Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

1960 Empire State 200 Video - #42 & #43 with World Class Tail Fins!!

Stock Car Racing History

Instead of a Darlington stripe, looks like Lee put a Farmer's Tan on the his finned Plymouth.

Another Blown Busch Fuse??

Current NASCAR

In my best Foghorn Leghorn voice I can muster,

I say there, that boy's got more nerve than a bum tooth.
That dogs like taxes, he just dont know when to stop.

Ol' Kurt is clearly at another tipping point of his career. Earlier, another driver - Mr. Excitement - gave him an attitude adjustment. Who is the next to do so? His girlfriend would be best case scenario - but that ain't happening. His current owner could use some mountain-talk to shake him perhaps. The one thing he DOESN'T want is one of those big pit crew fellers to wring his neck.

All I know, is someone is going to have to take him behind one of these...

...and give him one of these...

May 13, 1967: Petty breaks the record

Stock Car Racing History

The King sets a new record for career NASCARGrand National victories with his win in the Rebel 400 at Darlington. He picks up win number 55 - breaking the previous record of 54 wins held by his dad, Lee Petty.

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-13-this-day-in-petty-history.html

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

May 11, 1974: The King rocks Music City USA

Stock Car Racing History

Here is JJH in victory lane with the Petty clan again at the 1974 Talladega 500.

How John Jay managed to land the top gig at STP - or anywhere else for that matter - is remarkable to me. In the late 1960s, he and his brother decided to launch a second major fried chicken chain to compete with KFC. They supposedly licensed Minnie Pearl's name for it - though there is some debate about how that deal worked contractually and financially. They took the company public without having any significant operations and were busted by the Securities & Exchange Commission.A lot of prominent Nashville area businessmen, politicians, and money-people lost a chunk.

The whole failed venture, scam, fraud or whatever you want to label it was told in Bill Carey's book about the history of many Nashville businesses: Fortunes, Fiddles & Fried Chicken . [ Click Here ] for an excerpt about JJH and his chicken business.

updated by @tmc-chase: 05/11/17 05:37:06PM

May 11, 1974: The King rocks Music City USA

Stock Car Racing History

Actually, the 1974 Music City 420 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway was STARTED on May 11. It FINISHED on May 12.

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-11-this-day-in-petty-history.html

Gotta love an old school race memory where the winner was greeted in victory lane by a guy named John Jay Hooker.

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

1957 Southern 500

Stock Car Racing History

With Darlington running its faux Southern 500 Saturday NIGHT, how about this video of the genuine Southern 500 on Labor Day 1957.

Uniquely but sadly, Bobby Myers is shown as the 2nd place qualifier in a Petty Enterprises Oldsmobile. Starting with a smile on his face and a wave to the camera, the track would make that day his last on this earth.

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

May 10: Two short track wins for Petty

Stock Car Racing History

And one miss for TMC that still selfishly hurts to this day.

May 10, 1966: Speedy Morelock 250 - Middle Georgia Raceway near Macon, GA (with a shout-out to RR's Tiger Tom Pistone)

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-10-this-day-in-petty-history-part-1.html

May 10, 1980: Music City 420 - Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-10-this-day-in-petty-history-part-2.html

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

May 9, 1970: A rough day for Ol' Blue at Darlington

Stock Car Racing History

A few days after Richard's accident, he was patched up and smiling again as he met with the Darlington race winner David Pearson for a Professional Drivers Association meeting.Also pictured are basketball player Larry Miller (between Pearson & Petty) and Leonard Laye, PDA's executive director.

Though the PDA's 'power' was almost immediately neutered shortly after its formation in 1969, the organization continued to exist through the early 1970s. But Laye left as executive director in September 1971 to work for the Gaston Gazette - the paper for whom Monte Dutton worked for many years. - DBMJ

May 9, 1970: A rough day for Ol' Blue at Darlington

Stock Car Racing History

That's pretty funny Jim. I'm not much of a gambling man beyond driving in rush hour traffic. But one year at Talladega as the green was about to unfurl, one of my 2 buds elbowed me. I'd already put on my headphones & was getting my scanner set. He said "who ya got?" I asked what he meant. "Twenty bucks - who ya got? Top finish from the 3 of us gets the pot." Apparently I was the 3rd of the 3 of us to choose. I asked who they had.

While I don't remember their picks, I remember who had NOT been picked. So I shouted as the green waved "Seriously? You're gonna let me take Earnhardt vs. the field?" They nodded so I took the black 3. With a couple of laps to go, they had their hand out & smiles on their faces figuring one of them was about to lift a Jackson off me. But I pointed to the track & said "Not yet. Watch." Yep, this was the 2000 fall Dega race and Earnhardt's last win. I'm the one who took great delight in pocketing $40 from the two of them.

May 9, 1970: A rough day for Ol' Blue at Darlington

Stock Car Racing History

Today is the anniversary of one of The King's most vicious wrecks. Richard Petty pounded the inside wall during the Rebel 400. I'm sure many in the stands and along pit road that day thought he was gone. Fortunately - and a bit miraculously perhaps - Petty only suffered a dislocated shoulder & some bumps and bruises.

I've often wondered if Papa Lee gave Richard a verbal lashing for wrecking 3 racecars in that one weekend - once he learned he was going to be OK of course.

updated by @tmc-chase: 05/11/24 07:47:48AM