In January 1972, the King won the prestigious Myers Brothers Memorial Award for his trip to Vietnam to visit the the troops and meeting with President Nixon at the White House [ link to article ]
140th of Richard Petty's 200 career wins - at Texas World Speedway:
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-12-this-day-in-petty-history.html
Wash, rinse, repeat.
http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/fair-board-taps-tony-formosa-oversee-fairgrounds-racing
I don't know Tony Formosa Jr. - though I did grow up watching his dad race. And I know he has a racing legacy himself at the track. But he had the opportunity to operate Nashville's fairgrounds track. He struggled - primarily because of factors beyond his control (cough, ahem...Nashville's Fair Board).
So the fair board took control of the track away from him & gave it to Bobby Hamilton Jr. Then Bobby couldn't pull it off with chips stacked against him.
So up steps Sterling Marlin, Chad Chaffin & other reputable folks in yet another effort to save the track.
So what does the fair board do? Yep - right back to Formosa. With what? Yep - just another 1 yr commitment.
The continuing deterioration of the track saddens me. But the politics in Nashville (which I fully get are about the same - maybe even better - as in every level of government in our country) sickens me to my core.
Today - December 5 - would have been Jim Paschal's 85th birthday. Truly one of the great ones. He is one of a handful of drivers I wish I could have met and visited before he passed away.
Sadly, his victory in the Petty Enterprises #41 (and Richard Petty's 2nd place finish) in the 1964 600 was pretty much overshadowed by the tragic fire that consumed Fireball Roberts and ultimately cost him his life.
Bristol 1961 in Julian "J.H." Petty's Pontiac (from Ray Lamm's collection):
Winning at Nashville for Petty Enterprises in 1962:
Winning at Wilkesboro (from Ray Lamm's collection):
Thumbs Up on the Roger Miller reference. One of my faves.
How much do I believe the 'mutual' part? This much.
I had forgotten about Silver Fox getting the award in 79. A bit comical in retrospect after he & the Woods parted ways after the spring Darlington race. He wasn't even a full time driver for most of the 70s - particularly in 79. But I imagine he got a ton of peer recognition and support after that deal + his willingness and ability to jump in Earnhardt's #2 car. His winning the Southern 500 in Osterland's car in the next race at the track where he lost his ride was a pretty legendary victory.
Nashville's NASCAR Cafe was housed in the original Service Merchandise department store. That company was founded in Nashville. Before they went under, they were an associate sponsor on Bill Elliott's McDonald's car. I was there for grand opening night of the Cafe. Somewhere I've got a photo or two of Eli doing his MC work.
