1974 Spartanburg Herald-Journal chronicle the Dick Brooks Spartanburg Asheville Highway shop fire and its loss:
By the way, poor Dick Brooks started 36th and finished 36th in the 1974 Charlotte National 500, crashing out on lap 5.
Dave, thank you so much for posting those articles. So interesting, albeit so sad for Dick. So I guess that he was the owner of his own team on that deal. I always liked the Simoniz Dodge as it was a nice looking car. And, in ref to the article, I do remember S-Mart! I think the foundation for Dick's old shop is still there at the corner of Dexter and Asheville Hwy.
And talk about irony! According to Greg Fielden's book, it was Buddy Baker, driving the #15, RC Cola Ford who clipped Brooks from behind and ended both drivers' days! Apparently that was a hum-dinger of a wreck, taking out a lot cars. Almost Spartanburg's worst nightmare.
OMG! I'm afraid to ask if Pearson and Hylton survived! Great stuff sir!! Can't wait for the book. The first year I went to a race at Charlotte was the next year for the '75 World 600. We camped in the pecan grove on the track side of Hwy 29. I remember the little log cabin ticket booth. Would love to find the program for that race, but they're extremely pricey on Ebay.
Perry, I'm supposing it was the infamous "August Jam" rock concert of 1974 that destroyed all the grass at Charlotte:
Reawey Scawey....I would be terrified to be in a mob like that where help could not get to me....
Sounds like CMS needed BOA's "Jim Dandy to the Rescue."
Reply by Perry Allen Wood
"That is where Joe Weatherly showed my brother and parents and me the Texas Bloodsucker he had in a wood and wire box. He pushed a button and a fox tail jumped out and I ran right out into Reidville Road. I could have been killed."
=========================================================
MAYBE LITTLE JOE WEATHERLY GOT HIS "Texas Bloodsucker" JOKE FROM CURTIS "CRAWFISH" CRIDER.
CURTIS TURNER, LITTLE JOE WEATHERLY AND THE MONGOOSE PAGE 89.
CURTIS TURNER, LITTLE JOE WEATHERLY AND THE MONGOOSE PAGE 90.
CURTIS TURNER, LITTLE JOE WEATHERLY AND THE MONGOOSE PAGE 91.
HOW ABOUT SOME MOVIE PRODUCER MAKE A AUTO RACING MOVIE ON THIS BOOK: THE ROAD TO DAYTONA BY CURTIS "CRAWFISH" CRIDER AS TOLD TO DON O'REILLY.
THE ROAD TO DAYTONA FRONT BOOK COVER
THE ROAD TO DAYTONA BACK BOOK COVER
Thanks for any information or photos posted.
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.USA
