1962 Virginia 500
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-22-this-day-in-petty-history-part.html
1979 Virginia 500 - King's 15th and final Martinsville victory - a key win over Darrell Waltrip and Buddy Baker that helped the 43 team capture Richard's 7th and final Cup championship
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-22-this-day-in-petty-history-part_22.html
April 21, 1963 Virginia 500 at Martinsville.
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-21-this-day-in-petty-history-part.html
April 21, 1974 Gwyn Staley 400 at North Wilkesboro.
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-21-this-day-in-petty-history-part_21.html
April 20, 1980 Northwestern Bank 400 at North Wilkesboro. And it may just include a bit of insight into my preferred high school apparel and hair style.
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-20-this-day-in-petty-history.html
Cars rolling off the grid for the start. Jack Ingram & Wayne Andrews on the front row. Lennie Pond & Bobby Allison on row 2. Jimmy Means and Bill Dennis on row 3. - Getty Images
Explains a bit why Kenny went silent on Twitter a week or so ago - despite claims he was just taking a break from it. Guessing he lived by what his mama taught him: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
Insiders tell me Ford and NASCAR have a contingency plan in case the battery-operated car malfunctions.
When Maryville's Smoky Mountain Speedway opened as dirt track, it struggled mightily. Shortly thereafter, a new promoter was hired by the track's owner, and he turned things around. NASCAR's top series stopped at Maryville in 1965, and the track was later paved to improve the racing yet again. Having done such a great job, the promoter caught the eye of Bill France Sr. He then hired Don Naman from Smoky Mountain Raceway to become the track president of his new Alabama International Motor Speedway - Talladega.
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-15-this-day-in-petty-history-part_15.html
With Sunday's Rockingham Renaissance, its interesting to reflect who may have either bump drafted or stole the air from Casey's rear wheels in the 1999 Daytona Busch race. Not laying blame - just chuckling a bit at the coincidence.
Absolutely. Was thinking on the roundy-round circuits. I guess their racing ad budget is pretty well committed to the Force family. Can't say I blame them as that outfit has stockpiled plenty of trophies and championships. But just disappointing how they didn't have the success needed to stick around on the NASCAR side of things - or at least at a favorable cost.
As Richard Petty's career started waning, I hitched my wagon to Tim Richmond. As it turned out, Petty's career outlasted Tim's. Then I went through a dry spell where I tried to follow Kyle - son of The King, Sterling - started watching at the fairgrounds, all the troubled drivers who piloted the 43 after RP, etc.
Then Casey came along with Brewco. A true Nashville guy. THIS was going to be my new fave. Plus, he had a great looking car with that Castrol 27. I'd follow him to success in Cup. Instead *poof* his career was almost over before it began with Evernham.
I've been surprised that Castrol really hasn't surfaced much as a sponsor since those days. About the only thing we've heard from them was that annoying commercial where the guy striped folks across the back of the knees with the dipstick.
I sent the link to my blog - edited with the info & video link noted by Dave Fulton - to Russ Thompson. I think Russ has forgotten more about racing trivia than I'll ever know. He is the "unofficial historian" of Nashville fairgrounds speedway & he provides data/stats services to NBC for their Indy car coverage. I was hoping to pass along Dave's comment about Junior Johnson as a new trivia item. Instead, he replies with a photo of Junior Johnson behind the wheel of that roadster. So, TMC one-upping RT: 0, RR getting a cool photo: 1.
